Last Updated on 05/08/2019 by Mark Beckenbach
All photos by Oscar Lopez. Used with Creative Commons permission.
Much of the exemplary architectural photography we’ve seen is done in the style of minimalist and contrasty monochrome, with an emphasis on urban geometry. In his Waterfront Cityscapes series, however, Germany-based Oscar Lopez shows us a more calming take on the tried and tested style by combining long exposures and punchy black and white imagery. If you’re looking for more ideas and inspiration for your next shoot around a harbor city, this body of work makes a great study.
As we’ve previously seen in sets like those by Fabio Giachetti, Pygmalion Karatzas, Taylor Luo, and Daniel Garay Arango (to name a few), contrasty black and white with an almost digital art quality has been a popular look for architectural photography. Apart from the ultra-modern and sometimes even futuristic vibe going, it also allows the textures, shapes, and patterns stand out more in all their crisp details. These are easily evident in Waterfront Cityscapes as well.
We can also see a showcase of urban geometry in Lopez’s series, even if he presents a more zoomed out view of London and Hamburg compared to the more detail-centric sets we’ve previously featured. But that especially works once you realize it’s a stunning waterfront portrait of the city, as the set’s title suggests. The crisp and striking details stand in contrast to the stillness of the sky above and the water below, creating a fine balance throughout the frame. Waterfront Cityscapes is definitely a unique take on depicting two of the world’s most popular and photogenic cities. So if your next destination is a charming harbor city, you might want to take some notes from this stunning series!
Don’t forget to check out Oscar Lopez’s Behance portfolio to see more of his architectural photography if you want to see more futuristic urban geometry.