25
October, 2025
Saturday
Liverpool’s River of Light 2025 is one of the city’s busiest annual events, drawing huge crowds along the waterfront. My photography walking tours are designed to cut through the chaos — I’ll guide you to the most photogenic artworks, show you the best angles, and share techniques for capturing illuminated installations at night. These tours are always popular and spaces are limited, so please only book if you intend to attend. It’s disappointing when people don’t turn up, as it means someone else misses out.
Here are the dates I’ll be running photography tours during Liverpool’s River of Light 2025. Places are limited and these sessions always fill quickly, so book early to secure your spot.
Liverpool’s River of Light is the city’s annual autumn light festival, transforming the waterfront with spectacular illuminated artworks. In 2025, the event will run from [insert official dates once confirmed], with installations stretching along the Pier Head, Albert Dock and surrounding areas.
The festival is free to attend and attracts huge crowds every year. Dozens of international artists bring large-scale light installations to the city, making it one of the UK’s most popular light art trails.
I’m not officially part of the festival, but I’ve been photographing it for years and often work with the artists themselves — including Amigo & Amigo, whose colourful, immersive installations have become highlights of River of Light. This gives me a unique perspective on where to find the best shots and how to capture them.
My tours are designed with photographers in mind, helping you avoid the guesswork, find the most photogenic artworks, and make the most of your time at this busy event.
These tours aren’t about standing still and fiddling with camera settings — they’re about seeing the festival differently. I’ll guide you to the most photogenic installations and show you how to capture them in creative ways.
You’ll learn how to:
Spot the best angles that make an installation stand out
Use reflections in water, glass and even wet pavements for dramatic effect
Frame light artworks against Liverpool’s iconic landmarks
Work with the energy of the crowds to add scale and atmosphere, or find quieter moments away from them
Explore perspective and composition tricks to create unique images of popular installations
Capture a cohesive set of photos that tells the story of the festival, rather than a random series of snaps
I’ll always be on hand to help with technical questions, but the main focus is on composition, creativity and confidence in busy, dynamic conditions.
Duration: Tours last around 2–3 hours in the evening.
Meeting point: We’ll start in front of the Victoria Monument, right across the road from James Street Station for easy access.
Group size: Small groups keep things friendly and make it easier to move through busy areas together.
Crowds: River of Light is one of Liverpool’s busiest annual events. You can’t avoid the crowds entirely, but this is where my knowledge comes in. I’ve photographed the festival for years, and I know the waterfront and city routes inside out. My expertise is in moving groups efficiently between installations, avoiding bottlenecks, and focusing our time on the most photogenic artworks.
Halloween tip: If you’re looking for the quietest night of the festival, it’s usually Halloween evening.
What to bring: Any camera or phone will do, though you’ll get more out of it with a DSLR or mirrorless. A tripod can help with longer exposures, but isn’t essential. Wrap up warm — this is Liverpool in late October!
Booking & Gratuity
My River of Light tours run on a gratuity basis. That means there’s no upfront fee — instead, you decide what the experience was worth at the end of the tour.
High Demand & No-Shows
These tours are extremely popular, with only a limited number of places available on each date. Please only book if you genuinely intend to attend.
No-shows are especially disappointing — they take a place that could have gone to another photographer who wanted to join. If your plans change, just let me know so I can offer your spot to someone else.
Event Timing & Cancellations
River of Light runs for a fixed period each year, so dates cannot be rescheduled. If you can’t attend on the night you’ve booked, your place will unfortunately be lost.
Occasionally, installations may not be operating due to technical issues — I have no control over this. If the event itself is cancelled (as has happened on certain nights in the past), the walk will also be cancelled, and I cannot be held responsible for that.
Weather
The event goes ahead whatever the weather. Bring warm clothing and waterproofs if needed — this is Liverpool in late October!
Health & Safety
You are responsible for your own safety during the tour. Please be mindful of crowds, busy crossings, and your equipment when photographing.
Equipment
Any camera or phone is welcome, though a DSLR or mirrorless camera will give you the most flexibility. A tripod can help for longer exposures, but is not essential.
Age Policy
These tours are for adults only, ensuring a focused and like-minded learning environment.
My photography walks are all about keeping things relaxed, welcoming and open to everyone. There’s no upfront fee – instead, you decide what the experience was worth afterwards.
It’s a simple way to make photography more accessible. Similar workshops elsewhere can cost £20-£50, but I prefer to keep things flexible so you can enjoy the day without pressure. Whether you’re picking up a camera for the first time or refining your skills, these walks are designed for all levels – even if you’re just using a phone.
I'm Liam, you're local photography guide, I've been running walks and workshops now for over 5 years, helping hundreds of walkers experience the great outdoors and always wearing my distinctive gold/yellow jacket!
I started this journey wanting to help those struggling with their mental health following the 2019 pandemic to get out into our countryside, using their cameras as an excuse to explore and I'm now heading into my 5th year!
My workshops are for everyone, beginners to experts, we'll always find something amazing to photograph together!
So whether you're new to photography or an experienced shooter, book one of my walks today, follow the golden jacket, and lets take great photos!
The Liverpool River of Light is a spectacular annual light festival held every October along the Liverpool waterfront. Bringing together artists from across the globe, the event transforms the city into an open-air gallery of illuminated public artworks.
Each year features a mix of returning favourites and brand-new commissions, using the unique backdrop of the Liver Building, Albert Dock and Mersey waterfront as a canvas for creative light installations. Past festivals have showcased work by renowned artists and collectives such as Amigo & Amigo, Atelier Sisu, and Studio Vertigo, attracting thousands of visitors to the city.
The 2025 festival runs from 24th October to 2nd November, offering ten nights of immersive light art and photography opportunities. You can find more details about the official programme on the Liverpool City Council website.
The Liverpool River of Light is a public artwork celebration held every year in October across the Liverpool waterfront. The event brings artists from across the world to the city to display their illuminated public artworks.
The artworks range from existing pieces to brand new commissions for the event and use the unqiue setting of the Liverpool Waterfront as their canvas. In the past the event has attracted artists including Amigo & Amigo, Atelier Sisu, Studio Vertigo and many more.
*Free Neon Light Photowalks are offered for no upfront fee, all I ask is that participants consider paying whatever they feel the walk was worth to them at the end of the walk with no expectation. This gratuity-based system allows guests to ensure that the walk fits within their expectations, and within their budget. To cover the cost of late cancellations, if you are unable to attend a walk you have booked please can I ask you to consider a £5 donation. Details on how to give this donation are included in your booking confirmation and booking cancellation emails.
