Urban Landscape Photography

• Urban landscape Photography is a relatively strange genre.

• Its strange because it has existed for many years but it didn’t received recognition until the 20th century.

• Another reason behind the strangeness is that its hard to define.

• One definition is a type of photography that seeks to share the beauty of a densely populated concrete jungle referred to as a city or metropolis.

History

• The photographing of urban life started in the late 1800’s

• John Thomson was the first to document urban life with his magazine titled Street Life in London

Eugene Atget

Subfields of Urban Landscape Photography

• Cityscape Photography: When the whole city is captured using clean and polished lines.

• Architectural Photography: Focuses in on a specific building or a group of buildings in and effort to document the city’s architecture.

• Street Photography: Documents the life or the people living and interacting within the city. Attempting to showcase the culture of the city.

Andrew Prokos

Spencer McDonald

James Blakeway

Tom Manley

Peter J Sieger

Jim Kruger

Deborah Julian

Alison McCauley

David Solomon

Urban Landscape vs. Documentary Photography

• Urban landscape photography is closely related to Documentary photography… but there are some differences.

• It doesn't chronicle significant events that are historical in nature.

• Its a little disorganized in that images of random cites, building and people are taken with no specific intent or knowledge of the persons life.

• Tends to focus on the present.