Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides
*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!
*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!
After Medellin, my last stop in Colombia was city #43 Barranquilla on the 100 City project. While Barranquilla is one of Colombia’s largest cities, it’s most known for its Carnaval celebration. South America’s 2nd biggest Carnaval happens here, while providing a very different scene compared to the continent’s biggest in Rio de Janeiro. While not as crowded and elaborate, you get a more intimate Carnaval experience in a package that’s still bigger than every city outside of Rio. Barranquilla’s local, yet welcoming and crazy Carnaval experience is one you won’t find anywhere else.
So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Barranquilla…
After Medellin, my last stop in Colombia during my 100 City Project ended with a bang in City #47 Barranquilla, for its famous Carnaval celebration.
Barranquilla is an important industrial port and the fourth largest city in Colombia with over a million people, but it’s best known for its annual Carnaval celebration. Most of the year, nearby cities like Cartagena and Santa Marta attract all the visitors compared to this working class urban sprawl, but once a year Barranquilla packs its streets with the South America’s second largest Carnaval. While Rio de Janeiro’s celebration is the largest, I’ve now experienced them both and might have to give the edge to Barranquilla when it comes to which is more enjoyable. The intimate craziness of the celebration mixed with the friendliness of the people make it special. I wouldn’t really recommend visiting the city any other time of the year, but if its Carnaval time, then Barranquilla makes for an unforgetable experience, especially with your camera.
So here are my first impressions of Barranquilla, from my personal Street Photographer perspective…
After Bogota, came city #43 Medellin, Colombia on the 100 City project. Nicknamed the City of Eternal Spring, Medellin sits in the central region of the Andes mountains, giving it a warm, yet cool climate that matches its personality. Medellin has one of the more picturesque mountain backdrops around, but the beauty doesn’t stop there. Coming from a past reputation of danger, it’s become one of the safer, most welcoming major cities you’ll find in Latin America. From the vibrant neighborhoods to the people to the cable car views, Medellin is easy to fall in love with.
So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Medellin…
2017 was year #3 of my 100 city project, and my busiest year yet with 26 new major cities. It was the first time I was constantly on the road year round without any break. So, with all those new cities explored and captured, which ones stood out more than others?
To give you a sneak peek of some of what’s coming this year on Shooter Files, I’ll go over some highlight cities that stood in 2017, including my top 5 for street photography of the year. Will any of these cities knock their way into my annually updated 10 favorite cities for street photography list? We’ll see next week, but for now let’s start with the past year’s city highlights.
Starting with a focus on street photography…
(in no particular order)
It doesn’t get much bigger or historic than this ancient city turned chaotic metropolis. At 22 million people, this urban sprawl next to the pyramids is filled with activity and a variety of life around every corner. It had been on my list for a while, but it ended up surpassing all expectations. While its sheer size and buzzing streets might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I quickly fell for Cairo’s one of a kind atmosphere. Personally, I like big cities because of the variety of life and interest to explore, but it needs to set itself apart from the rest. And Cairo definitely does that.
It feels ancient, while also feeling gigantic, with a wide mix of character that is hard to beat. The history, the crumbling character, the chaos, the unique neighborhoods and the signature golden brown hue all come together to make one of my favorite cities of the year for street photography. Yes, it’s not the cleanest, quietest city, and there are touts and hassle to endure, but it’s more than worth it in Cairo. It’s a city I could definitely spend a lot more time in for street photography, while also being a city that would provide endless substance and variety.
Almaty is probably the city on the list that will surprise the most readers, but that’s because it’s also the most unfamiliar to most. Almaty has a lot going for it and that unfamiliarity only helps its charm. It’s in Central Asia, off the beaten path for most travelers, but its an easy introduction to the region.
One of the first things you’ll notice in Almaty is the beautiful backdrop of mountains that line the city. Along with those mountains comes plenty of nature in an urban setting. Not many cities this size provide so much nature with parks, tree-lined streets, mountains, rivers, natural pathways, and more mixed in. While this really makes it an enjoyable and unique atmosphere for street photography, it’s not the only thing that sets it apart.
Sitting between Russia and China, you have a strong blend of their influences in Kazakstan. This is seen in the character and atmosphere of the place, and people. One thing that Almaty brings more than much of the Central Asia region, though, is a strong European vibe mixed in too. This blend mixed with its fair share of quirks adds to Almaty’s unique interest and provides one of the more memorable cities I visited for street photography this year.
Kolkata is the one city on this list that I’d been to before. Years ago, it had been the first city I’d visited in India and held a special memory for me. So, I had to come back to include it in the project. It might not be as popular as many other Indian cities among general travelers, but Kolkata is well-known among photographers. For good reason.
It’s a big Indian city made for walking and photography. India’s other large cities are more spread out, but Kolkata feels like you can walk everywhere, making it a great experience for street photography. The former capital of British India is also a city that mixes the old world with the new in a chaotic combination that only India could do so well. There’s a distinctive charm here that stands out, even in India. The colonial-era architecture contrasting with urban slums, it’s also gained a reputation as the most friendly of India’s metropolises. From the famous Howrah Bridge and flower market to the street markets and street food, Kolkata is made for bringing your camera and exploring away.
Port-au-prince was one of my last stops of the year and ended up being one of my favorites. It’s not an easy place to come photograph and it’s not exactly set up for visitors, but if you’re adventurous, the experience and life here is more than worth it. The city comes with plenty of warnings and at first look, they might seem warranted, but don’t judge a book by its cover here. No matter what I hear, I like to jump in and see for myself, and that’s what I did here. Taking the back of “tap-tap” trucks as transportation, I explored most parts of the city on foot and had some of the more memorable experiences of the year.
Alex Webb once said there’s a dynamic of horror and beauty that Haiti uniquely possesses and I think that’s a good description. With burning trash, crumbling buildings and chaos filling the streets, it might look scary at first, but there’s a beauty within all that rubble. The colors, the culture, the vibrance and the people make it a special place that I can’t compare to anywhere else, other than maybe parts of Africa. By the end of my time in Port-au-prince, I was freely walking solo throughout the city and loving every moment of it.
Of course, I know Ethiopia is a country and not a city, but it stands out more than any other place of the year. Since I can’t single out one city from it, I’m going with the whole country for #5.
In Ethiopia, I covered Addis Ababa, Harar and Dire Dawa, with each bringing their own unique character along with a shared Ethiopian atmosphere. At around 4 million people, Addis Ababa is the big city of the bunch. Here, you get a taste of urban metropolis mixed with Ethiopian flavor. Piassa brings some colorful old world charm, while Addis Mercado is the largest open air market in Africa. While most come for the more rural side of Ethiopia, this chaotic, traffic-filled sprawl can be overlooked. Underneath that less pretty urban exterior is much more than first meets the eye, though, especially for street photography. Harar, on the other hand, should appeal to a wider variety of photographers. I’ve been to a few walled cities and this is easily my favorite. The atmosphere, the people, the colors, the light and everything about it made it a great experience for street photography. Dire Dawa was my last stop on a recommendation by photographer Yves Vernin and it became my favorite surprise of the year. Although, it is the country’s second largest city, you won’t find much info on it, but you will find unique character and atmosphere. Along with the most colorful street I’ve walked, there’s an interesting blend of influences in Dire Dawa that provide a different feeling than the rest of Ethiopia. I only wish I had more time there.
While I really enjoyed the city of Johannesburg, much more than I was told I would by everyone, it still has too many risks and dangers to put it in my top recommendations for street photography. At least, as a recommendation to others. The center is full of no-go zones and while I did go to those zones with my camera, it was an experience in parts, to put it nicely. Saying that, there is a lot of character and interest if you like taking risks, like me.
Johannesburg’s township of Soweto, though, stands out too much for me to not include it as an honorable mention. The largest township in South Africa doesn’t come with the best safety reputation, either, especially among locals, but in reality, as the city center becomes more dangerous, Soweto isn’t as dangerous as it once was. There’s still definite risks, but spending a lot of time here, I felt a warmth from the Soweto community that I didn’t feel anywhere else all year. Most people are extremely friendly and walking the streets here takes you to a different place, full of life and an older, close-knit feeling. People love to start conversations and many were even looking out for my safety more than I was. Without a doubt, it’s a top 5 memory from the year and if you get the chance, I’d highly recommend spending a night or more here to experience it.
The above selections are focused on street photography, which includes the whole experience of shooting there, in addition to the photography. Cities like Medellin, Colombia and Cape Town, South Africa stand out in my memory too, though, but more for just being generally great places to visit. Cape Town for its beauty and Medellin for its all around vibe and enjoyment.
Dhaka, Bangladesh wins for the most welcoming experience ever, thanks to all the wonderful photographers there. And while I rarely let myself have too much fun on the road, outside of photography, shooting the Carnival in Barranquilla, Colombia was the most fun I had all year.
Riga, Latvia is another city that quickly comes to mind for its special character and Mexico City was a great major city to finish off the year, but truthfully, I find something memorable in every city I go, especially as a street photographer.
All of these cities, and more, from 2017 will bring posts, photography and guides in 2018 on the blog so stay tuned for that. And if you have a chance to visit any of them before I post guides, feel free to message me for some recommendations (you can always find an updated list of cities here).
Now, it’s time for 2018 and another full year of major cities to photograph for the project. 66 major cities down, 34 to go…
After photographing Bogota, next up in Colombia for the 100 City Project was Medellin (City #48).
Medellin is the second largest city in Colombia, but with a vibrant life that feels even bigger. Still, at around 3 million people, it’s no small city to begin with. Nicknamed the City of Eternal Spring, it sits in the central region of the Andes mountains giving it a warm, yet cool climate that matches its personality. Medellin has one of the more picturesque mountain backdrops around, but the beauty doesn’t stop there. From the neighborhoods to the people to the cable car views, Medellin is easy to fall in love with. In my opinion, it’s a top 3 city in South America, especially to live, which seems to be backed up by all the expats moving here. And to top it off, it’s gone from one of the most dangerous to one of the safer major cities you’ll find in Latin America.
So here are my first impressions of Medellin, from my personal Street Photographer perspective…
Time for the New Year’s tradition here and share some photos from the old year to bring in the new.
While 2016 had been my busiest year yet on the road working on my 100 cities project, 2017 was even busier. I was on the road non-stop, clocking in at over 5,000 miles walked while covering 33 cities, including 26 major cities for the project. I started in city #41 Quito, Ecuador and finished in #66 Mexico City, Mexico, leaving 34 major cities left to do. I’m attempting to make 2018 even busier so I can get most of it finished before I start working on the book in 2019.
While focusing on the project, I was still able to make it to a few street photography festivals this year, including the London SP Festival as a judge and the Miami SP Festival as a guest artist speaker, which were great experiences. In addition, I led some successful workshops in London, Budapest and Havana, and plan on doing more in 2018. All in all, it was an extremely busy year with its share of downs and setbacks, but it’s only made me more determined to make this all work. The blog had a busy year growing too, as it’s now ranked #2 in the world in the street photography genre on feedspot. I have more plans for the blog this year, which I’ll share soon, but for now, thank you to everyone that’s been following along!
One thing I did decide this year was not to share all of my favorite photos yet, as I want the future book to be at least a third never seen work. Still, with such a busy year of street photography, walking an average of 15 miles/22km per day year-round, I have more than enough to share now too. So, here’s 50 photos from the year that take you through all 33 cities I photographed in 2017. It’s not a top 50 of my favorites, but some selections to share for now in bringing on 2018. So, I hope you enjoy.
Happy New Year to all and Cheers to 2018!
– Forrest
(in order of capture date) [Read more…]
After Quito, Ecuador came city #42 Bogota, Colombia on the 100 City project. Bogota is the capital and largest city in Colombia, but not the sunny destination most visitors come to Colombia for. Up in the Andes Mountains you get a cooler climate and an urban metropolis with lots of edge. While not the safest city to explore on foot with your camera, Bogota has plenty of interest to discover if you’re bold. From its history to its vibrant culture to its edge, it makes for a big city with plenty to experience.
So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Bogota…
After photographing Quito, next up during my 100 City Project was an extended stay in Colombia starting in City #47 Bogota.
Bogota is the capital and largest city in Colombia. With all of Colombia’s sunny destinations, this big urban metropolis up in the Andes might not be a long stay for most, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t packed with gritty character and a lively urban atmosphere. It’s a little chilly here compared to the rest of Colombia, but it makes up for that in vibrance, culture and a coolness of its own. While it doesn’t always feel safe, it’s always filled with character and edge in this big, historic city.
So here are my first impressions of Bogota, from my personal Street Photographer perspective…
