Ginza and the Heart of Edo-Tokyo

A Nobechi Creative exclusive master class workshop with Sam Abell

Dates: Nov 16 - 24, 2024

Overview

Join master photographer Sam Abell in this one-time-only workshop dedicated to documenting Ginza and the heart of Tokyo.

For nine days you and seven other photographers will live and work at the center of one of the most visually stimulating realms on earth—a modern, even futuristic blend of urban art, architecture, culture and entertainment.

This is a true workshop—one that combines intensive documentary photography with ongoing, daily critiques from one of the world’s most renowned teachers.

By minimizing travel and concentrating only on glamorous Ginza and several of its distinctive adjacent districts* you will be able to deeply develop work on dedicated, personally created themes.

With critique sessions structured to meet in the middle of the day, you will have the freedom to photograph in the early mornings, the golden hour of late autumn afternoons and on into Tokyo’s never-ending night life.

Perhaps you will create a project about bartenders in the whiskey bars, or street sweepers in the mornings, commuter culture or the pure joy of making well executed, “compose and wait” photographs amid some of the most fashion-rich sidewalks and stylish retail stores in existence.

Each night we will convene at a different restaurant to toast our work and talk about the day.

Our sanctuary will be the Park Hotel Tokyo, an art hotel tranquilly situated high above the streets with commanding views of the areas we are photographing.

In addition to instruction and feedback from Sam, George and the Nobechi Creative support team will be present to care for your needs.

As a bonus, part of the workshop will overlap with Greg Gorman’s “Mastering the Travel Portrait” workshop, allowing opportunities for occasional crossover excursions and dinners together, in what promises to be a unique event with two great masters and close friends.

The workshop schedule includes two Sundays, when Ginza puts on its best face in the form of pedestrians-only zones.

* Ginza and its adjacent districts comprise ‘The Heart of Edo’—the old name for today’s Tokyo. It includes the few square miles from the tranquil gardens of the Imperial Palace to Marunouchi (financial district) and Tokyo Station, Nihombashi (Mile Marker Zero of ancient Japanese roads), Yurakucho and Shimbashi (the salaryman’s drinking and entertainment district) and Shiodome (modern skyscrapers where our hotel is located).

Class Size

Limited to 8 registrants - this workshop has an application process (please fill out the form below)

Included

• 9 nights hotel accommodations

• 9 breakfasts

• 9 dinners

• All domestic transportation

• All group admissions, location fees

• Instruction and guidance from Sam Abell and the Nobechi Creative Team

• Detailed information package and full itinerary in detail

• Bilingual support during the trip

Not included

• International airfare

• Extra hotel nights on front and back end

• Meals not marked in the itinerary including lunch daily (as you will want to spend your hours how you wish between photography and meals)

• Alcohol

• Travel Insurance

• Incidentals

• Admissions or costs incurred by you in your individual project pursuits

Tuition

Single occupancy: $11,250 per person**

**For bank wire payments. For credit card payments add $300 to the total for transaction fees. (Note your deposit can be paid by credit card without a transaction fee being added if the balance of payment is by bank wire)

An interest-free installment plan is available. Please mention your interest in this via the form below.

This workshop is full. Please fill out the form below to be put on the waitlist for this trip and alerted of future workshops with Sam Abell in Japan.

About Sam abell