Linda Zhengova: Empathetic Seeing: Building Connections with Strangers Through the Power of Photography Leipzig Photobook Festival 2026

This workshop teaches how to build a deep connection with strangers through the power of photography. The focus is on using emotional intensity to build meaningful encounters, regardless of language or cultural barriers. You will learn how to work without hierarchy to foster an equal, compassionate and empathetic connection between yourself and the people you wish to photograph.

Workshop highlights:

Connection through photography: Get out of your comfort zone and learn how to connect with people based on energy and emotion, even if you don't speak the same language.

Intention and instinct: Follow your gut feeling while critically questioning your intentions as a photographer, breaking down barriers between you and your subjects.

Empathy and equality: Find out how to approach your subjects with empathy and compassion to create an environment where photographer and subject are equals.

Explore tensions: Look beneath the surface to create images that trigger emotional responses and have a lasting emotional impact on your audience.

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This one-day workshop focuses on both introspection and practice. Under Linda's guidance, you will learn to break down the walls between you and others and create photos that not only tell stories, but also trigger emotions. The focus is on honest, emotive images that have a deep impact.

This workshop is ideal for photographers who are ready to step out of their comfort zone and explore the deeper emotional aspects of their practice, using empathy and connection to create impactful work.

About the workshop
Date, time, and duration: March 7, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Language: English
Location: HALLE 14 – Center for Contemporary Art
Participation fee: €80, max. 10 participants

workshop leader Linda Zhengová is a Czech-Chinese photographer, author, and curator who lives in Paris. Her work is based on exploring human emotions, ranging from vulnerability and trauma to the search for happiness. Using photography and interdisciplinary methods, she attempts to capture fleeting emotional states, intimate connections between strangers, and personal transformations.