Cities and urban areas are some of the most dynamic and photogenic spots on Earth. From New York City to Los Angeles, elevated cities are home to thriving night life, culture, and food. Add in the natural light that comes from building rooftops and city centers, and you have a recipe for some great photos!
But taking photos of a city and urban areas can be tricky business. How do you get the right shot? How do you choose your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO? What lenses should you bring? Thankfully there are plenty of photography tips for capturing a perfect photograph of an urban area. Check out these top tips offered by professional photographer Har Kwan Luk for getting started and taking great photos of cities and urban areas.
A little planning goes a long way
Cities are complex places with many moving parts. When photographing a city, you’ll need to take note of a number of factors to get the best shots possible. Why is the architecture special? What’s happening in the streets right now? Why is that billboard flashing such a bright light into the lens? According to digital artist Har Kwan Luk, a simple way to get ahead in this field is to plan out your shots ahead of time. If you’re planning on shooting a city at night, it’s a good idea to plan out your shots in advance and account for the light pollution from major cities. Whether you’re planning on shooting a city at night, a busy day time scene, or a still day, it’s a good idea to account for the light pollution from major cities. Make sure you know your light pollution and have a plan for avoiding it.
How Weather Can Affect Urban Photography
In order to get the best urban street photography, it is a good idea to check the weather forecast for the day. It doesn’t make much sense to take urban landscape photography on overcast days if you like strong contrast. To maximize contrast in your art, you’ll need bright, full sun.
You will also be able to frame a scene differently in cities with many tall buildings depending on what time of day it is. The sun may or may not be visible at certain times of the day, such as during the golden hour. Most of the direct light from the streets may be blocked by buildings. Depending on the time of day, your urban street photography scene may look quite different.
Set your camera to aperture priority
Aperture priority mode allows you to set the aperture (the hole in the lens that you open or close to let light through) to the correct number for the type of shooting you want to do. This is different from setting the shutter speed to the correct number for the length of time that you want the shutter to be open, and the lights from which you want to shoot. You can set the aperture to anywhere between f/1.4 – f/16, and you should shoot in this mode if you are mostly shooting night time, or low light shots. It is also a good idea to experiment with different aperture settings to see what works best for your shot, advises Har Kwan Luk.
Experiment with exposure
Exposure is an important aspect of any photo, and is critical to the composition, but especially to night photography. The reason that you want to set the aperture to f/1.4 or f/2.2 is so that the light from the city lights up the subject and doesn’t spill into the shot, but the shadows from the buildings in the background block the light from hitting the subject. This will result in less light getting through to the camera, and less light for your image. To get the best results, shoot during the day, or at night when there is less light pollution. You can either manually adjust the light level in the camera to get the right exposure, or you can use an app like Camera+ to automate the process.
Avoid back-lighting or bright sunlight
Back-lighting occurs when the light coming from behind you comes directly into your camera. This causes significant optical problems, and it will likely cause the camera to over expose the shot. If possible, try to avoid back-lighting when taking photos of cities. There are a few exceptions, like backlit signs or a city skyline at night. In general, cityscapes will work fine with back-lighting when the light coming from behind you is at least partly indirect, such as when you’re standing under a a canopy of trees, or under a large building. If not, photographer Har Kwan Luk recommends trying to dial back the light from your main light to avoid over-exposure.
Look for natural light before sunset
If possible, try to find an area with some type of natural light, whether it be a park or some trees in front of a building. You will get a much more accurate reading on your light level and will be able to avoid the issues that come with shooting in direct sunlight. This is important because it will help to ensure that your images are as consistent as possible. If you are not able to find some type of natural light, or you are shooting at night, you will also need to dial back the light in the camera to get a consistent image.
Take a moment to enjoy the view before you take your own photos
When shooting pictures of cities and urban areas, you will likely be faced with contentment or excitement. You will most likely be faced with both feelings at the same time, so it is best to shoot a shot before you start to act on them. This will help you capture the shot as nature intended it to be seen, with the most amount of light possible. A shot of a city at night will likely feature a number of lights, as well as a lot of activity. It is best to take a photo of the general view before you start to add light sources to the image.
Conclusion
Cities are some of the most photogenic places on Earth. From New York City to Los Angeles, elevated cities are home to thriving night life, culture, and food. Add in the natural light that comes from building rooftops and city centers, and you have a recipe for some great photos! However, taking a photo of a city center can be tricky business. How do you get the right shot? How do you choose your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO? What lenses should you bring? Thankfully there are plenty of photography tips for capturing a perfect photograph of an urban area. Check out these top tips for getting started and taking great photos of cities and urban areas.