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!
After photographing Varanasi, the last stop on my final leg of India for the project was Kolkata, coming in at Major City #52.
Years ago, Kolkata was my first introduction to India. After visiting so many other cities in India since, there was always something I missed about Kolkata. I didn’t know if it was how you never forget your first or if Kolkata something special, even by India standards. Well, after coming back to include it my project, Kolkata does have something special. It’s confirmed. While one of India’s largest cities, it brings an old world atmosphere and chaos compacted into a city that’s much easier to walk than other big Indian cities. It feels made for city photography too, which is why it’s known so well in the photography community. While not as known to the general traveler as places like Mumbai, Varanasi or Rajasthan, I’d recommend Kolkata just as highly as any of them. Especially for street photography.
So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Kolkata…
After finishing Delhi and Varanasi, I took another train down to major city #52 Kolkata to finish my second leg of India on the project. While new to my project, Kolkata isn’t a new first impression to me, but it was my first impression of the country many years ago. It was such a good first impression too that I knew I had to come back to include it in my 100 major cities. One of India’s largest cities, Kolkata doesn’t have the same big city atmosphere as Mumbai or Delhi. It feels a little more welcoming and easy to step out the door and start exploring away with your camera. It’s one of the most walk friendly cities you’ll find for its chaotic size, which makes it perfect for street photography. Kolkata has a special, old world atmosphere mixed into a highly populated urban city. The colonial-era architecture contrasting with urban slums, it’s also gained a reputation as the most friendly of India’s metropolises. While it might not be as known with the general traveler, it is known among the photography community. It’s made for bringing your camera and exploring away.
So here are my first impressions of Kolkata, from my personal Street Photographer perspective…
The number one question I’m asked is “What’s your favorite city for Street Photography?” From friends and family to strangers and emails. The truth is I can’t deal in absolutes or favorites with most anything, especially when it comes to answering that one. There are things I like about most cities that make them memorable in their own way, and there’s too many things dependent for me to pick just one above all for street photography. But I can pick some that personally stand out a little more and tell you why.
So, now that I’m over half way towards my goal of photographing major 100 cities, it’s time for a 2018 installment of my Annually Updated Top 10 Cities for Street Photography. Heading into its 4th year, only cities I’ve photographed so far during my 100 city project are eligible. So, check the list here before you get mad at me for not including cities like NYC or Tokyo yet (They’re coming this year, though).
While last year did bring the most cities covered, and plenty of strong competition, there actually isn’t too many changes to the list this year. A couple of new cities made their way into the Top 10, but the rest proved too solid to get edged out. You can see some of the strongest and most memorable competition from the year here, though. You can also see which cities were edged out from last year’s list here, and we’ll see how much next year’s list changes with even more cities up for inclusion.
(for 2018)
Istanbul holds a special place in my heart so I might be a little biased here. It was the first of my 100 major cities project, and the jumping off point for this blog and mix of plans and goals I’d set for myself. I lived here much of 2015, so I got to know it better than most cities too, but personal bias aside, I can’t imagine Istanbul not being towards the top of any street photography city list. Istanbul truly has it all.
Being the capital of three empires helps cram the city with so much to offer a photographer that other cities can’t compare. Culture, history, religion, politics, people, diversity, character, conflict, architecture, sea, sunlight, color, old world, new world, and the list goes on. It’s many worlds of atmosphere packed into one city. It’s no surprise it needs two continents to contain it.
You could live here for years and only touch the surface. The energy and atmosphere of Istanbul is what I miss the most, though. It feels more alive than other cities, with a raw beauty that I haven’t found anywhere else.
If you imagined the perfect city for street photography in your head, Havana might be what you’d picture. It’s extremely walkable, full of character, color and life around every corner, as photo friendly as it gets, almost too easy to shoot in, and all with an atmosphere frozen in time. The opportunities for photography are endless here. You can just walk in any direction and explore away.
Havana is also a city that invites you in with the people like not many, so it’s a complete experience for photography. The amount of times I get invited for a drink or even into someone’s home in Havana is something that you don’t experience elsewhere, especially in a large city.
Still, while Havana is no secret among photographers, people question me about it as much as any. “It seems too hyped, over photographed, packed with clichés, every photographer’s destination,…” and so on. And while the old car type clichés of Cuba do deserve caution when here photographing, it’s mostly a bunch of nonsense. You won’t find many photographers that have been here that regret it. Most fall in love just like everyone else. And believe it or not, there’s still plenty to photograph here. So my advice is to just ignore the clichés and get over here as soon as you can.
Saint-Petersburg is probably the least hyped and talked about city on my list, so why is it up at #3? Because people just don’t know how good it is. Now, the time of year does makes a big difference, but if you go in the summer, it doesn’t get much better for street photography. The winter can be beautiful in its own way too, you just won’t have many hours of light.
The summer in Saint-Petersburg might be my favorite place to be for street photography, though. The sunlight is out 20+ hours a day and the beautiful city is full of life just as long. More than that, though, there’s just something magical about the city. The canals, pastel colors, architecture, bridges, islands, hundreds of parks, and more give it this surreal atmosphere that has to be experienced. The life and people are full of character too. Many people go about their life without any care of what others think, so it’s not uncommon to see older women and men sunbathing in their underwear. At the same time, you have many people who care a lot, so you see a variety of fashion and looks. It’s a big, magical city with a mix of so many things.
London is as well-known as any city in the world, and as famous for street photography as it gets, but sometimes cities don’t live up to their fame. London isn’t one of them.
One of my favorite aspects of London are all the different neighborhoods, each with their own character. It’s like different villages grew until they combined into one large city over time. It isn’t like New York or Tokyo, where skyscrapers dominate over you. London doesn’t feel overwhelming for a city its size. You can spend your days exploring parts of London on foot and get completely different atmospheres when it comes to photography. Some areas are chaotic and crazy, while others are quiet and relaxing. There’s something around every crooked, winding street, and you never know what it will be.
The biggest knock on London is the weather, which I can’t say is undeserved, but if you get some sun, the light here is special and it’s really hard to beat this city. It’s as dynamic and fun to shoot in as it is famous.
Mumbai was here on last year’s list, but I honestly expected Kolkata to knock it off this year’s list. Having already been to both cities in the past, Kolkata had originally left the best memories for street photography. But after returning to Mumbai in 2016 and Kolkata in 2017, while photographing them more in-depth, Mumbai closed the gap in my mind. It’s difficult to choose between them, as they each bring different pluses and appeal. India is so packed with cities for street photography that I’m just going to include both cities under one, while explaining their different appeals.
Mumbai is the financial, commercial and entertainment capital of India. If you go by population, Mumbai is the largest city in the world’s second largest country. If you go by money, it’s the wealthiest city in India, but with some of its most extreme poverty. Mumbai is also India’s most diverse, cosmopolitan and westernised city. Basically, Mumbai is everything and more.
Bazaars and temples, colonial architecture and skyscrapers, bay promenades and fishing villages, Asia’s biggest slums and Bollywood stars’ most expensive homes. Mumbai is filled with a variety of scenery and life that rivals any city in the world. It’s filled with an urban energy that consumes you and endless interest that keeps you wanting more. All of this adds up to one of the top cities in the world for street photography.
While not quite as big as Mumbai, Kolkata is still one of India’s biggest cities. Yet, it has a noticeably different, more easy-going and welcoming atmosphere compared to the others. It’s a city made for walking and street photography. While India’s other large cities are more spread out, Kolkata feels like you can walk everywhere. It has a special, old world feeling mixed into a big, urban city. It feels authentic, filled with culture and a chaotic, yet friendly vibe. The colonial-era architecture contrasting with urban slums, it’s also gained a reputation as the most friendly of India’s metropolises. While it might not be as known with the general traveler, it is known among the photography community. It’s made for bringing your camera and exploring away.
If I really had to choose between the two, I’d say Kolkata is easier and more enjoyable for a shorter visit, while Mumbai provides more variety and interest the more time you have. They’re both as good as gets for street photography, though.
I have to include a city from Ukraine, one of my favorite countries in the world for street photography. Kiev and Lviv both get high recommendations too, but if I had to choose one, it would be Odessa. I included it in last year’s list, but actually returned again since, which only cemented its place as a personal favorite.
I went to Ukraine for the first time in 2015 and fell in love. So much so that I’ve returned both years since. I like places that feel authentic, are full of character and mood, while being a little rough around the edges. Ukraine is all this more than any place I’ve been. There’s nothing fake about the atmosphere and it doesn’t feel over photographed. It’s more untouched, while still being a large country with plenty going on. And the markets are the best you’ll find anywhere. Odessa’s Privoz Market is no exception.
Odessa provides this atmosphere that I love, but adds the Black Sea and more. It’s become the country’s top vacation getaway with beaches that fill up during the summer. The city is filled with history and character, while being extremely walkable. You can enjoy the pedestrian streets, old courtyards, parks, and markets in the city, and then take a walk to the beaches to enjoy the very unique character, and characters, that fill it. They aren’t the typical tourist beaches you might be used to, either, which provides even more interest for street photography.
It doesn’t get any bigger or historic on the list than this ancient city turned chaotic metropolis. At 22 million people, this urban sprawl famous for the pyramids is packed with history, crumbling character, chaos, and endless neighborhoods to explore. Cairo has a one of kind atmosphere making it a special place for street photography. Even its signature golden brown hue becomes part of its photogenic charm.
Cairo might not have a reputation as the cleanest, quietest city, and there are touts and hassle to endure, but it’s more than worth it here. It’s also not as overly tourist crazy as it used to be, making the hassle and distractions a little less, and the authenticity even stronger. With Cairo’s sheer size, buzzing streets, and variety of interest, it provides endless opportunities for exploring without ever losing inspiration. It might be a little more for the adventurous and bold than other cities on the list, but it’s a city I immediately want to return to as soon as I leave. There’s just too much to miss as a photographer.
The city credited by many as the birthplace of street photography would be hard to leave off my list. When thinking of the classic black and white street photos from the past, scenes of Paris come to mind first for many. That’s a lot of hype to live up to when times change and the city is photographed as much as Paris, but for me, it still doesn’t disappoint.
There’s a lot more to Paris than the classic romanticized image of the city, though. The center of Paris, especially around streets like Rue de Rivoli, provides plenty of that classic picturesque street photography atmosphere, which is what will attract many photographers. And of course there’s the impressive parks like the Tuileries Garden, the scenic Seine River and all the famous architecture. All of these spots provide the atmosphere that makes Paris one of the most visited cities in the world, and why it’s so photographed, but what puts it on the list for me is how it also provides a much different atmosphere in many places.
Paris isn’t all beauty and romance. It’s also one of the edgier cities in Europe. This edginess in many areas does come with some negatives, but it also brings character, interest, a different atmosphere, and, in my opinion, photo opportunities that are very different from the clichés you might relate to Paris. It’s a city with a lot to offer, on both sides of the spectrum when it comes to your definition of beauty.
Marrakech is probably the most challenging street photography city on the list, but it more than makes up for it in photo opportunities and atmosphere. It’s one of the more interesting cities for street photography that I’ve been to, not only for the rich variety of life and scenes to capture, but also for this challenge that it brings. While comparatively, not a photography friendly city, it is one of the most photogenic cities you’ll find. Many photographers come here for that reason, but leave frustrated if they’re not prepared for the challenge. You have to be on your game if you want to get close, candid shots.
If you’re ready, though, you’ll be rewarded with all the life, colors, chaos, atmosphere, unique charm, and more that Marrakech has to offer. It’s chaotic, full of touristic hassling and haggling, and comes with some challenge, but as far as non-stop photo opportunities, it ranks as one of the best cities I’ve been too. There’s so much happening everywhere, so many characters and interesting people, so much color and beautiful scenery, and it’s all mixed in with a unique look that is all Marrakech. And that beautiful sun is always above making sure you have no excuse not to go out and capture some that.
I’ve been based in Ho Chi Minh City since 2016 and love the city, but when it comes strictly to street photography, I have to be honest, Hanoi is even better. Vietnam’s capital has endless character, charm, plenty of places to shoot, some of the most photography friendly people you’ll meet, and packs this all into a very walk friendly city. Being thousands of years old, you feel the city’s age when exploring the streets. It can feel almost like groups of villages packed into one big city with the authentic, old world atmosphere it exudes.
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is a great city which some photographers might prefer, but Hanoi is so much older and filled with even more character. They share many similarities, including the friendliness of the people, but Saigon is a little more polished, urban and spread out, while Hanoi is more walkable and gives a little more of the exotic. If big city skyscrapers and development are your preference, then Saigon might win out, but for me, Hanoi has a very attractive blend of big city and old world. Both cities are highly recommended, though, so visit both and decide for yourself.
For 2018, I have plans to photograph around 30 more major cities across 4 continents so we’ll see how this list gets shaken up next year, but with 66 cities down already, every one of these cities comes highly recommended and are sure to provide an amazing experience for street photography, and more. (To see what cities I have tentatively planned for this year, check here.)
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…
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…]
