Cities are photography goldmines. Endless subjects, changing light, layers of architectureâeverything you need to create compelling images. But urban photography has its own challenges: crowds, flat light, cluttered backgrounds.
These seven tips will help you capture better city photos, whether you're shooting with a DSLR or a smartphone. They're based on actual practice, not theory.
1. Shoot During Blue Hour
Everyone talks about golden hour, but blue hour is better for urban photography. This is the 20-30 minutes just after sunset or before sunrise when the sky turns deep blue.
Why it works: City lights are bright enough to register, but the sky still has color and detail. You get balance between artificial and natural light. Daytime is too bright, nighttime is too darkâblue hour is the sweet spot.
Settings to try: ISO 800-1600, aperture f/5.6-f/8, shutter speed 1-4 seconds (use a tripod).
2. Look for Leading Lines
Cities are full of linesâroads, tram tracks, building edges, staircases. Use them to guide the viewer's eye through your composition. Leading lines create depth and structure in what could otherwise be a chaotic scene.
Best places to find them: Bridges, metro stations, long streets, escalators, architectural angles. Get low to the ground to emphasize perspective.
3. Include People (But Not Too Many)
Empty city photos feel sterile. One or two people add scale and life. Too many people and your photo becomes about the crowd, not the location.
Technique: Wait for a single person to walk into your frame, or use a longer exposure (2-3 seconds) to blur moving people into ghosts while static elements stay sharp. This creates a sense of movement without clutter.
4. Shoot in Black and White
City scenes often have messy colorsârandom signs, cars, clothing. Black and white photography strips that away and focuses attention on shapes, textures, and light.
Try it for: Architectural details, rainy streets, high-contrast scenes. Most cameras and phones have a B&W mode you can preview in live view. Shoot in color (RAW if possible) and convert later for more control.
5. Get Above Street Level
Most urban photos are shot at eye level. Break that pattern by getting higher or lower. Rooftops, parking garages, hotel windows, bridgesâall give you different perspectives on the same city.
High vantage points reveal patterns you can't see from the street: traffic flow, repeating building shapes, the relationship between neighborhoods. Book a room on an upper floor or check if public buildings have observation decks.
6. Use Reflections Creatively
Puddles, glass buildings, car windows, shiny surfacesâcities are full of reflective materials. They double your compositional options and add layers to otherwise straightforward scenes.
After rain is ideal. Find a puddle that reflects something interesting (a building, neon sign, person) and shoot from a low angle. The reflection becomes the main subject, the "real" scene becomes secondary.
7. Focus on Details, Not Just Landmarks
Everyone photographs the famous buildings. That's fine, but also look for small, specific moments: a coffee cup on a windowsill, weathered signage, graffiti detail, light streaming through fire escape bars.
These detail shots tell a more personal story about a place. They're also easier to make your ownâthere are only so many ways to photograph a landmark, but infinite ways to see the small stuff.
Practical Gear Notes
- Lens choice: 24-70mm zoom covers most situations. Prime lenses (35mm or 50mm) are lighter and force you to think about composition.
- Tripod: Compact travel tripod for long exposures. Not always necessary, but essential for blue hour work.
- Smartphone: Totally viable. Use third-party camera apps for manual control. The best camera is the one you have with you.
- Editing: Don't overdo it. Slight adjustments to contrast, highlights, and shadows usually enough.
Quick Exercise
Pick one technique from this list and spend 30 minutes practicing just that. Shoot only reflections, or only leading lines, or only details. Constraint breeds creativity.
Urban photography improves with repetition. Visit the same location at different times of day. Notice how light changes everything. The city is your studioâuse it.