Cityscapes - Ideas For The Urban Bound Photographer

Part II Of A 6-Part Series by Harvey Stearn

Over my past 72 years of making photographic images, I viewed myself as a Nature photographer. Lately, I’m not so sure, as my photography evolved more broadly toward graphic art in rich natural color and monochrome images of subjects found in human environments as well as in Nature. 

My photographic inventory includes many images made on impulse in cities visited during vacation travel. What they have in common with Nature photography is that they are graphic and colorful, and often tell stories. They fit a lesser-known branch of photography called “Cityscapes”, and in many cases also belong to an important specialty known as “Travel Photography”.

I organized this Cityscapes series into six groups to see if this would be helpful to readers in selecting locations and material for their own art photography.

1. Architecture and Skylines
2. Coastal and River Cities
3. Local Color
4. Major Events
5. Parks, Gardens & Public Places
6. Urban Wildlife

Cityscapes Part II –  Coastal and River Cities

This category might strike some as an odd choice. However, part of what I learned from my travels is that cities that abut waterways like oceans and rivers usually project a unique atmosphere that translates well to photographs. In part, this may be because the amorphous and reflective nature of water is in relief to the many sharp-edged elements of buildings and engineering works that dominate urban landscapes. Waterways are also associated with travel to far-off places, which can inject notes of intrigue and romance into an otherwise static, overly detailed image. Invariably, reflections of forms and color enhance such scenes, while side effects like fog and spray can add drama.

This article starts with a sight known worldwide as a welcome to immigrants starting a new life in a land of opportunity. Though the Statue of Liberty was under repair and rejuvenation when the following image was made, it is no less beautiful. The sea-level perspective brings the eye directly toward the base which is weathered and stained. It quickly goes up to the statue where the detail and patina is more striking than ever. Though the sky is glary and non-descript, it focuses attention on the statue.

On nearby Ellis Island, the present building is where waves of immigrants were processed, coming through New York between the years 1900 to 1954, excluding the WWI years from 1914 to 1918. Its architecture is in the French Renaissance Style. 

It holds much significance for millions of American families whose forbears came through this portal. Located near the Statue of Liberty, it helped shape United States history in the first half of the 20^th century and for generations thereafter.

About 1220 miles to the southwest of New York Harbor lies Tampa Bay. My wife and I had the good fortune of eating on a restaurant patio overlooking the bay as an all-encompassing sunset developed. The sunset filled the sky and much of the Bay on a scale few cities can match.

One of the most unique urban areas in the United States is also the oldest European-founded, continuously lived-in city in the contiguous United States. This is the city of St. Augustine, founded in 1565 by Spanish Conquistador Pedro Menendez. Located on the east coast of Florida, the main industry is tourism, of which the old Spanish fort – Castillo de San Marcos is the main attraction. The next two Images show two major types of 16th-century artillery used to guard the old city from invasion by sea.

Capitola is a city of 10,000 people on the California coast, seven miles east of Santa Cruz. It has a small beach on both sides of Soquel Creek, which flows into the Pacific Ocean. It also has a pier as well as pastel-painted condominiums facing the beach and ocean. Most people are unaware of its existence and are surprised when they see it for the first time. The scene is novel and picturesque.

I try to avoid showing the same image more than once in my articles. However, the old quarter of Dubrovnik, Croatia not only possesses an extraordinarily beautiful skyline, but it is also a very photogenic medieval port city. 

The city of Valparaiso, Chile is a port city with many different perspectives. It is hilly and has both modern high-density buildings as well as small residences and old, brightly painted, single-story commercial buildings that would be eyesores if not for their colorful facades. (This last grouping will be covered in Part III entitled “Local Color”.) 

The next image was taken from a restaurant patio. The view would not be appealing if the hodgepodge of bland high-rise buildings and mid-rise roofs was all there was. However, the bay in the background draws the viewer’s eye past the urban blight and provides both atmosphere and context.

A similar view of the harbor beyond part of Reykjavik, Iceland, is more ideal, as the harbor is the entire background, while these city buildings are colorful low-rise and mid-rise structures with varied and appealing architecture. These street scenes are also clean and well-maintained. Consequently, the whole vista is uniformly attractive, as seen in the following image.

Returning to South America, the next two scenes are of Ushuaia, a port city in Argentina. Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world and the capital of Tierra del Fuego Province, which includes Tierra del Fuego National Park. As it is close to Antarctica, expedition boats usually leave from this port.

Just north of the international boundary between Canada and the United States lies the Canadian city of Niagara Falls, Ontario. It is from this city that Horseshoe Falls, the most impressive part of Niagara Falls, can be seen and accessed. Both the Canadian Falls and the American Falls empty into the Niagara River from Lake Ontario as the river makes its way to Lake Erie. The International Boundary runs along the middle of the Niagara River.

The following images are nighttime views from the Tower Hotel in Ontario looking toward the Rainbow Bridge, the American Falls  and the City of Niagara Falls – Ontario in the first image, and Horseshoe Falls in the second image.

The next image is a view of both falls along the Niagara River.

Some American cities with smaller rivers have built riverwalks and adjoining commercial development,s which are popular with both tourists and residents. There is no question that these waterways soften the urban experience while providing after-dark activities and entertainment.

The following image is of the Riverwalk in Oklahoma City.

The final three images were taken along the Riverwalk in San Antonio, TX.

As can be seen from the preceding images, urban waterways add a special dimension to the urban experience.

The next article in this series will cover how local art and culture enhance urban scenes and the urban experience and offer unique photographic opportunities. 

Please come back soon for Cityscapes Part III: Local Color.

Harvey Stearn
January 2023

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