Looking to be the next Bill Cunningham? So is everyone else. Get a leg up on the competition and check out the best places to bring your camera in 2012.
New York, NY
When you’re walking in New York, one block can make the difference between a quaint, gentrified neighborhood and a noisy, lively one. With all that diversity, New York becomes a buzzing beehive, attracting photographers of every kind. Whether it’s the cobblestone streets of the Village, the brownstones in Brooklyn, or the foliage in Central Park, there’s never a shortage of sights to see and snaps to shoot.
The Picture Everyone Takes:
Times Square: Yeah, we get it. It’s really bright! But actually, it’s just a bunch of people standing around looking at advertisements.
Where to Get the Latest Shot:
Highline Park: The historic rail line has been transformed into a long parkway running from the Meatpacking District to Chelsea. Take a bike ride or go for a run along the twenty-block stretch that overlooks the Hudson River and the city skyline.
A Shutterbug’s Dream:
Neighborhoods like Williamsburg, SoHo, the West Village or the Bowery are a fashion photographer’s playground. You’re likely to spot models, celebrities, and other slaves to couture casually roaming the streets.
Since we’re a NYC-based site, here’s an insider tip: bring a video camera on the N train between DeKalb Ave and Canal Street. Or, just check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxEiGg2ZThQ
Paris, France
The lights, the roundabouts, the architecture, the art! Paris is the place photographers go when they’re in love. But even if you’re all by your lonesome in the Ville d’Amour, you’ll still be able to make a photo album that’s très belle.
The Picture Everyone Takes:
The Eiffel Tower: Side view, long-distance, from below, or from the top, with or without its nightly light show, it’s all been done before.
Where to Get the Latest Shot:
Montmartre/Sacre Coeur: The tiny artists’ neighborhood is crawling with adorable photo ops of tourists getting their portraits drawn and quaint outdoor cafes. Afterwards, hike up to the old church for astonishing views of the city.
A Shutterbug’s Dream:
For winding medieval streets that contain the loudly French “hotels particuliers”, townhouses that have some of the highest property values in Paris, head to Luxembourg, the 6th arrondissement. It’s also home to the largest public park in the city, as well as trendy restaurants, bars, and fashion houses where there’s sure to be ample opportunity for swanky street photography.
Berlin, Germany
Its rocky past makes Berlin one of the most fascinating cities to visit with a camera. But with a population that can party like no other, it’s also a city that has a uniquely strange and wonderful contradiction of being simultaneously drenched in history and ultra-modern.
The Picture Everyone Takes:
The Brandenburg Gate: It’s Berlin’s most famous symbol, and with actors dressed as Allied soldiers standing along the gate, you can bet there are hounds of tourists day and night waiting for their turn to pose.
Where to Get the Latest Shot:
Tacheles: After the Berlin Wall fell, this former department store was taken over by artists and activists where they still live and work today under threat of eviction. It’s like the German version of Occupy Wall Street!
A Shutterbug’s Dream:
Nikolaiviertel is the reconstructed medieval quarter in the heart of the city. You don’t know “traditional” until you’ve had a mug of Pilsner at an old German bar.
London, England
Grab your mates for a bloody good holiday in the foggiest city in Europe! But watch out for the nosh, it’s a bit dodgy.
The Picture Everyone Takes:
Big Ben: For whatever reason, there’s something really interesting about that darn clock.
Where to Get the Latest Shot:
St. James’s Park: Swans and other fowl roam the banks of a sleepy lake as leaves and flowers drift past. In other words, this is just about as charming as it gets.
A Shutterbug’s Dream:
On Portobello Road, you’ll find unique knick-knacks and even more unique people. Spend the day roaming the long, hilly street, keeping your finger on the shutter-release the whole time.
Barcelona, Spain
Sorry- your two years of high school Spanish won’t help you in this historic European destination. But Barcelona, a Catalan-speaking city, with its medieval roots, “Modernist” architecture, and sultry flamenco dancing is certainly a site worth stopping by.
The Picture Everyone Takes:
La Rambla: Just about every Spanish traveler has a snapshot (or twelve) of the most famous pedestrian-only street in the city.
Where to Get the Latest Shot:
Barceloneta Beach: Here, you’ll see sand-artists, eat great seafood, and hear Spanish drums beating in the background.
A Shutterbug’s Dream:
Centered around a cathedral built in 1298, the Old City, or Barri Gòtic in Catalan, holds remnants dating back to the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Walk along the labyrinthine streets of this neighborhood that both Picasso and Miro used to call home.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Known as one of Europe’s most photogenic cities, Amsterdam is less of a giggle-inducing hotbed of illicit drugs and prostitution than a historic maritime commercial center where the Golden Age of the 17th century lives on.
The Picture Everyone Takes:
Keizersgracht Canal: To save money on postcards, just head here and snap a few shots of the charming bridge flanked by adorable townhouses. Better yet, go at night when the arches by the water light up.
Where to Get the Latest Shot:
Vondelpark: The most popular park in Amsterdam, Vondelpark houses a film museum, an open air theater, playgrounds, and of course plenty of bike paths. And when you’re tired of carrying around your camera, relax at one of the area’s five bars and restaurants.
A Shutterbug’s Dream:
For excellent people-watching, galleries, boutiques, and cafes, take a bike to the Nine Streets (or de 9 Straatjes, for the purists) a neighborhood of narrow roads that link the western ring of canals around the city.
Florence, Italy
Party with the Medicis or the cast of Jersey Shore- either way, this real-life Renaissance fair pleases everyone: the history buff, the art nerd and the wine enthusiast.
The Picture Everyone Takes:
The Duomo: Like the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, this Gothic cathedral is the most recognizable symbol of the city, which also makes it the most likely Christmas card background of every tourist family.
Where to Get the Latest Shot:
The Arno River: Yeah, it sounds cheesy, but consider yourself dared to take a boat tour along the banks of Florence. You’ll pass by some of the oldest buildings in the city and sail under gorgeous bridges.
A Shutterbug’s Dream:
Thanks to a massive restoration in 2009, the Piazza Santa Maria Novella is now a large pedestrian-only square filled with shops, restaurants and palaces flanking the perimeter.
San Francisco, California
Leave that yuppie corporate lifestyle behind; put some flowers in your hair and head west to the city that’s cool all year round.
The Picture Everyone Takes:
The Golden Gate Bridge: Instead of snapping just another shot of this very large, very red bridge just like everyone else, take a picture of the city from the bridge.
Where to Get the Latest Shot:
The Ferry Building: Not only an impressive architectural feat, the Ferry Building houses a farmer’s market, tons of restaurants and a shopping center.
A Shutterbug’s Dream:
Relive the Summer of Love in Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco’s most well-known and beloved neighborhood. Yeah, it’s been completely transformed by gentrification, but you can bet you’ll get some pretty entertaining shots.
Beijing
The success of the 2008 Summer Olympics has turned Beijing into a new hotspot for tourists worldwide. Recent renovations have only added to the city’s thousands-year-old history.
The Picture Everyone Takes:
The Great Wall of China: Even though it’s not actually in Beijing, most travelers deem the historic structure worthy of a visit.
Where to Get the Latest Shot:
Confucius Temple: The eight hundred year old temple is combined with the Imperial Academy and includes a cemetery of stone tablets, a shrine to Confucius and a lecture hall where students could listen to the Emperor’s speeches.
A Shutterbug’s Dream:
Liulichang, the famous district in downtown Beijing, is known for its traditional Chinese stone houses that sell antiques and folk art. As you barter with the locals, don’t forget to keep a photo journal of the quaint crafts and adorable teahouses you come across.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
It doesn’t get much better than Rio: tropical temperatures, delicious food, and devastatingly attractive subjects for your street photography collection.
The Picture Everyone Takes:
Christ the Redeemer: According to many a cheesy movie montage, Christ the Redeemer is the only landmark in Rio worth filming.
Where to Get the Latest Shot:
Jardim Botânico: This 350-acre park has over 6,000 species of tropical plants and trees. Spend the day enjoying the tranquility of the enormous green space, and don’t worry about getting lost in its meandering pathways- you’ll love every minute of it.
A Shutterbug’s Dream:
The neighborhood of Ipanema in the south of Rio is home to a swanky beach, surfers, bossa nova music, and amazing sunrises. It’s also been listed as the “sexiest beach in the world”, which doesn’t hurt, either.