Last week I presented a workshop on urban photography to a camera club via Zoom. It was a new experience for me and although it took a long time to pull a 45-minute talk together with images, it was a good thing to do. It pushed me out of my comfort zone. I used to teach and give presentations but it has been decades since I used those muscles. Oh, and they wanted me to share images that were not exclusively Lensbaby, so you will see a combination here with a few of the key points from my presentation.
You really need to love to walk and explore
Walking with my camera helps me see my city in a new way and, as a result, I am more curious. Using different lenses also keeps the experience fresh. After using standard auto focus lenses that are often heavy, I learned that you need to travel light. I now go out with one lens, no tripod, and a comfortable backpack to lessen the weight. Since I discovered Lensbaby 10 years ago, I have many options that are lighter than my old lens.
Street life and human interactions
I took the below image in Tbilisi, Georgia, some years ago with my Canon 24-105 mm lens. I loved the rich colors, rustic setting, and the little girl entering the market in the building’s basement. I am personally shy about capturing people in my street photos, especially those of children, so I try to capture them in action.
When I came across this little girl, I was drawn in by the pink dress and her red hair, so I quickly captured this while she turned her head. Lucky shot. The photo below is one that I took at festival at the Seattle Center. Again, you can see the kids, but not most of their faces. In looking at these two photos, I realized that slowly my style was evolving from a straightforward image to one where I was trying to create a painting. Ultimately, I found a way to do that with Lensbaby lenses.
Architectural and urban landscapes
There are plenty of opportunities to capture interesting images of buildings, bridges, and streets art. I took this image in Palm Springs, and I think my Lensbaby Sweet 22 lens captured the leading lines, shadows, and pulls your eye to the center, which is where I wanted people to go.
Social issues and environmental aspects
Some people use urban photography to highlight social issues and environmental elements. I don’t personally focus on social issues, but I do enjoy capturing images of our environment, not to make a statement, but to appreciate its beauty.
Light
We are all looking for ways to combine the best light with our subjects, but that can be challenging depending on the time of the day, the location, and the subject, but it is terrific when it comes together. I love it when I can capture the Needle reflection on our MoPop museum.
Notice
Look around and notice what others might not see. I took this image in Greece mid-day. I loved the rustic door, seeing through to the building and the added benefit of the light reflection.
Color
Our downtown public library is a beautiful building with many interesting design elements, including bright colors. The brilliant yellow pulled my eyes down this escalator. Use color to your advantage.
Monochrome
Composing in camera on the monochrome setting is a great way to see how the lights and shadows will come out in your image. It can tell a different story from a color image.
This post is a snapshot of what I presented, but hopefully it will give you some ideas to pursue. I would like to leave you with something I learned from Jay Maisel, a well-known New York photographer, and that is to stay open to seeing what is in your environment while walking. And, remember to travel light - it will pay off.
If you are curious about Lensbaby lenses, look at their website. If you decide to purchase, use my Trailblazer code, wVipperman, for 10% off. I love hearing from you, so comment below, post on my Facebook page, follow me on Instagram, or email me at carol(at)carolvipperman.com. If you have any questions about photography, I would be pleased to answer them.
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