First, about those letters
If you came looking for the giant I amsterdam letters on the Museumplein, they are not there any more. The city removed them at the end of 2018, arguing that they had become a symbol of mass tourism and a bottleneck in front of the Rijksmuseum. A version still stands at Schiphol airport, which is where most people photograph them now, and travelling versions appear at events.
It is worth knowing why they went, because the same question shapes the rest of this list. Amsterdam is a small, densely lived-in city, and the best photographs here are the ones you take without standing in someone's doorway.
The seven bridges of the Reguliersgracht
This is the classic canal shot and almost nobody knows where to stand. Go to the Herengracht at the corner of the Reguliersgracht and look south down the smaller canal. If you line yourself up correctly, seven arched bridges stack one behind the other in a single receding row.
It works best after dark, when the bridges are outlined in small lights, and in still weather, when the canal reflects them. Bring something to steady the camera on; the bridge parapet works.
The Brouwersgracht and the Jordaan
The Brouwersgracht, at the northern end of the canal ring, is regularly voted the prettiest street in the city: converted warehouses with their shutters and hoisting beams, houseboats, and less traffic than the main canals. Walk west from Central Station rather than taking a tram.
From there, the Jordaan is the neighbourhood to wander. The Bloemgracht and Egelantiersgracht are quieter than anything in the centre, and the courtyards and side streets are where the photographs are. Remember that these are homes; keep the lens out of front windows.
Views from above, including two free ones
The A'DAM Lookout, across the IJ behind Central Station, has an observation deck and a swing that pushes you out over the edge of the building. The free ferry from behind the station takes five minutes and is a small pleasure in itself.
Two viewpoints cost nothing. The roof of NEMO Science Museum is a public terrace with a wide view over the old harbour, open without a museum ticket in season. And the top floor of the public library beside Central Station has a café terrace with one of the best views in the city, free to anyone who walks in.
For a tower rather than a rooftop, the Westerkerk can be climbed in season with a guide, in small groups, and its view down over the Jordaan and the canals is the one that explains the shape of the city.
Dam Square and the centre, honestly
Dam Square is the historic heart, with the Royal Palace and the National Monument, and it is also loud, crowded and full of people trying to sell you something. Photograph the palace façade early in the morning, when the light is on it and the square is nearly empty, and do not plan to linger there in the afternoon.
The same is true of the flower market and the Anne Frank House queue: both photograph badly at their busiest and fine at eight in the morning.
The food shot everyone wants
The obligatory Amsterdam food photograph is a stroopwafel being pressed in front of you, the two thin waffle halves filled with hot syrup and handed over soft. You will find these on the markets rather than in shops selling boxes: the Albert Cuypmarkt is the reliable option.
Ask for it made fresh rather than taken from a stack. The difference is the whole point.
Where not to point a camera
Three rules that will save you trouble. Do not stand in a bike lane to compose a shot; cyclists here move fast and will not stop. Do not photograph people in the Red Light District; it is forbidden, the workers are at work, and phones get taken. And in the Begijnhof courtyard, keep your voice down and your camera away from the windows, because people live there and the gate closes when they have had enough.
Seeing Amsterdam by playing it
The best pictures come from the streets between the sights, and those are exactly the ones people skip. A city game gives you a route with clues through the canal ring and the Jordaan, so you end up on the small bridges and in the courtyards rather than in the queue outside a museum. It works well with friends and with a work group, and you will come home with better photographs than a bus tour would give you.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the I amsterdam letters now?
Removed from the Museumplein at the end of 2018. A version stands at Schiphol airport, and travelling versions appear at events.
What is the best time of day for canal photographs?
Early morning for empty streets, and the hour after sunset for lit bridges and reflections. Midday light on the canals is flat.
Where is the seven bridges view?
On the Herengracht at the corner of the Reguliersgracht, looking south down the smaller canal.
Are there free viewpoints?
Yes. The NEMO roof terrace and the top floor of the public library beside Central Station are both free.
Can I photograph in the Red Light District?
Not people, and not the windows. General street photography away from the workers is tolerated, but it is a residential area, so use judgement.
Come and play in Amsterdam
If you want the city rather than the queue outside it, walk it with a playing route. Here is how it works, and for team outings and larger groups we have formats on this page. Questions about dates, group sizes or routes? Get in touch. For a rainy day, start with the museums.
