Photographing Urban Areas

Whenever we think about landscape photography, we imagine big open spaces or dramatic
mountain ranges. How about urban landscapes? Pictures of our cities can be just as dramatic
as nature. Some people might be put off a little by the greyness of concrete, graffiti covered
walls and high skyscrapers, but that’s what gives urban photography it’s photographic potential.

Here are some tips to help you improve your urban photography skills:

Take a Variety of Lenses

As a minimum, you should take at least two lenses with you when going to take urban shots.
One wide angle lens and one zoom with a good bit of length to it. The longer focal length comes
in handy when you want to capture the details of buildings and streets.

Look for Contrast

One of the greatest things about photographing cities, is the diversity you find there. Try to spot
contrast between your surroundings, be it building materials, colors or architectural styles, which
will ensure an interesting end product.

People
One of the hardest things about urban photography is that cities are place where there is usually
lots of people. Although there is nothing wrong with people in your shots, the downside is that
they tend to become the focal point of a photograph. So it’s best to either intentionally make
them your focal point, or try to eliminate them from the shots all together.

Research Your Location

Although it’s possible to get great urban shots spontaneously, the most amazing shots are
usually carefully planned. Another thing to take into consideration, is the time of day. The light
angle changes dramatically throughout the day and certain times of day make a huge difference
on your shots.

Look for Mirrors

More and more buildings these days are made with highly reflective materials. This is both a
challenge and an opportunity. In the right circumstances, some amazing effects can be attained
by capturing the reflections in those buildings, try different angles to see which one works best.

Shoot in the Evenings

Urban areas change dramatically as evening approaches and the lights come on. Shots that
otherwise would be lifeless can drastically change and gain character. Shooting in the twilight
zone when it’s still not dark outside but the city lights are on, can produce some great results.

Article written by New Jersey Videography.