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Urban photography vs. landscape photography
There are many aspects of urban photography that set it apart from traditional landscape photography. Firstly, the subject matter is often much closer to the photographer than the traditional landscape. Secondly, it’s often easier to photograph buildings and other man made structures, which are often more prominent than the landscape. Finally, it’s often possible to photograph people in their environment, something that is less common in landscape photography. All of these things mean that urban photography can often be more challenging than a traditional landscape. However, it can also provide you with a wide range of interesting subjects to work with.
The lighting required for urban photography
This is often one of the most important aspects of urban photography. To capture the energy of the scene, you will need to find a well lit location. The best lighting conditions are those where the sun is shining directly on to the scene, often from a high angle. It’s best to avoid shooting in shade. If this isn’t possible, try to shoot at sunrise or sunset when there is strong daylight. These times can be quite brief, so if you are photographing in a place that doesn’t have a lot of natural light, be sure to plan your shot to the second.
Urban photography techniques
There are many ways you can make the most of your urban environment. If you are able to find a good vantage point, you can shoot close up images of street scenes, architecture, and other man made objects. You could also try to use your urban environment to illustrate a story. If you are on a tight budget, you could simply shoot the surroundings, including the people and objects in the foreground. You could use this to illustrate a character study or to show how people interact in an urban environment. If you are planning to photograph people, you could create a narrative by capturing the people in their surroundings.
How to photograph a person’s face
In urban photography, you can often get a good facial expression from people. This is because they may be used to having their photograph taken. If you are looking to photograph a person’s face, try to get the right positioning. Try to get a clear view of the face, preferably with the head angled slightly upwards. It’s best to avoid placing the camera on a tripod, since this might make the person feel self-conscious. It’s important to consider the background, particularly when using a wide angle lens. As the background becomes larger, the person appears smaller in the frame. You can fix this problem by moving closer to the subject, or cropping the image to reduce the background.
Some tips for shooting urban photography
The city is an ever-changing landscape, with new buildings being built and old ones torn down. With urban photography, you have to keep up with the times, as well as your subject matter. Here are some tips for shooting urban photography:
Choose your location wisely
Choose an area that has a lot of contrast between the sky and the ground, where you can get interesting shadows and reflections. Shoot in the early morning or late evening. If possible, shoot from above, as this will give you better control over the camera settings and will allow you to choose a more interesting perspective.
Use a wide-angle lens.
A wide lens will make it easier to capture the whole scene and get more into the frame. The wider the angle of view on your camera, “the more compression you can get in the background,” says photographer Daniel Arnold.
Shoot at twilight or dawn when there is less light pollution in downtown areas and you might be able to capture interesting cloud formations that reflect off skyscrapers and other tall buildings.
Watch out for reflections!
If there are windows or shiny surfaces in front of you, they’ll create distracting reflections that will ruin an otherwise great shot of your subject matter (unless that’s what you’re going for). If possible, shoot from an angle where these reflections aren’t visible so that they don’t distract from your subject matter or add unwanted color or texture to the photo (think windows reflecting blue sky).
Get close!
Urban landscapes often offer a lot of interesting details if you get close enough to them. If you want to show off how busy a city can be, then it’s worth getting right up close and personal with your subject matter. You’ll need good equipment if you want your shots to look good though – try using an ultra-wide angle lens or even a fisheye lens.
Get up early or stay out late.
Urban landscapes change throughout the day, especially if you’re shooting in a city with a lot of foot traffic. You can catch the streets before they get busy and use the light to create dramatic shadows along buildings and sidewalks.
Look for patterns and repetition in architecture.
For example, look at how many windows there are on each building and how they line up across the street from one another. You can also find patterns in the way people walk down the street or in where cars park on certain blocks (like along a highway). These patterns create interesting compositions that make your photos look more interesting than just showing a boring building or empty street corner without anything going on in it.
Shoot from high up
You can get some really interesting shots by shooting from above, using a drone or similar device. Try to shoot from a building or rooftop so you can get a shot that shows the whole city. This will make your photo stand out from all the other ones being taken around it.