Difficulty level: Advanced
Time taken: 2.5 hours
Cityscapes are highly popular subjects, even more so with the advent of social media trends. Platforms such as Instagram are awash with images of exotic urban environments, making a subject out of the light and colour contrasts such places offer.
With so many images being created each day, it can be a challenge to produce unique results.
In crowded markets, anything we can do to introduce a novelty to our work is a potential advantage. This can be a unique, thoughtful composition that captures a well-known subject from a new perspective, or it may be a familiar feature captured in an idealised way.
When shooting this image of a busy city street, it made visual sense to use the traffic trails as a feature. These are far from unique elements in urban photography, but capturing the optimal number and arrangement of lights, from this low perspective is less common.
Through a combination of careful timing, risk assessment and software work, it was possible to create something more unexpected.
What you'll need
Tripod/beanbag/alternative support
Interchangeable lens camera
Layers-equipped software
Remote shutter release
Wideangle lens
When shooting in traffic-heavy locations, personal safety is always a consideration - do not impede the flow of vehicles. Where tripods are not practical, use a beanbag or rest your camera on your camera bag, as we did here.
City of light
Combining a low perspective and enhanced, eye-catching traffic trails, this scene is elevated above the standard shot of this urban location
Shooting steps
Bu hikaye Digital Photographer dergisinin Issue 256 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Digital Photographer dergisinin Issue 256 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 Art
This is anot-so-standard zoom lens, as Matthew Richards discovers on a test drive
AstrHori 120mm f/2.8 Macro 2x
Matthew Richards finds out if double the magnification means couble the value
DxO PhotoLab 8 Elite
DXO's flagship editor gets an upgrade but, asks Rod Lawton, are the results worth it?
Panasonic Lumix GH7
Gareth Bevan thinks a new sensor and AF make this the hybrid camera to beat
STORM CHASE
Paige Vincent on the adrenaline rush, the risks and her passion for shooting in the face of storms
PROTECT YOUR IMAGES FROM AI
Pandora's box is open and, for better or worse, Alis here to stay. Here’s how you can protect your images from being used to train Al models without your permission
CREATE AI COMPOSITES
Serge Ramelli explains how to make AI work for you, by creating otherwise impossible portrait backgrounds
Paul Wilkinson's top 25... PORTRAIT TIPS & TRICKS
Even with so much information out there, taking perfect portraits can be hard work. Pro photographer Paul Wilkinson guides us through this huge genre with his pearls of wisdom
MASTER MINIMALISM
Less is more in the world of minimalism. Rebecca Greig explores what makes minimalist captures work
LITTLE WONDERS
Kim Bunermann meets Louise B to discuss the joys and challenges of working with newborns and freshly baked parents