10 Top Tips For Taking Great City Photos

With so many people living in and around cities, it’s no wonder that cityscapes are a popular subject for many photographers but taking great cityscape photos doesn’t always come easy so, if you’re a beginner looking to give cityscapes a go or an experienced photographer in need of a bit of inspiration, here are my 10 top tips to help any photographer be successful in capturing their own amazing urban cityscape photos.

Before we start, I thought I’d just mention that although all of the example images were taken in my home town of London, these tips to can be used when visiting any city and in fact, some of them are transferable to other genres of photography such as natural landscapes and even street photography.

#1: Look for lead-in lines in your cityscapes

First off, let’s start with a classic compositional tool. I introduce to you the much talked about, famous amongst photographers, ever-reliable lead-in line!! OK, tongue and cheek aside, the lead-in line is a classic for a reason as they help lead the viewer’s eye around the frame, taking them on a journey which should eventually end at the main subject. Take the photo below, the lead-in line is created by the wall in the foreground which takes the eye from the bottom left to the right-hand side and up towards the main focal point which in this case are the high-rise buildings over in the city.

#2: Use people in the photo to add interest

Although I don’t consider myself to be a street photographer, I will on occasion include people in the frame to add another element of interest into my cityscape photos. You can use people as compositional subjects like in the shot of St Paul’s below where this man is placed in the opposite corner to the cathedral’s dome which helps to balance the scene. Alternatively, including a smaller, silhouetted figure like in the second image can add a little mystery to your photo so, think about how you can incorporate people into your cityscapes in the future.

#3: Try a long exposure to create a unique cityscape photo

Those that follow my work know I take long exposure photos of London’s skyline and one of the reasons I do so is that it provides a unique view of the cityscape which cannot be seen with the naked eye. If you are looking for that something a little different or want to simplify the scene somewhat, then try a long exposure image.

Top tip: Although long exposure photography can be a little daunting at first, I have created a useful 10 step guide to creating successful long exposure photos which you can download when you sign up to my newsletter here.

#4: Get creative and use a shallow depth of field

Opening up that aperture and getting creative with shallow depth of field is a great way to get a unique look in your cityscape photos. You don’t necessarily need a professional lens with a super-wide aperture such as f/1.4 or f/1.8 as it all depends on the distance your focus point is from your lens. Take the photo below for instance. This was shot with an aperture of f/5 with is achievable for nearly all lenses but because the focus point is close to the lens, the background is rendered out of focus.

#5: Have fun and frame your subject

Frames are a great compositional tool as they help to draw the viewers eye straight onto the main subject. You can have so much fun finding different ways to frame the subject so next time you are out capturing cityscapes, try looking for doorways, arches or even gaps in the railings to shoot through.

#6: Climb up high and photograph the rooftops

There is an ever-increasing number of high vantages points that provide stunning views of the city and although this trend is not just unique to London, I do know that in London planning rules require public viewing galleries to be incorporated into new high-rise buildings which means the number will only go up over the coming years. This is great news for photographers on the hunt for great cityscape photos as from this high up you get an entirely different perspective and the resulting images can be quite awe-inspiring when the conditions are right.

Top tip: There are a few tricks you can use to capture clean, sharp photos when photographing your cityscapes through the glass of a high-rise building which you can find in one of my previous posts here: London in the Mist | Weekly Photo 13

#7: Get really wide to capture a dynamic photo of the city

By using a wide-angle lens, you can have a bit of fun and capture some unique perspectives such as the one below of Canary Wharf over on the Isle of Dogs. Having a wide-angle lens enabled me to include the steelwork and chains into the scene which add interest, lead-in lines and a handy frame around the main subject.

#8: Capture the cityscape during blue hour

Photographing the city at blue hour can help create some unique cityscape photos as this is the only time of day when the ambient light is low enough for the city lights to be switched on but still bright enough for there to still be detail in the sky. This view of London’s Square Mile financial district was taken from the top of St Paul’s Cathedral and is a great example of how the city can look during the blue hour.

Top tip: Capturing the blue hour can be tricky if you are not prepared and ready, so, research the time of day the sun sets and blue hour starts in advance to ensure you are ready to capture your photo in plenty of time.

#9: Go for a cityscape at sunset

Sunsets are beautiful and here’s a newsflash, people like looking at beautiful things so when you have a great cityscape coupled with an awesome sunset then you have all the ingredients needed to capture something quite special. Although the sun rises and sets every day, a good, dramatic sunset doesn’t happen too often and when they do, they come and go quickly so do your research. Check what time sunset takes place, check the weather and cloud cover so when you head out, you give yourself the best opportunity to capture Mother Nature’s greatest show.

#10: Shoot the city lights at night!

I guess I could have used this image in the first tip above as it has a fantastic lead-in line (bonus tip: look for bridges as compositional subjects) but this tip is about going out after dark and capturing the city at night. London, like many other cities, takes on a whole new identity at night. 10 years ago, London’s skyline would consist of just dull orange lights but these days, with the modern high-rise buildings and projects such as the Illuminated River Project, London has made a great effort to spice things up and add a splash of colour to the city at night.

Top Tip: Close down the aperture to create cool starburst effects like those shown in the photo below.

A quick note about safety. It should go without saying but please do not take your safety for granted. Not all areas of every city are safe to wander alone so, whatever you do, take care of yourself and where possible, take a friend with you, especially at night.

Now, get out and shoot!

The most important tip of all is to actually get out and start taking photos. So, armed with these 10 top tips for successful cityscape photography, I urge you to go and give them a try in your nearest town or city and take your own great cityscape photos.

If you have any tips you want to share or if you have any other thoughts on this post, please post your comments below and feel free to share this article so that others might see and take advantage of these tips for when they are out photographing their local city.