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Cityscape Photography Tips for Beginners
Roughly 80% of people in the United States live in
metropolitan areas. This means that cityscape photography is one of the most
accessible genres of photography. The shapes and intricate details seen in city
skylines are attractive to humans because our brains recognize and think in
terms of patterns. However, creating an impactful cityscape photograph can be
challenging. Here are eleven tips to help you get started with cityscape
photography or improve your existing skills.
1) Keep Your Lines Straight
Allowing
architectural lines to become skewed is one of the most common mistakes made by
cityscape photographers. Bad lines come in two forms: tilted horizon and
keystoning. A tilted horizon is caused by poor horizontal camera leveling and
is easily fixed in post production with little image quality degradation.
Keystoning is the result of looking up or down at your subject, particularly
with a wide-angle lens. Keystoning can be fixed in post-production, but the quality
of your image can be substantially degraded. The best solutions are to use a
tilt-shift lens or to find a vantage point that allows you to keep your camera
level to the subject.
NIKON D810 @ 28mm, ISO 64, 1/60, f/5.6
2) Use a Wide-Angle Lens
When people
think about cityscapes, they often think about wide-angle lenses. A wide-angle
lens enables the photographer to fit more subject matter into the frame and, as
a side effect, to create a sense of depth in the scene. In urban environments
structures are large and space is small. Sometimes, the only way to get the
shot is to use a wide-angle lens. Beyond the simple use case, short lenses have
the added advantage of the near-far effect. An image with a single subject can
be boring. Putting one subject in the foreground and another in the background
is an effective technique to make your cityscape images more interesting.
NIKON D810 @ 14mm, ISO 64, 1/160, f/8.0
3) Use a Telephoto Lens
Telephoto
lenses are one of the most effective tools for creating stunning cityscape
images. While wide-angle lenses add depth, telephoto lenses remove it. Using a
long lens is a good way to compress subjects into a cohesive image. This
picture of the Golden Gate Bridge overlaying San Francisco is an example of
subject compression using a very long lens. Additionally, telephoto lenses
enable the photographer to capture a scene from a long distance. This ability
is useful for capturing skylines from scenic parks and hills.
NIKON D810 @ 420mm, ISO 64, 1/100, f/8.0
4) Shoot During Blue Hour
Blue hour is
the time between sunset and complete darkness, lasting around 45 minutes.
During this time the light changes rapidly from daylight to darkness, and is
perfect for capturing twinkling city lights. During the day building lights are
too dim compared to the sun to be seen. During the night the only thing visible
are artificial lights. Blue hour provides a compromise that allows the
photographer to capture the glow of artificial lights while retaining enough
natural light to see the cityscape.
NIKON D810 @ 14mm, ISO 64, 20/1, f/8.0
5) Use Leading Lines
The concept of
leading lines is not specific to cityscape photography, but it is a powerful
tool that should be addressed. The human eye tends not to fixate on a single
subject for too long; it jumps around the image looking for new information.
However, when lines point back to the subject the eye will follow. Keeping your
audience’s attention on the subject creates a stronger image. Car lights are a
popular type of leading line.
NIKON D750 @ 70mm, ISO 100, 20/1,
f/9.0
6) Eliminate Distractions
Cities are
often dense and chaotic, making it difficult to get a clear shot of your
subject. In many ways, learning how to effectively eliminate distractions from
your images is the mark of an experienced photographer. Here are some tips to
help:
1. Find a bridge, staircase, or other elevated location
2. Use a telephoto lens to isolate your subject
3. Take a long exposure to blur moving objects
4. Crop out unnecessary details
5. Watch out for bothersome cloud formations
NIKON D810 @ 28mm, ISO 64, 1/60,
f/5.6
7) Keep Your Back to the Sun
When dealing
with geometric shapes, like buildings, it is crucial to take the direction of
the sun into consideration. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Its
angle will change throughout the day and throughout the year. Shooting into the
sun will result in buildings appearing dark and featureless. Avoid this at all
costs.
NIKON D750 @ 200mm, ISO 100, 1/100, f/8.0
8) Get High
Most people are
used to viewing their world from street level. Getting a new, higher
perspective on things is exciting. Some famous skyscrapers have observation
decks that tourists can pay to visit. If you take this route, I recommend
planning your shoot to minimize crowds and maximize good lightning. Another
option is to find hills and other natural overlooks near the city.
NIKON D810 @ 18mm, ISO 64, 1/100, f/8.0
9) Seek Out Bodies of Water
Water is the
lifeblood of human civilization, and many cities are built around bodies of
water. Here are some of the advantages of incorporating water into your
cityscapes:
1. Feeling of motion, dynamic mood
2. Reflections
3. Long exposure effects
4. Reduced foreground distractions
NIKON D810 @ 20mm, ISO 64, 30/1,
f/10.0
10) Plan Your Shoots
Photographers
tend to be perfectionists, and the perfect shot rarely happens by accident. Let
us assume that you have a subject in mind. How do you create the best possible
image to represent that subject? You could go out every day and take pictures
until you get one that you like or you could plan the right location, time,
camera gear, and weather to get your desired image. Unless you have unlimited
patience, planning is your best option.
11) Use a Polarizer
One of the
easiest ways to substantially improve the image quality of your daytime
cityscapes is to use a circular polarizing filter. Putting a polarizing filter
on your lens is like wearing a pair of polarized sunglasses over your eyes; the
polarized glass blocks random light waves from passing through, creating a
clearer image. This is especially helpful when shooting over long distances or
in humid/hazy locations.
NIKON D810 @ 250mm, ISO 64, 1/50, f/8.0
Closing Words
Cityscapes
present a unique set of challenges for the urban photographer. In this post I
have shared the techniques I use to create successful images. This list is by
no means exhaustive, but it covers the majority of situations cityscape
photographers will face with easily implemented solutions. If you have
additional tips or questions, please comment below.
source:
https://photographylife.com/cityscape-photography-tips-for-beginners