I've been photographing cities for a decade. Here's my No. 1 tip for urban street photography.
- Urban street photography is more accessible than ever for anyone with a smartphone.
- But however accessible, urban pictures that stand out are tough to capture.
You could call me a street photographer.
For the last ten years, I've been taking photos of urban landscapes — first in photo school, which I attended in Austin, Texas, and now, around the world, as I work as a travel reporter for Insider.
Now, you might picture me running around neighborhoods to capture a plethora of scenes and moments. But the reality is quite the opposite. Sure, I move around a bit, but I've found that the best results often come from staying in one place for a period of time. This allows me to observe my surroundings, frame my image, and wait for the opportune moment.
Finding the best spot to wait
When it comes to picking the perfect spot, a few key factors come to mind. First, take a look at the light. You want to find an area with even lighting, which could be in the shade on a sunny day, or anywhere on a cloudy day. Or perhaps you want to find a stream of sunlight hitting a specific spot.
Once you find great lighting, look for an interesting backdrop to frame your image. This depends on what you're going for: If you want to show the fast-paced nature of a city, you might seek out a busy street behind your subject. Or perhaps you're looking for something more iconic and defining, like a skyline. Maybe you want to show a piece of the city that slows the pace of life, like a park. The choice is yours.
Waiting and snapping
Once you find the frame you want, get comfortable and watch through the lens as people walk by and perhaps interact with each other. Every time something in the frame interests you, take a snap. As far as time goes, you can wait minutes or hours, but you'll know you're ready to move on when you've captured the shot you were waiting for. Happy shooting!
