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Apr 03 2017

7 First Impressions of Amsterdam, Netherlands
(From a Street Photography Perspective)

After passing through a couple of cities in Scandanavia, I took an overly complicated train ride down to Amsterdam, Netherlands from Copenhagen. It was a city I’d experienced many years ago, but never really with my camera. For me, Amsterdam has two very different sides and experiences depending how you want to enjoy it. There’s the crazy, anything goes side it’s famous for with the red light district, coffee shops and partying. Yet, there’s also a very scenic, calm and beautiful side to the city. Canals, bridges, boats, bicycles, flowers, charming seventeenth-century homes and even plenty of quiet. You don’t hear about this side as much as the other, but it’s just as much there.

For street photography, this means you can experience and capture a diverse mix of characteristics. Either way, Amsterdam is one of the more unique cities around and makes for a great city to walk around with your camera.

So here are my first impressions of Amsterdam, from my personal Street Photographer perspective…

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Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Amsterdam, Europe, Featured File, Files, First Impressions, Netherlands, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography, Travel, Travel Photography

Mar 28 2017

7 Tips on Layering in Street Photography

For this blog, I have set up a Readers’ Requests Page for anyone to comment requests for posts, topics, changes or additions they’d like to see here on Shooter Files. I’m also starting a Reader’s Requests Post Series from these suggestions. If I write a post from your suggestion, I’ll credit you and include any link of your choice in the post as a thank you.

So, the first Reader’s Requests Series post comes thanks to Manthan Patel.

Manthan Patel’s Request: “I would love to see an article on layering techniques used in street photography.”

Manthan Patel’s Link: instagram.com/photosbymanthan

 

7 Tips on Layering in Street Photography

Layering scenes with multiple subjects across different depths of field across the frame is a popular theme in photography. Alex Webb is one well-known photographer when it comes to this style. Having multiple points of focus can create more interest and draw the viewer in, while forcing them to scan over the whole photo to see everything. Sometimes it can create a more complex story in the viewers mind or give them a more complete feeling of the scene, moment and mood. Layering in itself doesn’t make a good photo, but it can add to a photo to make it better.

Quito, Ecuador 2017

There’s much more to it than just putting elements across the frame, though. You still want strength at its core, be that a primary subject, visual feeling or moment. There are no rules in photography, or in layering, but here are some tips that should help improve your photos if you’re trying to focus on layering.

Barcelona, Spain 2016

1. Number of Subjects & “Grounds”

A composition is generally divided into three planes. The foreground, middle ground, and background. The foreground appears closest to the viewer, the background appears furthest, while the middle ground is located between them. As the photographer, you’ll be able to see these distances when making the photo, but the viewer of the photo will feel these planes due to scale, depth and how you make the photo. While you can have more layers than this, these 3 primary “grounds” are the minimum you’ll want to include to really get a feeling of layers. They also help divide and organize any additional layers in your scene.

In order for a photo to clearly show all 3 “grounds,” they all need to include an element or subject that brings focus and separation to that plane. This is true for additional layers within each plane too. For many, the more subjects, the better, as long as there’s separation. I don’t believe this is always true, specifically when additional elements don’t really add anything. But generally speaking, layered shots do work well when they can contain many subjects in a well composed frame. It’s one thing that makes layered photos so interesting to look at.

Moscow, Russia 2016

Another way to bring out separation between your “grounds” and layers is to use a wide-angle lens. The longer a lens, the more compressed the elements and layers will show in the photo. A wide-angle lens (<35mm), does the opposite, really making the viewer feel and see the different layers.

Havana, Cuba 2016

2. Look Through Entire Frame

One of the biggest difficulties with layered shots is all the information you have to think about when framing the scene. While true with any photo, it becomes even more important to look through the entire frame when making the photo. You don’t just have a subject and background. You have multiple subjects, “grounds” and a good chance they’re not all static. So look across all of your layers and see how you can put it all together in a timed shot that organizes the chaos into a filled, yet clean frame.

Kathmandu, Nepal 2016

You want to avoid overlaps and mess. You want the layers and subjects to stand out on their own. And you want the scene to come together into layered beauty.

3. Get Close

When working with a multi-layered shot dealing with many subjects and elements, you might feel the need to stay far back to fit it all in. This can remove the intimacy and feeling of being in the layered scene, though. In return, removing most of the effect layers can have on the viewer. Shoot far away and most scenes will have layers in them, you just won’t feel them, as the layers blend together. The closer you get, while containing the layers in the frame, the stronger and more pronounced the layers will look and feel. The scaled size of the layered elements and wide angle’s effect bring focus to the different layers’ distance, bringing the viewer into the scene.

Barcelona, Spain 2016

4. Foreground is Important

By getting close, the foreground becomes very important in a layered shot. In my opinion, it’s what makes or breaks the shot as much as anything. Without a strong foreground element, the layered shot usually feels missing. Even if the other layers are strong.

Marrakech, Morocco 2015

So you first want to make sure you have a strong foreground subject and then make sure you really put it into the foreground. When using a wide lens, it can feel like you were close enough to it, but then when you look at the photo later, it doesn’t really feel like it’s in the foreground. So make sure to get close and put it where it feels like it’s up in front of the viewer.

Hanoi, Vietnam 2016

5. Still Needs Interest

Just because you have tons of layers and subjects all organized nicely into a frame doesn’t guarantee you’ll have a great photo. Like with any photo, you still need to capture interest. Without it, the layers will just feel like a formula.

London, England 2016

Examples of things to look for to include interest in your layers:

  • Look for a primary subject, which the other elements can help support. Maybe you see an interesting character, but instead of just focusing the frame on them, you can include other elements to add to the scene and main subject.
  • Look for gesture, which can really bring a layered shot to life. Gesture not only creates interest, but brings focus to the different layers.
  • Look for something happening, an action or moment. Maybe something is going on in the foreground, middle ground and background that can come together yet stay separate.
  • Gesture, action or moments across different layers can come together to tell a complex story from the scene (at least created in the viewer’s mind).
  • Look for light, shadow or color. Layers of these elements can paint a beautiful picture when brought together.
Moscow, Russia 2016

Layers are a way to organize interest into a photo, but remember, you still need interest to begin with. Capture interest, not a formula.

6. Wait for another layer to complete the frame

When going for layered scenes, a bunch of layers perfectly organized probably won’t just appear without some thought and patience. Many times you’ll spot a nice scene with some layers, but it won’t feel complete yet. This is when you see what else might complete it.

Odessa, Ukraine 2016

Maybe just moving or changing the angle can add to another layer. Or Maybe you have the foreground and midground you want, but need something in the background. Look outside the frame and see what might enter. Patience and instincts are very important when it comes to layers.

Saint-Petersburg, Russia 2016

7. Where to focus?

If you have a layered shot where you need to get up really close to the foreground subject, you might question where to focus the frame. Since you’re putting visual importance on all the layers, do you really want the background to be out of focus just so the foreground is clear. Or do you focus on the middle so it and the background are clear, while the foreground keeps some blur?

This one is really up to you. Some feel the foreground is most important when it comes to focus, while others will sacrifice a little foreground blur to make the rest of the scene clear. I zone focus, but might bring it in a little if I feel the need to get extra close, but I try not to overdo it. The importance you feel for each subject can also help you decide how you want to focus.

Chennai, India 2016

Another thank you to Manthan Patel for his request on layering. Hopefully, some of these tips can help you improve your layering or expand your possibilities when it comes to street photography. Again, there are no rules or magic formula to photography, but there are ways to help capture what you want to see, or see things you never saw before. Layering is just another way to do it.

If anyone has their own request for a post, please share it here!

 

Saint-Petersburg, Russia 2016

 

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Featured File, Files, Readers Requests, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography, Tips, Travel Photography

Mar 16 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker:
A Street Photography Guide to
Saint-Petersburg, Russia

saint-petersburg-guide-cover

*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. All with plenty of candid photos to get a feeling of the city for photography. 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!

Saint-Petersburg

[Read more…] about City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: City Street Guides, Featured File, Files, Guides, Russia, Shooter Files Series, St. Petersburg, Street Photography, Travel, Travel Photography

Mar 12 2017

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Pigeon, Peter and Paul Fortress”

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken at Peter and Paul Fortress in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. Zayachy Island, also known as “Hare Island,” is a very small island in the center of Saint-Petersburg connected by two pedestrian bridges. In 1703, Peter the Great began construction of the Peter and Paul fortress here, which is a big tourist draw today. The shore surrounding the fortress wall is also a draw for the locals too, though. Especially in the summer.

Since the large stone wall faces the sun, it heats up and becomes a warm spot for locals to lay against in relaxation while they sunbathe. Combined with the mix of characters it attracts, it can create a very interesting, slightly surreal scene. People walk around the cobblestone shore, locals sunbathe, and pigeons come hoping for feed.

With so much interest here, I took plenty of photos, but for this one I noticed the man on the right kept waving a pigeon away. Since there was still feed on the ground, the pigeon kept returning. I took a few shots of this scene, but just as the man finally gave up, a girl came walking in-between us. She startled the pigeon, who then startled her, as she brought her hand back and the bird quickly flew away. It was an instant reaction shot as the action happened so fast, but luckily I caught something. This wall attracts some interesting scenes to say the least.

Stats:

Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm
Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
Aperture: f/11
Shutter Speed: 1/1000
ISO: 800

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Files, Russia, Shooter Files Series, Shot of the Week, St. Petersburg, Street Photography, Street Shot Sundays, Travel Photography

Mar 07 2017

33 Street Photography Photos from Ten Days in Stockholm and Copenhagen

33-stockholm-copenhagen-cover

Due to budget and time constraints, I couldn’t spend as long as I wanted up in Scandinavia, but I was able to fit 5 days each in Stockholm and Copenhagen. While they share some similarities, they’re very different cities with their own vibes and atmosphere. Stockholm has more beauty and nature, all with a very organized urban feeling around the city, while Copenhagen has a little more edge and vibrance, along with more tourism. The highlight for me, though, was meeting local Stockholm photographers Jimmy Dovholt and Ola Billamont, along with Matt Obrey, who was also visiting. But both cities gave a relaxing atmosphere and great walkability for exploring the city with my camera.

For this edition of 33 street photos, I decided to combine these two cities in one post. So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Stockholm and Copenhagen…

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Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: 33 Street Photos, Copenhagen, Denmark, Featured File, Files, Photos, Shooter Files Series, Stockholm, Street Photography, Sweden, Travel Photography

Mar 05 2017

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Alone on the Platform”

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken at Hua Lamphong, Bangkok’s main railway station. The Italian neo-renaissance half-dome design, interesting layout inside and people it attracts make this a good spot to check out for street photography. Local street photographer Rammy Narula even did a whole photo book on just one of its platforms (Platform 10).

Inside, the sun can shine through certain areas, providing some great light. And the colorful trains provide interest themselves. When I stopped by mid-day for this shot, it was especially quiet inside. On the platform at the main entrance, they were cleaning some of the trains so there was no activity. I was looking at the light coming through the yellow stained glass as a woman stopped in front of me. As she stood there in thought, she started to scratch her head. The light highlighted this gesture, while the rest of her was in hidden in black. So I composed her in the middle of the long, empty platform with trains on each side and the yellow domed window shining above. 

Stats:

Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm
Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/500
ISO: 1600

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Bangkok, Shooter Files Series, Shot of the Week, Street Photography, Street Shot Sundays, Thailand, Travel Photography

Mar 01 2017

7 First Impressions of Copenhagen, Denmark
(From a Street Photography Perspective)

copenhagen-impressions-cover

After Stockholm, my next city up north was Copenhagen, Denmark. Due to budget, trying to fit in Oslo didn’t look smart so this was my last stop in Scandinavia this time. To be honest, visiting anywhere up here is not a great idea if you’re worrying about money. It can get very expensive and Copenhagen is up at the top, but there’s plenty to love about the city that makes it worth the cost, if you can spare it.

While Copenhagen is even more expensive than Stockholm, it brings an edgier, more hip vibe. It shares some similarities with its scenery and architecture, but brings a different feeling when exploring its streets. While still very scenic, it’s not quite as pretty as many parts of Scandinavia, but more than makes up for it in character, which I found even more photogenic for street photography. It’s also a compact city made for walking as much as any out there. 

So here are my first impressions of Copenhagen, from my personal Street Photographer perspective…

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Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Copenhagen, Denmark, Featured File, Files, First Impressions, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography, Travel, Travel Photography

Feb 26 2017

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Grand Sprinkler”

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken at Sanam Luang in Bangkok, Thailand. Sanam Luang is a large open field and public square across from the famous Grand Palace. During the day, it’s usually pretty quiet, but can fill with some activity later on, including kite flying. There’s a surrounding walkway with benches, but with no cover on the grass field, the sun comes down hard.

For this shot, it was mid-day with the Thai sun at its brightest so the large open space was empty as usual during this time. As sunny as it is here, the locals do their best to stay out of its way. But I did see one person alone in the middle of the field working on the sprinklers. He was completely covered head to foot, even wearing a black mask to cover his face. So I made the walk to the middle of the field to see if I could capture something interesting.

After getting one of the sprinklers to start spraying, he stood up to admire his work. With his hands at his hips while looking off towards the palace, and end of the spray, I decided to have some fun with this one. Composition and angles used to make a humorous illusion that I probably don’t need to explain any further in this shot :)

Stats:

Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm
Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
Aperture: f/16
Shutter Speed: 1/500
ISO: 800

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Bangkok, Files, Shooter Files Series, Shot of the Week, Street Photography, Street Shot Sundays, Thailand, Travel Photography

Feb 08 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker:
A Street Photography Guide to
Bangkok, Thailand

bangkok-city-guide-cover*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!

Bangkok

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Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Asia, Bangkok, City Street Guides, Featured File, Files, Guides, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography, Thailand, Travel, Travel Photography

Feb 02 2017

My Annually Updated Top 10 Cities for Street Photography (2017)

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 stand out in their own way, and there’s too many things dependent for me to pick just one above all others. But I can pick some that personally stand out a little more than others.

So now that I’m almost half way towards my goal of photographing 100 cities, I thought I’d create my first Annually Updated Top 10 Cities for Street Photography. 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 this year (They’re coming, though). And we’ll see how much next year’s list changes with even more cities up for inclusion.

My Annually Updated Top 10 Cities for Street Photography

(for 2017)

  1. Istanbul, Turkey
  2. Havana, Cuba
  3. Saint-Petersburg, Russia
  4. London, England
  5. Mumbai, India
  6. Paris, France
  7. Marrakech, Morocco
  8. Odessa, Ukraine
  9. Hong Kong
  10. Hanoi, Vietnam

1. Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul holds a special place in my heart so I might be a little biased here. It was the start of my 100 cities project, and jumping into this blog and mix of plans and goals I’ve set for myself. I lived here much of 2015 so I got to know it better than most cities too, but 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 3 empires helps cram the city with so much to offer a photographer that other cities can’t touch. Culture, history, religion, politics, people, diversity, character, conflict, architecture, sea, sunlight, color, old world, new world, and the list goes on. It’s many world’s of atmosphere packed into one city. It’s no surprise it spans two continents.

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.

Istanbul, Turkey 2015
Istanbul, Turkey 2015
Istanbul, Turkey 2015

2. Havana, Cuba

If you imagined the perfect city for street photography in your mind, Havana might be what you’d picture. It’s extremely walkable, full of character 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 on. And while the old car type clichés of Cuba do deserve caution when here photographing, it’s really 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 any worries and get over here as soon as you can.

Havana, Cuba 2016
Havana, Cuba 2016
Havana, Cuba 2016
Havana, Cuba 2016

3. Saint-Petersburg, Russia

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 right now. 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, incredible architecture, bridges, islands, hundreds of parks, and more give it this 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.

Saint-Petersburg, Russia 2016
Saint-Petersburg, Russia 2016
Saint-Petersburg, Russia 2016

4. London, England

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, it’s really hard to beat this city. It’s as dynamic and fun to shoot in as it is famous.

London, England 2016
London, England 2016
London, England 2016

5. Mumbai, India

I will mention that while I haven’t visited them yet on my 100 cities project, I have been to Kolkata and Varanasi years ago. From memory, I’d probably put them above Mumbai, but they’ll have to wait until next year’s list to see if they officially pass Mumbai (I’ll be photographing both in 2017). 

India is packed with so many cities for street photography that it’s hard to name one. Out of the cities I’ve visited so far during my 100 cities project, though, Mumbai gets my pick.

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.

Mumbai, India 2016
Mumbai, India 2016
Mumbai, India 2016

6. Paris, France

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 the 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.

Paris, France 2016
Paris, France 2016
Paris, France 2016

7. Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is 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 for the challenge, 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 this 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.

Marrakech, Morocco 2016
Marrakech, Morocco 2016
Marrakech, Morocco 2016

8. Odessa, Ukraine

I have to include a city from Ukraine, one of my favorite countries in the world for street photography. It’s a close call between Kiev and Odessa, but the unique beach life gives Odessa the edge for me.

I went to Ukraine for the first time in 2015 and fell in love. So much so that I returned in 2016 and plan on returning again in 2017. 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 unique character, and characters, that fill it. They aren’t the typical tourist beaches you might be used to, either, which provides even more for street photography, in my opinion.

Odessa, Ukraine 2016
Odessa, Ukraine 2016
Odessa, Ukraine 2016

9. Hong Kong

One of the biggest things I appreciate in a city is how unique it is. Does it provide an experience and atmosphere that you won’t find anywhere else. Hong Kong is a city that does just that. While being known as one of the world’s largest financial hubs, it’s also a multicultural cities like no other, providing a modern exterior with a traditional interior to explore. It’s a one of a kind city full of character, variety and interest, showing the future in one direction and the past in another.

Hong Kong has one of the most impressive city skylines I’ve seen, but down on the ground in the narrow alleys and older neighborhoods, you can experience a completely different atmosphere. Hong Kong is one of the more unique cities I’ve been to with an international urban vibe mixed with old world Asia.

Hong Kong 2016
Hong Kong 2016
Hong Kong 2016

10. Hanoi, Vietnam

I live in Ho Chi Minh City and I love Ho Chi Minh City, but when it comes to street photography, I have to be honest. Hanoi is the winner. When it comes to best cities in Asia for street photography, Hanoi is towards the top of my list too. 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 and urban, 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.

Hanoi, Vietnam 2016
Hanoi, Vietnam 2016
Hanoi, Vietnam 2016

 

For 2017, I have plans to photograph at least 20 more major cities across 4 continents so we’ll see how this list gets shaken up next year, but with 45 cities down, every one of these cities comes highly recommend 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.)

 

Written by f.d. walker · Categorized: Featured File, Files, Lists, Shooter Files Series, Street Photography, Travel, Travel Photography

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