Cities offer a wealth of amazing photo opportunities, and at night they really come alive. With all the amazing architecture, street scenes, and lights aglow, it’s as if this was all done with photographers in mind. Although sunsets can be amazing in a city—especially if you have a great view of the skyline—once blue hour hits and then darkness descends it’s prime time for some amazing photography.
By the way, all of these photos in this article were edited using the new Luminar 2018 Photo Editor, which gives users incredible control over contrast, saturation, exposure, color balance, and much more. I’ve been having fun testing it’s new features. You can learn more about how it works here before the pre-order ends.
Here are some ideas to help you capture beautiful cityscapes at night:
Lines
There are so many lines in a city that it can be overwhelming to find ones that your eye really wants to follow. Traffic lines work great as do natural bends in a street or pathway, chain links, fences, and walls. Even overhead power lines for trolley cars could work, or the train tracks they move on. Once you start looking for lines, you will see them everywhere.
In this photo from Fan Pier in Boston, Luminar was used to increase the colors, make some color shifts to enhance the mood, and slightly brighten the foreground.
Boston — Before
Boston — After
Light Trails
Just about everyone has shot light trails at some point, and for good reason—it’s one of the simple joys of photography. Allowing passing traffic to blur out, leaving just the headlights and taillights visible, is a fun shot to do and adds a bit of interest to a photo. Find a good spot, set up and then begin your exposure just as a vehicle is about to enter the frame. Depending on the light, this could be 3 to 5 seconds or longer—even over 10 seconds. Sometimes you may go as long as 30 seconds. Just experiment with it until you find what works best.
This photo from London was adjusted in Luminar, with edits made to increase the exposure, balance the light, and make minor color adjustments.
London — Before
London — After
Neon Signs and Building Lights
Neon signs can be fun to photograph, and at night with a dark sky they really sparkle. Lacking that, you can always find building lights that illuminate the scene and add a little glow to the shot.
In this photo from the Temple Bar in Dublin, Luminar was used to adjust the color balance, change the temperature and tint slightly, increase contrast with the curves tool, and make some minor lighting adjustments.
Temple Bar — Before
Temple Bar — After
Street Scenes
Streets shot at night are just compelling subjects. You expect them to be full of people, so if you can find them partially empty then they become even more interesting. Especially in Europe, where the streets are often made of cobblestone, you can find some really beautiful subjects.
In this street photo from Dublin, Luminar was used to change the color balance and color temperature, some cross processing was gently applied along with some lighting changes, and a little bit of soft glow.
Dublin Street — Before
Dublin Street — After
Skylines
Shooting skylines can be an incredibly rewarding experience, whether it’s from an elevated viewpoint or ground level. If you can get to a rooftop observation deck, be sure and arrive early to claim a good spot. If shooting from ground level, consider finding something in the foreground to anchor your shot and fill up some of the empty space there.
In this photo from Bratislava, shot from a rooftop overlooking the city, Luminar was used to adjust color balance, temperature and tint, saturation and luminance levels, and some tonal adjustments.
Bratislava — Before
Bratislava — After
Cities are spectacular photographic playgrounds, and at night they really come to life. Your choice of subject matter is extensive, and adding in the glow of the city lights can make your photos sparkle. Give these ideas a test run and capture some amazing cityscapes!
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Go to full article: Photographing Cities at Night
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