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INSPIRATION

Meet Me in the City: 15 Outstanding Examples of Urban Photography Done Right

Judit Ruiz Ricart

perfectly symmetric subway stairs

A city is a small-scale universe on its own. Everything you love and everything you hate can be found within an hour’s reach. Cafes and crowds, dogs and cockroaches, beautiful boulevards and stinky alleys, parks and… well, you get the idea. All of these things translate into an infinite number of photography subjects, and yet when you are looking to create new content for your photography website you might feel like you need to travel far away to capture stunning images.


You’re actually not alone in this, as there are a lot of photographers who see traveling as a major factor in the outcome of their work. Sure, spending your days traveling around the world snapping photos sounds like a dream, but you should not let the reality of spending your days in a single location limit the potential of your work. In order to encourage you to get out there and start exploring your city, we have put together a showcase of some amazing Wix users who prove there is a great urban photography opportunity around every corner.



Moe Najati, night lights


Shooting mostly during nighttime, Moe captures a less-seen beauty of cities that comes out to play once nearly everyone is asleep. His photographs portray a unique eye for light and color, as he transforms dark streets and alleys into stunning vibrant scenes that will make you want to push your bedtime back a few hours and wander around past midnight.


In addition to being an outstanding urban photographer, Moe is an award-winning film director and has created content for many popular brands such as Canon, Ferrari, Lenovo, and Red Bull. His online portfolio also includes an extensive gallery of commercial automobile photos.



two women walk through london at night illuminated by many bright colored lights

london taxi driver at night

london taxi at night


George Malave, back in time


Born in 1946, George’s photography work spans over five decades. His portfolio transports us back in time to a generation raised spending endless hours playing in the street with anything they could get their hands on. Sticks, broken furniture, and fire hydrants were the smartphones and VR headsets of the late 60s.


Besides these beautiful shots of Brooklyn children, George’s gallery is also dedicated to the last months of the Third Avenue Elevated, panoramic crowdscapes, portraits, and his travels. While most of his online portfolio dates back to the late 20th century, it also includes color images of his most recent trips to Peru. George’s work has been showcased in a long list of exhibitions across the United States over the last four decades.



monochromatic film picture of kids playing with a fire hydrant in the street

monochromatic film picture of kids playing with sticks in the street

monochromatic film picture of two kids playing on mattresses in the street


Olli Gräf, architecture inside-out


Olli, who goes by Cosmotic Photography, photographs striking urban landscapes both outdoors and indoors. His expertise in controlling each scene’s lighting and color, combined with skilled framings, results in beautiful images that highlight the city’s architecture and geometrical forms. This talent for composition and processing goes further than urban captures, as his portfolio expands across diverse genres such as portrait, sport, nature and travel photography.


Olli recently published the first number of Cosmotic.Space Magazin, a 100-page visual publication that collects some of his best urban photographs.



building seem from below with cloud reflecting on windows

city at sunset

architecture photo of a geometrical interior


Pichit Phan, all about people


Pichit focuses on the most humane part of this genre, capturing people as they go about their day unaware of the presence of a photographer. This results in beautifully natural images that truly reflect the essence of the city and those who live in it. People waiting for the subway, walking in the park, or simply enjoying a nice meal – Pichit’s portfolio feels as if you were just walking around the city and encountered these universal scenes yourself.

While all of these urban photos are part of Pichit’s personal work, his professional gallery as a portrait and wedding photographer shows that his ability to capture unforced portraits of people does not depend on passing unnoticed by the subject.



asian family on street

woman is blessed by monk

minimalist monochromatic urban shot with people going up the stairs


Elisa Ferreira, light and darkness


According to her own words, Elisa’s work is heavily affected by her love for the cinema of the 30s to 60s. This adoration for last century’s seventh art can be clearly seen in the way she represents the atmosphere of her images, usually capturing highly contrasted images in black and white. Color, she says, only feels genuine when shooting nature elements.


Along with these outstanding urban landscapes, Elisa’s portfolio includes an extensive selection of genres, including flora and fauna. Her work has been featured in diverse exhibitions, most recently in Expo Rillieux 2017 and Expo Décines Media Library.



high contrast architecture shot monochromatic

metal bridge seen from an old window on a rainy day

high contrast architecture shot monochromatic


Ready to explore your city? Share the results with the world on your photography website!

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