How do you photograph the essence of a city? How can an image create a story and sense of place? These are questions that urban landscape photographers work toward distilling in their images. From quirky people to interesting architecture to the juxtaposition of buildings, streetscapes, lights and shadows – there are so many elements that create a visually compelling narrative of urban life. Check out this collection of photographers using their Sony cameras and lenses to showcase the vibrant colors, lines, shapes, textures and patterns that exist within cityscapes, creating captivating images that evoke a sense of place and emotions associated with urban living. And for more photographic inspiration, be sure to follow @SonyAlpha on Instagram!

See how these photographers capture everything from vibrant colors to gritty textures through their cityscapes.

Tobi Shinobi – @tobishinobi

Tobi Shinobi is a Chicago-based photographer and Sony Brand Ambassador. His work focuses on detail, perspective, geometry, and symmetry, and you’ll see these come to light through much of his breathtaking architecture photography. If you like all things design and angles, make sure you follow his Instagram account. We love the graphic pattern and minimalism of this image. The inclusion of the biker creates a story.

Natascia Mercurio – @natybtw

Natascia Mercurio, also known as Naty, is an art director, photographer and filmmaker born in Italy. She has created a unique orange and blue color pallet in her imagery that makes them easily identifiable. With her primary camera, the Sony Alpha 7R III, she uses color, expression and composition to express a sense of emotion to her audience. We love the contrast of warm and cool colors in the image below. The addition of the person in the window adds to  the interest in the shot. Check out Naty’s full kit HERE.

Mike Meyers – @mmeyers76

Mike Meyers is a photographer/creative director/writer based out of Chicago and a Sony Brand Ambassador. He primarily focuses on urban and natural landscapes. We always love seeing Meyers sweeping frames that seem to tell a full story in one capture. The image below, made with the Sony Alpha 7R IV and the Sony 85mm f/1.8, feels like a painting! We’ve all heard that old adage that bad weather makes for good images, and this photograph proves it true. The snow tumbling down makes this image much more interesting. Check out Mike’s full kit HERE.

Ryan Ditch –  @ryanditchphoto

Using the iconic architecture of a city is a great way to showcase the story of that place. This is what San Diego-based photography Ryan Ditch did with the image below. With his Sony Alpha 7R IV and Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master, he made the image below. We love the look at architecture that is classic to Amsterdam. And the long exposure allows the viewer to see the pinprick of stars. It also allows the water to smooth out a bit, which keeps the focus of the image on the building itself, rather than the reflections. Ryan did a great job isolating within the image while still creating a strong sense of place. Check out what gear Ryan depends on HERE.

Steven John Irby – @stevesweatpants

Sony Brand Ambassador Steven John Irby, also known as Steve Sweatpants is known for his street photography. His Instagram feed is filled with stunning black and white documentary-style street photography. We love the framing in this image. It feels as though we are standing there looking through the french with him. The black and white edit allows the viewer to feel like this is a classic New York City scene. For more images of classic New York, be sure to follow Steve on Instagram!

@de.herrera

De.herrera is a photographer based in Long Beach, California. Their Instagram feed is filled with long exposure shots of cities at night. Scrolling through, you’ll see skies filled with fireworks, like the image below. They did a great job capturing the landscape of the city as well as the lights. Plus, it’s always fun to see the explosion of fireworks in the sky! De.herrera used their Sony Alpha 7R II and Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master to capture this shot.

Davide Oricchio – @davideor94

Based in Rome, Italy, Davide Oricchio specializes in street and landscape photography. David is inspired by life in cities and exploring the urban landscapes focusing on light and shadow, drawing out unique features of the city he is in with a somewhat romantic glow. This warm light is a constant throughout his feed and inspires you to head out to spend an evening exploring your city and capture it in a new light.

Kevin Burke –  @keankburke

Kevin Burke is a travel photographer based in New York. As a travel photographer, his primary goal is to capture the essence of a place in a few frames. Using his Sony Alpha 1, Kevin makes images full of vibrant colors and interesting compositions. We love the image below, made in Brooklyn. In a city like New York, people are just as important to the story as the buildings and architecture. We love how Kevin incorporated people into this image.

Thomas Kakareko – @thomas_k

Thomas Kakareko is a Sony photographer based in Berlin. His account boasts a great variety of street photography and artistic portraits. He bounces back and forth between using his Sony Alpha 7S II, his Sony Alpha 7R III and Sony Alpha 7R IV for both personal and professional work. The image below was made in Grasse, France. We love the composition and the pop of color that really draws the viewer's eye to the center of the frame. Give him a follow for more intriguing portraits and moody street photos.

Jeroen van Dam – @jeroenvandam

Jeroen van Dam describes himself as an urban explorer and photographer. On his website he states, “As an urban photographer, my work is based on an assumption that the real frontier lands, the most difficult to explore, are the cities where we live. As an urban explorer, my goal is to unravel and document the secrets of the man-made world of the 21st century.” He is based in Rotterdam so most of his images are throughout Europe. The image below depicts Vienna, Austria. We love the repetition of geometric shapes throughout the shot. Jeroen typically shoots with the Sony Alpha 7R V or the Sony Alpha 7R III. Follow him on Instagram to see more of his work in your feed.