Digital Photo Tip #33 By Bruce Kirkby Oct 1, 2007

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Urban Jungle Safari

Amidst the endless strip malls and franchise outlets of modern North American cities, travellers can sometimes find very little inspiration to pull out their camera. Even at home, we can walk down the same streets again and again without often thinking about opportunities to shoot.

But to the patient and discerning eye, the urban jungle offers a potpourri of prospects. There are the sharp angles of avant-garde architecture, the energy of crowds, the quiet of hidden parks and the crisp colours of graffiti. Faced with such a barrage of choices, big cities can easily become landscapes where your individual vision and taste rule. So, what is beautiful to you amidst all the noise and mayhem? Sometimes all you have to do is look around a bit.

If you are feeling stalled, these tips and ideas should help get your photographic juices flowing:

—Try shooting straight upwards, especially in the downtown core, using the widest lens you have.

—Capture reflections in skyscraper glass. Try a self-portrait with the city behind you, or frame a reflected street scene.

—Night lights offer a new and exciting look to the city. You’ll need a long exposure, so be sure to use a tripod or brace your camera against something steady. Reflections across the waterfront look particularly good.

—Coffee shops and ethnic neighbourhoods are great spots to look for candid photo opportunities. Take your time, and remember to ask permission if anyone looks uncomfortable when you point the lens.

—Get up early! Morning light is soft, and there is a much different feel to the abandoned streets.

—Isolate shapes, patterns and textures. The cityscape is a brilliant source of abstract images. Zoom in, compose tightly and experiment madly.