About

What is Citifari?

Citifari is the healthy and safe way to see New York City under a different angle. Join our career New York City photographers (check their amazing bios) in a small group for our photo tours. Our photographers share decades of experience for you to get the essence of New York through their passion.

We have already diligently scouted NYC for the most unique vantage points for you. During the 2-1/2 hour walking tour, we share these privileged corners of NYC along with various, must-have, techniques so you can shoot your own stunning photographs.

Your photographer directs you safely to the most appropriate location for each picture, instruct you and provides you with feedback regarding composition and the settings of your camera.

Through our intimate workshop we will take you off the Automatic and to Manual mode of your camera. You only need to bring your best camera and walking shoes. Please read your camera's manual and be ready to adjust your camera in manual mode.

We have many tours every week, check our full schedule to see when you can join us. We recommend that you take our photo tour early during your stay so that you can use the benefits of your experience through the duration of your stay (and non-photographers can come along).

The Team

Sam

Jean-Francois

Founder & CEO
Semi-Retired Professional Photographer
"When I looked to make interesting pictures in New York, it took me days to locate the vantage points, the proper light conditions and settings for one photo. I wondered how photo-enthusiasts would find the time to scout and find these spots. I thought everyone, from New York or visiting the City could learn how to use its equipment better, while at the same time taking great photos." - Citifari was born.

Sam has a degree in engineering and a passion for photography. He was an early adopter of digital photography and he is now regularly featured in the largest medias (CNN, New York Times, WSJ, ABC, CBS, ...) and exhibited in galleries in Soho and in the City.
Jean-Francois is a semi-retired professional photographer. Originally from France, he has photographed hundreds of models over his career of 30+ years in photojournalism, advertising and fashion photography between Paris and New York City. Jean-Francois owns his studio but likes the outdoors most and knows New York City like his pocket. Feel free to ask him your questions in French!

Jean-François studied at the prestigious Louis Lumière School of photography in Paris and has experience in all areas of professional photography, from photojournalism to advertising to fashion. Read more about Jean-Francois here: Jean-François, the image creator.

Gildo

Diversified Artist
Gildo is a native New Yorker who has traveled to 28 countries. His stock photography is represented by Corbis in more than 50 countries worldwide.
He knows all the unique ''sneaky'' places of the Big Apple. And his tours usually turn into an ''adventure'' full of surprises with lots of enjoyment and amusement...It's Fun.
He lives in his roots neighborhood of Astoria, in the borough of Queens, which has become the new Bohemia.  A ''mecca'' for artists of all kinds.
He is a licensed New York City Tour Guide and passed the test on his first try.
His website is www.gildonyc.com.

Gildo is a diversified artist, he is a NYC working actor, as seen in Scorsese's ''The Wolf of Wall Street'' and Cable USA's ''Royal Pains'' Season 5, co-starring as the Auction Security Boss, as well a professional model. Gildo makes large paintings of his photographs. Gildo also speaks the broken European versions of Spanish and Portuguese, as well as Italian.
''I'm happy to be with citifari because now I can share my creative vision of NYC with everyone.''
Read more about Gildo here: An Artist Named Gildo

Michael

Professional Photographer
Michael combines the skills of a professional photographer with a historian’s passion for New York City. For over 20 years he photographed New York City for corporations and media. He is also a teacher and a coach.
“I’ve photographed from Bangkok to London to New York as professional and as tourist. It is such a pleasure to take an excellent photo. I love helping people understand composition and technique so they can take better pictures on travels or at home. New York is such a wonderful, visual city. I feel privileged to reveal it to people."

Rob

Photography Teacher
"The experience of teaching photography informed my own work and compelled me to return to school to complete my Bachelor’s Degree at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts film program. The sum of my experiences enabled me to work my way through the program and expand on an already comprehensive education with minors in Art History, American Literature and Cinema Studies." Still expanding on his interest in photography a decade later Rob recently completed the rigorous entrance requirements of the International Cinematographer’s Guild. Rob found the greatest satisfaction and sense of achievement not only in the quest for that elusive 'perfect' image but in teaching photography to others.

Rob is an active photographer in his spare time, both as freelancer for events and portraits and for social issues and street photography in and outside the City. Check his art here.
Rob's favorite quote: “All I can say about the work I try to do, is that the aesthetic is in reality itself.” - Helen Levitt (1918-2009)

Debbie

Photography Sightseeing Guide
"Photography was a much tougher affair when I fell in love with film at 17y.o. For more than 30 yrs., I have been shooting incredible images ranging from cityscapes and landscapes, to people and tornadoes. Even though photography is now made so much easier, there is still tons of things to be learned and I am looking to impart my photography expertise with each of you. I will teach you about proper use of camera settings for optimal image results."

Debbie is a native New Yorker and a licensed New York Sightseeing Guide. She occasionally leads tornado tours in tornado alley as well as group and private tours in New York City.

Sévrine

Photography-Photo Enthusiast
“I fell in love with photography when I received my first camera at the age of eight. Since then I have never stopped taking pictures of moments that count, for better and for worse! I developed my photographic knowledge in high school where I attended an art program. I keep in mind childhood memories of walks with my father’s film camera, searching for the best place to shoot. Although I am now using a digital camera, photography will always mean to me the discovery of places and the capture of their particular atmospheres.”

Sévrine has a Master in Communication and Social Sciences. She will always be a photo-enthusiast.

Fred

Photo Tours-Workshops Specialist
"A friend of mine had booked citifari's photo tour and asked me to come along. I did not have a DSLR at the time and only used a point and shoot camera. When I saw the enthusiasm and the interest of the people in the tour, I decided to join and work on developing the photo tours. I might come along for a workshop once in a while but I am mostly working in the dark making sure that your tour runs smoothly."

Fred holds a degree in humanities from the University of La Sorbonne in Paris and moved to New York six years ago.