Friday, August 15, 2014

Searching Chinatown for an Urban Street Scene

Yesterday I headed over to the Chinatown district in Oakland, California. I took my camera along, in the hopes of finding Item #6 for the 2014 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt - an urban street scene. I found myself drawn to shots which included people. I like how the folks above all seem to be marching along.
It's a little hard to see the details in these two unless you click on them and enlarge them. But I really like how they capture so much of what's going on in the city. And I took a couple without people.
I like the juxtaposition of the buildings, cars and umbrellas, as well as the variation in the graffiti and fonts on the signs.
This one's a little clever - it's a mural of an urban street scene. I almost included this mural from yesterday in today's post because it is an interesting urban street scene. 
Finally, I snapped this one on my way into the subway. I love it, but I'm not sure it's a street scene.
All in all, it was a fun day, and I'm so glad I brought my camera along. Just before posting, this article about creating urban landscapes and street images popped up in my feedly reader. It made me rethink my image selection a little bit, but I'm going with these anyway. I'd be interested to hear which of these images is your favorite and why. I'm also going to post two more images tomorrow which are kindof nontraditional takes on the idea of an urban street scene. I hope you come back and check them out. 

11 comments:

  1. I love all the colour of the signs but the stairs really pull me in

    ReplyDelete
  2. Definitely the one with the brollies! It's so unprepossessing, grungy even, with the graffiti and the crates on the street, and none of the architecture matches. However as a whole, it has neatness. Really like the composition with the Chinese roof in the foreground, the uniformity of the newbuild in the background, and the cars all lined up the same way, leading the eye. Finally the people, even though they are not the main subject, give the scene life, together with the sunlight bouncing off the yellow umbrellas. Oops, that's a bit long (you did ask!)

    Love the steps too, but like you not sure they're quite right for this prompt.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a plethora of signs not in English!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great photos. I still have a problem with the bus, and the welcome sign, but I do have the two alternatives if I am stuck. I am not happy with the picture I have of public gardens, will have to look further afield! Other than that I am there I think. Have a good weekend Diane

    ReplyDelete
  5. These are great Rinda! I like the one with the cars & the umbrellas the best, but I think they all work for an urban street scene (except the subway entrance). The article you linked to had some great points - Robbie is often likely to take those types of photos. I still need to capture my urban street scene - maybe a trip into Dallas next week will be a FUN outing!

    ReplyDelete
  6. My favorite is the first one, but the fourth one might be more typical of an urban street scene. I haven't gone to the link yet; headed there now.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a great selection Rinda..I too love the one with the the umbrellas...also love the garden one in your latest post!
    Alison xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a great selection Rinda. I particularly like the one with the tree in it - sometimes it's unusual to find a tree on a city street.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love the subway one - brilliant photo :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. The first one is my favorite! I love the signs and the business of it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. your challenge really does make you look at things differently. I took a few photos of Urban street scenes and chose one that isn't a close up of the street. Your photos are very atmospheric x

    ReplyDelete