Rodney O'Callaghan Photography
Photograph the beautiful city of Lisbon in all its glory. Whether you’re a beginner learning the basics or an experienced photographer seeking fresh perspectives, my Lisbon photography workshops combine technical instruction with insider access to the city’s most stunning locations. Our workshop will guide you through Lisbon’s legendary light, from the Tagus waterfront at dawn to the miradouros glowing at sunset, taking you beyond the typical tourist shots to discover hidden alleys, optimal timing to ensure you return with stunning images.
Accommodation is included in the price of the workshop from start to finish.
I keep all my workshop groups small to ensure everyone gets the time they need.
This is a city workshop and all locations are accessible on foot.
We will visit some of the best locations to capture the most beautiful scenery.
The MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) in Belém is one of Lisbon’s most photogenic contemporary buildings, designed by Amanda Levete and opened in 2016. Its undulating, wave-like form is covered in 15,000 three-dimensional white ceramic tiles that shimmer and reflect the river, sky, and surrounding light throughout the day.
The accessible rooftop allows you to walk up its curved surface, which is perfect for silhouettes and human-scale photos. The building’s position along the Tagus offers multiple vantage points and stunning golden hour light. This is an ideal location for both architectural and black and white photography.
The Vasco da Gama Bridge is one of Lisbon’s most striking modern landmarks. It is one of the longest bridges in Europe at about 17 kilometres (10.5 miles) and spans the Tagus River estuary in the eastern part of the city, connecting Lisbon to the municipality of Alcochete on the southern bank.
The bridge’s clean, modern geometry contrasts beautifully with Lisbon’s historic architecture, and it can create dramatic compositions at sunrise or sunset when the light catches the cables and spans.
Photographing Lisbon’s iconic yellow trams at twilight or night is magical; they become glowing, moving light sources against the city’s darker backdrop.
During blue hour (roughly 20-40 minutes after sunset), you get that rich, saturated blue sky that contrasts beautifully with the warm, golden light spilling from the tram windows. The trams are illuminated from within, creating this lantern-like effect as they navigate the narrow streets. You still have enough ambient light to capture street detail and context without everything going completely black.
The Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown (part of the Champalimaud Foundation) is a stunning biomedical research center located at the far western tip of Belém, right where the Tagus meets the Atlantic.
From a photography perspective: The location is exceptional—you can shoot it from multiple angles along the waterfront promenade, and the way it interacts with the river, rocks, and changing light is compelling. At sunset, the building takes on warm tones, and the glass facades reflect the golden light beautifully. The geometric forms and clean lines make it great for architectural photography, and there’s interesting contrast between the building’s modernity and the raw, natural coastline.
Join us for all this and more on our Lisbon photography workshop.
