OVIDIU SELARU

Workshop overview

Over three days, participants will explore Venice, Burano and Murano through street and documentary photography, focusing on everyday life and the relationships between people and their surroundings.

The masterclass will explore observation, composition, layering, timing, street portraits and visual storytelling.

Ovidiu will photograph alongside participants throughout the workshop, sharing how he approaches a scene, anticipates gestures and brings different elements together within the frame.

Each day will combine practical exercises, guided shooting sessions and individual feedback, encouraging participants to become more attentive, more confident and more aware of their own way of seeing.

Working mainly in black and white, Ovidiu’s approach is rooted in spontaneous encounters, layered compositions and the unpredictability of the street. Rather than imposing a fixed visual formula, the workshop encourages participants to respond to situations as they unfold and to develop a personal photographic voice through observation and practice.

Ovidiu works primarily with 21mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses, and occasionally a 135mm. Throughout the masterclass, participants will explore how focal length influences perspective, working distance and composition, while using the equipment they already own.

Duration & location

3 Days . San Servolo . Venice

Language of instruction

English

Required level

Participants should have a basic understanding of exposure, focus and the main functions of their camera. They should be able to photograph independently and be comfortable working in public spaces. No particular camera system or focal length is required. Both colour and black and white photography are welcome, although Ovidiu will also share his own approach to black and white during the editing sessions.

Max participants

12

Bio

Ovidiu Șelaru is a Romanian street and documentary photographer based in Bucharest, who spent nearly twenty years living in London.

It was there that he developed his photographic approach, spending years observing the streets and the everyday encounters that give a city its character.

Working mainly in black and white, his photography focuses on people and the way they inhabit urban spaces.

Through spontaneous gestures, unexpected juxtapositions and layered compositions, he brings together the different elements of a scene while preserving its unpredictability.

His photographs offer a direct, personal account of everyday life, with its humour, tension, contradictions and moments of intimacy.

He is the author of London in Frames (2025), a photographic exploration of the city that shaped much of his practice, and the creator of Europe, In Between, a project documenting everyday life across Europe.

His work continues to develop through long term projects and extensive travels, including an expanding body of photographs made in Asia.

A two time British Photography Awards winner, in 2021 and 2023, Ovidiu shares his work through exhibitions, artist talks, book signings and photography masterclasses internationally.

His teaching grows directly from his experience on the street. He encourages photographers to approach people respectfully, anticipate gestures, build compositions and stay with a scene long enough to discover what might happen next.

Through practical guidance and honest image discussions, he helps participants become more attentive and confident while developing their own photographic voice.

Pedagogical learning

• Participants will learn how to read a scene before raising the camera and how to recognise photographic possibilities within everyday situations.
• They will practise choosing a position, anticipating gestures and building compositions that connect foreground, background and human presence.
• The workshop will also explore how to approach people respectfully, develop confidence in the street and make decisions about working distance and focal length.
• Through repeated shooting sessions and individual guidance, participants will work on layering, environmental context, street portraits and unexpected juxtapositions.
• The final day will introduce Ovidiu’s approach to editing, black and white, image selection and sequencing, helping participants identify their strongest photographs and understand how individual images can begin to form a coherent body of work.

Skills targeted

• Street photography
• Documentary photography
• Observation, Composition
• Timing and anticipation, Gesture
• Foreground and background relationships
• Street portraits and Environmental portraiture
• Working distance
• Focal length and perspective
• Photographing people respectfully
• Visual storytelling
• Black and white photography
• Image selection, Editing and sequencing

Target audience

This masterclass is designed for enthusiastic amateur, emerging and more experienced photographers who want to develop their street and documentary photography through intensive practice.

It is particularly suited to participants interested in photographing people, everyday life and the relationship between individuals and the urban environment.

Participants should already be comfortable using their camera independently.

Prerequisites

Participants should bring their own camera, lenses, charged batteries, memory cards and any accessories they normally use.

Ovidiu works primarily with 21mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses, and occasionally a 135mm, but participants are encouraged to work with the equipment they already know.

A laptop with photo editing software is recommended for the final editing and review session.

Comfortable footwear is essential, as the workshop includes extensive walking and long shooting sessions in Venice and on the islands.

Detailed program

Day 1

Observation, composition and timing

Workshop starts at 10 am in San Servolo

The workshop begins with an introduction and a discussion about each participant’s experience and photographic goals before heading out to explore different areas of Venice.

The first shooting sessions focus on reading a scene, choosing a position and anticipating what might happen next.

Participants will practise working with foreground and background, recognising gestures and creating relationships between subjects.

The group will also discuss how to approach people respectfully, how to respond to different situations and how to build greater confidence when photographing in the street.

Throughout the day, Ovidiu will photograph alongside participants, sharing his own decisions and working methods directly in the field.

Day 2

Burano and murano

The second day is dedicated to photographing Burano and Murano and adapting to the different environments and rhythms of everyday life on the islands.

Practical exercises will focus on street portraits, environmental context, layering and unexpected juxtapositions.

Participants will experiment with different perspectives and working distances, considering when to move closer and when to include more of the surrounding environment.

Ovidiu will work individually with participants throughout the day, helping them develop their ideas and respond to situations as they unfold.

The focus remains on observation, patience and understanding how the different elements within a scene can come together within a single frame.

Day 3

Photographing, editing and reviewing

The final day begins with one last shooting session through Venice, bringing together the approaches explored during the previous two days.

Participants will have time to work more independently while receiving individual guidance throughout the session.

The final four hours are dedicated to editing and reviewing photographs together.

The group will look through participants’ images, identify their strongest photographs and discuss composition, timing, gesture and visual storytelling.

Ovidiu will share his editing workflow, including his approach to black and white, and the group will explore how image selection and sequencing can create a more coherent body of work.

Each participant will receive individual feedback and practical suggestions for continuing their photography after the masterclass.

Ends at 4 pm

The order of locations and shooting sessions may be adjusted according to weather, local conditions and the needs of the group.

What's included

• Three day masterclass with Ovidiu Șelaru
• Small group format
• Guided shooting sessions in Venice
• Full day photographic exploration of Burano and Murano
• Individual guidance throughout the workshop
• Practical exercises in composition, timing, layering and street portraiture
• Final editing and image review session
• Introduction to Ovidiu’s black and white editing approach
• Individual feedback and practical recommendations
• Access to the workshop space on San Servolo Island
• One printed photograph of each participant’s own work

What's not included

• Return transport to Venice and San Servolo
• Accommodation: 100 rooms are available on site, in San Servolo, otherwise you'll need to arrange your own accommodation in Venice
• Meals
• Vaporettos and other water cabs outside the excursions scheduled as part of the workshop
• All insurance cover for lost or stolen luggage, delayed or cancelled transport, theft or breakage of equipment during the workshop

Evaluation methods

• Continuous assessment through daily individual feedback and group discussions
• Final presentation of each participant’s work during the collective screening
• End-of-session evaluation and self-assessment form to measure satisfaction and learning outcomes
• Access to a shared alumni group for post-workshop dialogue and creative exchange

After the training

Participants’ work may be featured through Venezia Photo’s communication channels (newsletter, website, social media).
A private online group will allow participants to stay connected, share projects, and continue discussions beyond the workshop.

Accessibility

All efforts are made to accommodate participants with disabilities. Please contact us in advance for adaptation of conditions.