Big cities are full of energy, movement and vitality, making them an ideal destination for photography lovers. From towering skyscrapers to lively streets, cities have many inspiring sights waiting to be captured. However, filming these scenes can be challenging due to crowds and large spaces.
During my recent trip to New York City, I explored the boroughs of Manhattan and its surrounding areas, making sure to capture every moment with my smartphone. Through this experience, I gained a deeper understanding of how to improve the quality of images captured in major cities. In this article, I'll share the best tips and techniques to help you take eye-catching photos as you explore the city, with practical examples that show the difference each tip makes.
1. Use zoom selectively to capture the scale of the city
It is almost impossible to capture the entire size and scope of a city in one photograph. Short of using a drone and getting the shot from the air, or taking a boat ride out to sea and zooming out to include the whole city in the shot, you simply can't compress the vastness of a city into one image. However, by choosing the right place to shoot from and using zoom selectively, you can at least try to give people a sense of the size and scope of the city.
In the example above, I took a trip from Manhattan to Brooklyn in order to photograph the city of Manhattan again. But while the obvious choice was a shot showing just the skyscrapers extending into the air, I captured other elements in the foreground and beyond in order to better convey the scale and scale of the place. The anonymous couple sitting on the rocks also helped give the shot more flare.
2. Use main lines such as rivers, roads, bridges and buildings
Part of shooting in a big city is helping the people looking at your photos understand what they're seeing. This is where the main lines prove their value. There will likely be plenty of main lines to choose from, you'll find them on rivers, roads, bridges and buildings. All of this can help draw the viewer into the heart of the city.
In this example, I'm standing on the Brooklyn Bridge and looking out into Manhattan. And I use the bridge itself to attract attention. Everything on the bridge points in one direction, and the people walking toward Manhattan and the cars driving toward Manhattan should help cement the idea in viewers' minds that the city in the background is the subject of the photo.
3. Make the most of the abundance of reflective things around you
Just like major lines, most cities will boast many reflective surfaces that you as a photographer can take advantage of. Reflections can add interest to even the most boring topics. For example, the reflection of a square box on a building is more interesting than the building itself.
For New York specifically, there were huge walls of windows in every skyscraper to choose from, as well as bodies of water surrounding Manhattan. So I took this photo of the Radio City Music Hall sign reflecting in the windows of the building directly opposite during sunset. The neon lights mean that an entire block of buildings is covered in a purple shadow.
4. Create a dynamic movement that reflects the hustle and bustle of city life
The largest cities are home to millions of people, working, living and playing in the city you're probably just visiting. The best way to reflect the hustle and bustle of a big city is to show people moving in some way, which can create a feeling of movement in the viewers' minds. Even someone who moves in a committed way can manage this.
I've taken many photos with the need to show the hectic nature of city life in mind, and these are my favorites. Although it doesn't have the motion blur of passing taxis (which I also captured), it does show people moving in many different ways in Times Square. The only constant things are the bulletin boards.
5. Try to photograph from angles and perspectives that no one else has shown
Big cities attract people, lots of people. This is why they are cities in the first place, and why you might visit them as a tourist. Unfortunately, this means that most of the objects inside these cities have been photographed multiple times, and from different angles. So, it's up to you to find the unique perspective that no one else has discovered.
I'm sure countless people have taken the same photo I used here as an example. It shows the roof of the Oculus Mall, an oddly shaped building that will look good in photos from every angle. But most visitors wouldn't take this photo, which means I got at least an unusual angle of a well-known local landmark.
6. Apply filters and edit appropriately to create a certain atmosphere
Taking great photos of big cities with your smartphone doesn't end once you return home. In fact, some clever editing with your phone could mean taking your photos from ordinary to extraordinary. Using filters and other editing tools, you can set the mood, either for the entire photo album, or for specific shots that need improving.
In this example, I took a fairly standard photo of some buildings (including the Plaza Hotel) on the edge of Central Park, and upped the shot with some cropping and filtering. It was a cloudy day, and the sun was just rising over the building on the left. Which prompted me to apply a filter that enhances the fall-winter feel.
7. Always be prepared to shoot, and expect the unexpected
There are plenty of reasons why you no longer need a dedicated camera, but the best thing about smartphone photography is that you always carry your phone with you. This means that you are ready to shoot at any time, when something interesting appears. These moments are more likely in a big city than anywhere else.
This isn't a great shot of New York, but it does capture on camera a New York Fire Department fire truck driving through the city. This is the only time on my vacation I've seen this happen. The truck stopped at the traffic lights, giving me time to pull out my phone, frame the shot a bit, and shoot. If I never make it back to New York, I will save this photo to look at again.
As you can see above, there are some simple but effective tips to follow to capture the heart and soul of the big city. While I personally put these tips to good use while in New York, they can be applied when shooting in any big city. While New York's glass and metal skyscrapers are not found in every city, they all have a vastness that can be difficult to capture. You can now take amazing architectural photos using your smartphone.
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