For my Final Project, I want to capture the uniqueness of different cities and excitement of travel. Many photographers dedicate a profile to a collage of different destinations, showcasing a wide range of color, culture, and environment. There are also many travelers that record and photograph their journeys as they adventure to different countries. Additionally, different cities around the world have various unique points to show for. For example, capturing architecture and festivity in Spain will highlight their special feature, while capturing the unique layers of Chongqing’s streets will showcase theirs. Since traveling is an activity I am passionate about, I want to use this chance to capture the thrill of exploring different cities..
Being one of the top cities for tourists, New York City offers a lot of diversity. In New York, I plan to photograph near midtown, where a large number of travelers usually explore first. I also want to be near transportation to capture how various people move around the city. I’m thinking of something similar to the photo of a train station by Thomas Tsang (2nd photo below). Additionally, I want to capture activity at the airport—a place home to travelers. I can’t say if anything exciting that is worth capturing will be happening there, so it’s currently an idea.
Over spring break, I will be spending the week in Amsterdam, a city known for their arts, museums, and scenery. There, I plan to utilize the many techniques we’ve learned in class to capture the city’s special points. For example, I know I will be going to experience canal cruises, so I’ll use this opportunity to capture the activity. I will also be venturing away from the city to villages, where there is more nature and scenery. Amsterdam also has a variety to offer when it comes to transportation—ranging from trams and buses to ferries. I want to capture the difference of their atmosphere in comparison to that in New York City.
Since a lot of the environment in Amsterdam is still unknown to me, I’m not sure which techniques will best highlight the scenery; however, for New York, I hope to fill the canvas and make it look very busy. As a city bustling with tourism and activity, New York City is special for its fast pace and diversity. I want to capture that mood. I’ll go out to midtown on days where I’m more free before and after the break week, since I’ll be spending that week in Amsterdam.
I like the idea of doing a comparison of New York and Amsterdam. Great that you will be going there. New York was once New Amsterdam! Try to figure out before you go what you want to photograph as you won’t be able to go back. The water is really important to both cities. You said you will be going on a canal cruise. Or maybe you want to focus on parks. Or something else entirely. The trains. The Netherlands has really nice trains. Everyone bikes there. You could compare the biking culture of the two cities. Your examples tend to focus on architecture and that is fine too. But give it some shape before you leave for Amsterdam. And when you are there shoot as much as you are able!