Dublin in a Different Light with the Dublin Street Photography Festival Directors Paul Murray & Des Byrne.

Dublin in a Different Light with the Dublin Street Photography Festival Directors Paul Murray & Des Byrne.

Focus on elevating your visual storytelling through creative captures and refining in-camera composition. This workshop is designed to deepen your understanding of how to frame and compose abstract street photography and candid moments, ensuring you leave with the skills to tell compelling visual stories.

In this immersive and engaging full day workshop, participants will have the unique opportunity to learn from not one, but two internationally respected Irish street photographers. Those being Paul Murray (@reflexlens) and Des Byrne (@des_byrne_street_photographer). The focus is on observing and interpreting urban streets creatively to seize opportunities for both abstract and candid street photography. Throughout the session, participants will acquire essential skills to manipulate light, space, and reflections in order to compose artistic and striking candid street images with complex layers.

The workshop emphasises capturing creative visuals and to help participants refine their in-camera composition techniques. The objective is to leave the workshop with a deeper understanding of how to frame and compose abstract street photography and candid moments that tell visual stories.

Course Structure:

In advance of the workshop we will ask for some samples of each participants work. The instructors will provide personalised feedback to each participant and offer tips so that the practical element of the day is directed to their needs.

Introduction presentation to the Art of Street Photography

Guided Street Photography Session: Participants will explore Dublin city streets with the guidance of the instructors, splitting into two smaller groups. This will focus on capturing creative shots that play with light, reflections, and composition.

Review Session: After the street session, we will return the Photo Museum Ireland for a discussion, and provide feedback on further progression opportunities. Paul and Des will also review each participant’s shot of the day in a post workshop forum.

Logistics and What to Expect:

Focus on Visual Composition: The workshop centres around artistic composition and visual storytelling in street photography rather than technical camera settings. While some basic technical guidance will be provided, participants should be comfortable operating their own camera.

Equipment: DSLRs, Bridge cameras and point & shoots are welcome. Participants are encouraged to use a prime lens 50mm or less (or a standard zoom lens) to effectively capture the street environment.

Smartphone cameras are welcome.

Outcome:

By the end of the workshop, participants will have sharpened their skills in street photography, gained a fresh perspective on observing urban scenes, and learned to create impactful street images, while becoming more confident taking photos on the streets.

About the tutors

Des Byrne

A highly respected Irish street photographer, from Bray, County Wicklow. He is co-founder of the Dublin Street Photography Festival. He has made significant contributions to the street photography scene both in Ireland and internationally. Byrne founded the Irish Street Photography Group in 2013, which quickly became a prominent platform for photographers in the genre. Through the group he curated four Irish / International exhibitions to-date, further establishing its presence in the global street photography community. His was a winner at the Pisa International Street Photography Festival 2022. He was also a finalist in prestigious festivals in Paris, Gothenburg, Oslo and Miami. Des was part of the multi-award winning INSIGHT Photography Project which won a Kinsale Shark Award in 2017. INSIGHT was an unique photography project highlighting the issue of Homelessness through the lens of those who have experienced it directly.

Paul Murray

Paul is a street photographer and visual artist from Dublin. He was awarded an Emerging Artist Bursary Award for his unique approach to street photography from The Arts Council of Ireland and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. Paul won first place in the Livorno Photo Meeting and third place in Fujifilm Moment Street Photo Awards. He received a Juror's Pick in the prestigious Street Photographers Foundation Awards 2025. He has also been a finalist and exhibitor in leading international festivals and competitions including: Brussels Street Photography Festival, Italian Street Photo Festival, Rome Photo Lab, Pisa Street Photography Festival, Istanbul Street Photography Festival, Urban Photo Awards, Street Macadam Award, and Mexico Street Photo Festival. Paul is co-founder of the Dublin Street Photography Festival.