The Urban Photographer – First Step to Success

I’ve been asked many times how I’ve taken certain shots, or where I found some of the cool places I’ve shot in a city like Calgary.  The main reason for the question is usually the lack of what some would call flavour or diversity in Calgary’s core.  The problem happens when you google search urban photography for inspiration, find a whole ton of neat photos and ideas, only to hit the streets and feel lost in the seemingly overwhelming “straight lacedness” or “blah” of our citys centre.

However, I’m here to address the issue.  Because, we can all agree that there’s no bigger buzzkill than setting out on an urban adventure just to end up walking around uninspired all day with nothing to account for except 13,000 steps recorded on your fitbit.  I mean, lets be realistic, dud days happen to the best of us… but the goal is to maximize our effectiveness and time.

So today lets talk about one way to be a more effective camera wielding ninja.  First things first, goals.  Try to have a goal in mind before you leave the house.  Having an idea of what you want to capture and what you want to achieve before you leave, will prepare you mentally to keep a keen eye out for your winning shot.  Whether it be a certain interaction, the perfect reflection, or even that elusive candid portrait, knowing what you are looking for will boost your chances of success enormously.  Todays pro tip:  as much as it is fun to walk around all willy nilly waiting for that photo to pop out at you, having clear goals in mind will hone your focus and productivity while at the same time, as a sweet side effect, boost your confidence as a true urban photo taking machine.

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