CAPTURE CITY LIFE
Explore the people, sights and colours of cities and discover how to identify image potential
Cities are a magnet for travel photographers due to the high concentration of potential subject matter and variety of colour and atmosphere. Urban areas are where people congregate, providing opportunities for street photography in an environment alive with tonal contrasts and engaging architectural forms. However, crafting a successful shot is more challenging than many realise, as the components of engaging compositions can be difficult to identify.
The main mistakes that photographers most frequently make when exploring a foreign city stem from a philosophy that a location will generate alluring images solely because it is in another country. It is important to remember that while a place may be novel for the photographer, this may not be the case for all viewers. A travel shot will likely appeal to someone who has never visited the featured location before, but if your intent is to sell images, you need to inspire the imagination of someone who has seen many images of that place or who may even be native to it. The first common error is to capture too much information. On these pages we discuss the best spots to find city-life images, but a common issue with these locations is that they are busy – excellent for providing a wealth of picture opportunities, but creating a strong need for a refined approach to framing. Cluttered images may have no ‘sellable’ features – clear focus points that will attract picture editors at publishing houses and viewers of their products. Without a clear story there is little to connect a viewer to the content of the photograph. The best city-life images make the audience feel as if they know the featured place, as if they are viewing it through the eyes of a local person. Your aim should be to show a unique and intimate side to the setting, to create an immersive experience for the viewer.
Aim to capture something for all ‘senses’ – visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile – to induce the feeling of being present at the moment of exposure. This can be achieved using a three-point strategy. First find an environment to provide an engaging background, possibly a building with textured walls or brightly coloured paint. Next, study lighting to introduce a sense of time and to provide depth. Finally work people into the composition, interacting with each other and their surroundings, to give the viewer context with which to identify.