HOW TO GET STARTED WITH URBAN PHOTOGRAPHY

We've all heard the term 'urban photography', but what does it actually mean and how do you go about W photographing it? In this article I'm going to teach you all about this interesting and accessible genre of photography and how to get started with it.

- Jo Plumridge

WHAT IS URBAN PHOTOGRAPHY? 

People often confuse urban photography with street photography, but urban is a far broader genre that can include anything within a built-up urban environment. This can include architecture and people, but also the surroundings and settings of the urban environment you're in.

You might also wonder what an urban environment is. It is essentially any built up area where people live and work, so encompasses towns and cities.

CAMERA GEAR

There are no specific requirements for urban photography, but there are a few things that will make your life easier. A camera that's good in low light is particularly useful, as the urban environment can often be lacking in ambient light. And a decent autofocus system that can cope with moving subjects will help if you want to capture people or transport going about a town or city. While I'm generally a fan of fixed (prime) lenses, I actually think zoom lenses are of far more use in an urban environment. A zoom means that you can quickly cover multiple focal lengths, which is useful if something starts happening in a different part of your scene.

My favorite lens for this type of work is a 24-70mm (on a full frame camera) but a wide-angle lens can also be useful (around 16-35mm on a full frame camera). Lenses with a larger maximum aperture and image stabilisation are also ideal for coping with potential low light situations. A tripod can be extremely useful as it gives you more exposure options in low light and will also be essential if you want to photograph at night. Carbon fibre tripods are the lightest available but do weight of a tripod. you could carry a pod. cost more. If you don't want the added which is a small beanbag with a tripod screw attached to it. It won't give you as many options as a tripod but will allow you to do some longer exposure shots.