Local knowledge
We live here, walk these streets, and know the corners most visitors miss.
About Not Just Cheese
Local passion. Global perspective.
We’re a small team of photographers from around the world who live in Leiden, love it here, and use the city as a beautiful classroom for better travel photography.
Explore our photo walks
Our story
We came here from elsewhere. Then Leiden became home.
Not Just Cheese was created by photographers who know what it feels like to arrive somewhere new and slowly fall in love with it. Leiden gave us canals, light, history, quiet corners, and endless compositions. Now we help travellers experience the city the way we do: with curiosity, patience, and a camera in hand.
What makes us different
Photography-led, personal, and rooted in Leiden.
Photography-first
Every stop is chosen for light, composition, story, and practice.
Small groups
You get personal attention, not a megaphone tour.
Creative confidence
We help you experiment, ask questions, and leave with skills you can reuse.
Meet the team
Photographers, storytellers, and expats who call Leiden home.
These placeholder profiles are intentionally easy to replace with real team details as the team grows.
Alex
Street & travel photography
Originally from elsewhere, now happiest when Leiden’s streets start telling small visual stories.
Maya
Portraits & visual storytelling
Drawn to quiet moments, natural light, and the way people make a city feel alive.
Leo
Architecture & composition
Looks for rhythm in bridges, façades, reflections, and the geometry of old streets.
Sofia
Local culture & creative coaching
Loves helping guests slow down, ask better questions, and find their own frame.
Our approach
You’re in good hands — but never on autopilot.
We guide the route, explain the city, and teach practical photography principles. But the best part is helping you find your own way of seeing. Whether you bring a phone or a camera, we create a relaxed space to experiment, get feedback, and make photographs that feel personal.
Why Leiden
Leiden rewards people who slow down.
Leiden is compact, beautiful, layered, and quietly cinematic. Bridges, courtyards, reflections, university buildings, street corners, and changing Dutch light make it ideal for learning how to notice better.
Ready when you are
Ready to see Leiden differently?
Join a small-group photo walk led by people who live here, love photography, and care about helping you make better images.
Choose your photo walk