Photography in Israel

Israel is an incredibly photogenic place to visit – stunning landscapes – deserts, mountains, cities ancient and modern, and the seas. Of course the people who live here are an inseparable part of the scene.

Perhaps the best tip of all for photographing in Israel is not to forget the power of the sun. Photos in mid-summer at mid-day are very flat and care is needed in illuminating subjects. It is often more flattering to take pictures of people earlier or later in the day. There is a huge amount of reflection from the stone work in places like Jerusalem and Jaffa, and of course from beaches and water and this needs to be factored in to the composition and set up.

In this section we have collected some of the most favorite places where you can take memorable pictures. These are classics – not to be under-estimated but to be savored. Of course, as in any country, many of the special photo opportunities will present themselves when you least expect it; you just need to be prepared.

Enjoy some of the best places, perennial favorite places and shots in our galleries – Jerusalem Photos, Tel Aviv Photos and the Galilee & Golan Photos.

As a preview, here are some of the best snapshots of Israel:

a golden cloudy sky casting over a beach
Palmachim Beach at dusk. Palmachim is a kibbutz and beach located just south of Tel Aviv
an old city in front of a sea, and people on boats
The new and the old: the Old Jaffa and the modern skyscrapers (background) in nearby Tel Aviv.
church with a high roof
Basilica of the Annunciation, in Nazareth
building with golden domes on top
The Church of Mary Magdalene, a Russian Orthodox church on the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem
HDR capture of a windmill over a blue, cloudy sky
Montefiore Windmill, Jerusalem
a garden of flowers
Flowers blooming at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens
fields of grass and red flowers
Anemone coronaria blossom at a forest in Shokeda, a religious “moshav” (a term for a cooperative settlement of small individual farms) in southern Israel
panoramic view of a beach and blue sea
Panoramic view of a beach in Netanya, Northern Central District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain
yellow petaled flower field at daytime
A breathtaking nature scene in Golan Heights
snowcapped mountain
Mount Hermon, Golan Heights
a lagoon framed by walkways and palm trees
Eilat Lagoon
train on tracks
Jerusalem Light Rail
beach and lake
Ein Bokek and the Dead Sea
men standing in front of a wall
Worshippers at the Kotel (Wailing Wall, Western Wall, or Kosel), in the Old City of Jerusalem
an aerial view of the desert
The Ramon Craters, Negev Desert, southern Israel
a man carrying a crate of box of bread, with the crate of bread in front of him
“Bread man” at the Muslim Quarter, Old City of Jerusalem
traveling to Israel
Temple Mount, with the Dome of the Rock in the foreground, Old City of Jerusalem

Here are some of our favorite spots to take great photos of Israel