Taken in Times Square this past weekend before the giant storm hit. View fullsize here.

Good photography can capture the vibrant pulsing heart of the beauty and excitement of the largest cities. Whether you're the casual point-and-shoot tourist, the mid-level person with a superzoom, or the enthusiast/pro with a DSLR, there's just always something about bright lights and large architecture that fascinates photographers. Here's how to get those amazing city shots.

This shot was taken on Center Island in Canada while it was raining. I was under a tree and saw downtown Toronto through the mist and realized I had to catch it.

Shoot Wide: Cities and architecture are meant to be shot and viewed in their full width. With a point-and-shoot, try not to zoom in. Instead get within mid range, aim, and fire. For DSLR users, use a wide angle lens. This is much easier to do if you have a camera with around 10 MP because any specific details you'd like can be cropped into later on in post-editing. Your angle is all preference--either get up nice and high to get great skyline shots, or stay down on the streets for the average person's perspective. Whatever it is, make it exciting.

Turn Off Your Flash: I feel like I say this all the time and I can't help but stick to it. While in Times Square this weekend, I can't tell you how terrible one tourist's shots looked with his daughter standing against the Yankees store and his flash going off in the middle of the day. The flash (especially when shot against glass) will cause your colors to be washed out, reflected against reflective surfaces (like windows), and may even distort what your image looks like depending on distance. Besides, you're outside.

Once a year, people gather together in Union Square for the annual Pillow Fight. People get very serious, as you can tell with this guy dressed as William Wallace. These people WANT to be photographed.


Shoot With the Intention of Eliciting Emotion: Thousands of photographers have shot New York City, so what's going to make yours stand out and actually look really nice? Well, maybe something exciting and different--like someone in an Elmo Costume taking pictures with tourists holding a sign saying "Tips Please." Or how about a very fun and intimate moment, and I'm not talking about your head through the hole on a cardboard cutout of Superman--instead why not setting your camera to continuous shooting, a quick shutter speed, and capturing someone close dancing outside in the rain? Or why not a detail shot of just how crowded the city has become?

Use the Environment to Frame Your Shots: I saw a tourist snap a photo of her adorable son imitating the gesture that a statue makes in Columbus Circle. The environment in a city was designed to draw in tourists and business go-ers. Use it well and you'll pull off a great shot.

Stabilize Your Camera: Optical Image Stabilization can't save your shot during the night or in scenarios with little light. Once again, don't turn on your flash. You're much better off using a tripod, resting your camera on a flat, stable surface, or cranking up your ISO just a little bit. If you absolutely must use a flash, change your White Balance and set it to fill-flash.

How many cities have a Museum of Sex? Find the odd things in life and capture them.

Visit the Not So Famous Places: We're all guilty of it, compiling a list of all the famous places that everyone's been to in the big cities. But everyone's photographed them. Why not do some internet research about what's going on at the not so famous places? Exciting alternatives are always around, you just need to find them. Start with haunted houses (shoot in black and white). The lesser known beaches are probably not so famous for a reason--maybe you can photograph why. Those are the shots that not everyone else will get, but they can help strike a chord with someone.