Berlin’s photography scene rarely moves in a straight line. In one week, you can move from museum archives to instant film, from microscopic grains of sand to a photo walk through Wedding.
Here is our curated guide to the most interesting photography events in Berlin from July 20–26, 2026. We have focused on exhibitions, talks, guided tours, workshops and photo walks that give you more than something to look at—they give you a way into the work.
Schedules and registration availability can change. Check the organizer’s page before leaving home.
At a glance
- Wednesday: Photography and sculpture at the Bode-Museum
- Thursday: Five competing options—guided tours, openings and artist talks
- Friday: Erwin Olaf or contemporary instant photography
- Saturday: Workshops, a photo walk and an analog photography finissage
- Sunday: Photo walks, zine-making and a final exhibition afternoon
Wednesday, July 22
Photography Tells Sculpture at the Bode-Museum
3:00 pm: 10MINUTES TALK · 3:30 pm: curator-led tour
Bode-Museum, Am Kupfergraben, 10117 Berlin
This exhibition asks a deceptively simple question: how does a photograph change the way we understand a sculpture? Lighting, framing and perspective can make the same object feel monumental, intimate or completely unfamiliar. The show brings more than sixty photographs into conversation with selected sculptures from the museum collection.
See the Bode-Museum exhibition details
Thursday, July 23: choose your route
Thursday is the busiest photography evening of the week. Most events overlap, so choose the one that matches your mood rather than trying to cross the whole city.
Berlin on Camera — English guided tour
5:30 pm · Registration required · Free admission
Stabi Kulturwerk, Unter den Linden 8, 10117 Berlin
A strong choice if you are interested in photojournalism, archives and the way Berlin has been represented through a century of photography and press culture.
Tour and exhibition information
Afterimage | Neun — opening reception
6:00 pm · Free admission
gr_und project space, Seestraße 49, 13347 Berlin-Wedding
Seven photographers from a year-long Ostkreuzschule seminar led by Mustafah Abdulaziz present documentary projects shaped by memory, belonging, nature and personal inquiry. It is especially relevant for photographers developing a long-term visual story.
See the complete Afterimage programme
Jochen Rohner — ELAIA II: The Big Ones
Artist talk at 6:00 pm · RSVP required
FAP Showroom, Ackerstraße 7, 10115 Berlin
Large-format analog black-and-white photographs of olive trees put material, scale and darkroom craft at the centre. A good option for anyone interested in handmade photographic prints.
Seeing the World in a Grain of Sand
Image lecture in German at 7:00 pm · RSVP recommended
Alfred Ehrhardt Stiftung, Auguststraße 75, 10117 Berlin
Matthias Burba’s microphotography turns grains of sand into landscapes of colour and structure, while Max Seeger’s video work connects the material to larger ecological and economic questions.
Visit the Alfred Ehrhardt Stiftung event page
C/O Berlin — After-Work Tour + Drink
7:00–9:00 pm · German
C/O Berlin, Hardenbergstraße 22–24, 10623 Berlin
The evening combines Walter Schels’ retrospective with The Lure of the Image, a group exhibition about the visual language of feeds, filters, memes, dating profiles and digital culture.
Friday, July 24
Erwin Olaf — Muses: guided tour and drinks
7:00 pm · English · €18 / reduced €12, drink included
f³ – freiraum für fotografie, Prinzessinnenstraße 30, 10969 Berlin
Shirley den Hartog from the Erwin Olaf Foundation guides visitors through an exhibition exploring performance, identity, beauty and what a portrait can conceal. Capacity is limited, so booking is sensible.
:unmittelbar — 4th German Instant Photography exhibition
Opening at 7:00 pm · Free admission
Projektraum im Kunsthaus Bethanien, Mariannenplatz 2, 10997 Berlin
Fifty artists present contemporary approaches to instant photography. Expect work that treats the Polaroid not simply as a quick picture, but as a physical object that can be altered, assembled and transformed.
See the exhibition and programme
Saturday, July 25
Make, walk, look
- 11:00 am–2:00 pm: instant photography workshop with Dominika Pancewicz and Erin O’Leary at Kunsthaus Bethanien (German).
- 2:00 pm: Afterimage photo walk with Herkusho Kats from gr_und project space (English/German). Register by July 24.
- 3:00 pm: English curator’s tour of :unmittelbar with Andrés Aguilar Caro.
- 7:00–10:00 pm: finissage of Jochen Rohner’s ELAIA II at FAP Showroom.
If you want a full photography day, the instant photography workshop and curator’s tour fit naturally together. If you prefer making photographs outdoors, choose the Wedding photo walk.
Sunday, July 26
A final day for participation
- 11:00 am–1:00 pm: :unmittelbar instant photography walk from Kunsthaus Bethanien (German).
- From July 26: two-part zine workshop with Aino Väänänen connected to Afterimage (English; second meeting August 1; register by July 24).
- 2:00–6:00 pm: street photography workshop with Holger Biermann at Freundeskreis Willy-Brandt-Haus, Stresemannstraße 28 (German; registration required; bring ID).
- 4:00 pm: finissage of Kleiner Mann, was nun? at Alte Feuerwache Projektraum.
Street photography workshop details
Our three picks
- For analog photographers: :unmittelbar at Kunsthaus Bethanien, especially the Saturday workshop and curator’s tour.
- For documentary storytellers: Afterimage | Neun, including Saturday’s photo walk and the zine workshop.
- For visual culture and contemporary images: C/O Berlin’s double programme on Thursday evening.
Take the inspiration back to your own film
An exhibition is a little like borrowing someone else’s eyes for an hour. The useful part begins when you leave and notice the street differently.
If this week inspires you to photograph Berlin, explore our Film Knowledge guides. When the roll is finished, our beginner’s development and scanning guide will help you choose the right service.
Frequently asked questions
What photography events are happening in Berlin this week?
From July 20–26, 2026, Berlin has photography exhibitions, artist talks, guided tours, instant-film workshops, photo walks and a zine workshop across Mitte, Kreuzberg, Charlottenburg and Wedding.
Are any of these Berlin photography events free?
Yes. The Stabi Kulturwerk exhibition, the Afterimage opening, FAP Showroom, the :unmittelbar opening and several exhibition visits are free. Workshops, special tours and museum admission may require payment or registration.
Which events are best for analog photographers?
The strongest analog-focused choices are Jochen Rohner’s large-format work at FAP Showroom and the :unmittelbar instant photography exhibition, workshops and photo walk at Kunsthaus Bethanien.
Do I need to register?
Some events accept walk-ins, but the Ostkreuzschule photo walk and zine workshop require registration by July 24. The Alfred Ehrhardt Stiftung lecture, the street photography workshop and limited-capacity tours should also be booked in advance.
This article is an independent Berlin Photo Studio selection based on the PiB – Photography in Berlin weekly newsletter, with additional checks against organizer pages. Event details may change.
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