12 Unique Urban Photoshoot Ideas

4. Take advantage of city art and architecture

One of the numerous benefits of being in a city is the access to the arts and culture that it provides. There’s also an abundance of beautiful architecture, both historic and modern.

With an eye toward exploiting this resource, Adobe also suggests that urban photographers “showcase urban art”: “Graffiti and street art, as well as classic and avant-garde monuments and statues, make for unique backdrops and settings. Arrange your photo so that your subjects become a part of the artwork.”

They also have specific tips on how best to take advantage of world-class architecture: utilize the buildings’ “striking lines and structural elements” “to frame the photo and draw the viewer’s eye to your subject.”

5. Utilize the city’s varied textures

Another one of the artistic benefits of doing a photoshoot in the city: lots of textures, both natural and industrial. Adobe writes, “From rough brick to smooth glass, urban settings offer a whole range of photographic textures. You can capture wholly different moods by simply varying the textures.”

Consider the wide array of textures that the city has to offer another one of its countless artistic resources!

6. Celebrate what makes your chosen city unique

A truly and genuinely unique urban photoshoot idea is to celebrate the features that makes your city unique. This is so much better than chasing a generic aesthetic in a thousand identical photos all over Instagram and Pinterest.

Every city has specific elements that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. If you want your photos to be special and, in particular, authentic, you’ll want to incorporate these elements into your photos whenever possible.

7. Go to the park

Just because you’re taking photos in a city doesn’t mean that there isn’t an abundance of natural beauty to discover nearby. Most cities have plenty of parks where you can explore and find trees, lush greenery, birds and other animals, and tons of other backgrounds and photographic subjects to explore as part of your creative and unexpected urban photoshoot.

8. How to photograph a model in a city

Some of you reading this post might specifically be planning a fashion photoshoot with a model. If so, Photo Workout suggests centering your subject in the street. “A great way to photograph your model in a city is to aim for a center, in the street’s perspective. This allows you to compose a shot where your model is the focus and the city delicately fills in the surrounding frame”. Check out that article for more helpful suggestions.

9. Take photos on public transport

For instance, if you’re taking photos in New York City, why not take some photos in a subway station or even in a subway car? The instantly recognizable aesthetic of the subway is sure to bring to mind a whole host of associations for anyone seeing your photos, which you can use to your advantage as an artist trying to draw a reaction.

Just a word of warning, however: make sure that you go at a less busy time of day (that means avoiding rush hours in the morning/evening) and make sure that any strangers in your photos consent to have their photo taken and that their privacy is fully respected.

Staying in instead? No worries, keep your creative juices flowing by utilizing our at-home photoshoot ideas!