STORY | AMSTERDAM

A Winter Photowalk on the Leidsegracht

By Aleksandria Rudenko | Updated 27 October 2026

Woman in a white faux-fur coat peeking over the shoulder of a man in a black fedora, smiling during a winter photowalk in Amsterdam

Emily’s parents knew that their daughter and her husband Edward were flying in from the United States. So they gave them a winter photowalk on the Leidsegracht: one January day in Amsterdam, just for the two of them.

First, they looked through the couples in my portfolio. Then they ordered a digital photoshoot gift card online, in a few clicks.

The walk itself went the way my couple photoshoots in Amsterdam always go: one picturesque area, a route I map out beforehand and gentle guidance along the way.

Leidsegracht Light in Winter

We began on the corner where the Keizersgracht crosses the Leidsegracht. A sign on the railing also names the bridge: the Steenhouwerijbrug. In January the trees are bare, so the canal houses show every window.

An old iron lamp post on that corner became our first spot. Edward swung around it, Emily laughed, and the soft light did the rest. Around the corner, the warm windows of a small Italian restaurant gave us one more frame.

Couple embracing beside an ornate iron lamp post where the Keizersgracht crosses the Leidsegracht in winter, gabled houses and bikes behind — Where the Keizersgracht crosses the Leidsegracht, in January

Couple kissing by an iron lamp post on the Leidsegracht in winter, the Steenhouwerijbrug sign on the railing and the canal behind

Close-up of two hands wrapped around an ornate brown lamp post, painted nails and a turquoise bracelet on a grey day

Man in a grey tweed coat leaning around a lamp post to kiss a woman in a white coat on the Leidsegracht in winter

Man swinging around an iron lamp post toward a woman in a white faux-fur coat, an arched bridge over the canal behind them

Couple face to face on a street corner of the Leidsegracht during a winter photowalk, an Italian restaurant and a bicycle behind

A Winter Photowalk for Two

Emily wore a white faux-fur coat over a black dress. Edward, meanwhile, chose a grey tweed coat and a black fedora. Together, they looked made for the season.

I led the way along the water and over the bridges, while they simply enjoyed the city. Now and then, I asked them to pause on a bridge or turn toward the light. During this winter photowalk on the Leidsegracht, I kept a little distance. That way the small moments came by themselves: a kiss on the cheek, a hand under her chin, a long hug on a bridge.

Man in a black fedora kissing a woman on the cheek, his hand under her chin and her eyes closed, bare branches above

Man kissing the tip of a smiling woman's nose, her eyes closed, bare winter branches against a grey sky

Woman in an open white coat balancing along the edge of the quay with her arms out, a man following close behind her

Couple in a big hug on a canal bridge during their winter photowalk, a moored boat and a church dome in the distance

Man kissing the forehead of a woman in a white faux-fur coat, her eyes closed and her hand resting on his chest

Couple in a long embrace on a canal bridge during a winter photowalk, an arched brick bridge and gabled houses behind

Man lifting a woman's hand as she twirls by a lamp post, her white coat flaring out on a grey winter day

A Twirl in a White Coat

Then the walk turned playful. Emily balanced along the edge of the quay with her arms out, while Edward followed. Later he lifted her hand, and she spun until her coat flared. On the steps of a canal house they kissed as a cyclist rode by, and I kept him in the frame.

One frame says everything about them. Edward stood in profile while Emily peeked over his shoulder, smiling. It is also the photo that opens this story.

Couple looking into the camera during their winter photowalk, her hand on his chest and his black fedora tipped low

Couple kissing on the stone steps of a canal house while a cyclist rides past along the quiet street

A Frame Sent Home

For a few frames, they took off their coats and walked hand in hand in black. It felt like the city was theirs alone for a moment.

After their winter photowalk on the Leidsegracht, they chose a favorite and printed it. Then they put it in a handmade wooden frame and sent it to Emily’s parents. It was a gift in return, and a reminder of the trip.

Couple without coats walking hand in hand across a canal bridge on a winter day, both dressed in black — Coats off for a moment on a winter bridge

Close portrait of a couple cheek to cheek, both looking into the camera, canal houses soft behind them

Couple turned to the side, her hand on his chest and his black fedora casting a shadow, canal houses softly blurred

Couple holding hands on a bridge, she in a black dress smiling up at him, a church dome rising over the rooftops

Couple dressed in black holding hands on a winter photowalk by a lamp post on a bridge, gabled houses along the water

Looking for a present that becomes a memory? Discover how my couple photoshoots in Amsterdam work.