Street Photography in Bogota

Carrera Séptima runs north through the center from La Candelaria and is pedestrian for a long stretch. Walker walked it daily: street vendors, performers, office workers and crowds, and in his view one of the safest streets to walk in the city. Sunday is best, when sections close to traffic for the Ciclovía and families come out. Stand near a street performer and shoot the faces in the circle around them, or stack walkers along the street with a longer lens. Keep the camera strapped on in the crowds.

Chorro de Quevedo is a small square in La Candelaria, the colonial old town, said to be where the city was founded. It is surrounded by colorful walls and street art, and draws students and travelers in the afternoon. Walker lists it as a popular place for people watching. Laura Byrne Paquet's guide took her down the quiet cobbled lanes around it, where they shot low to the ground. Use the colored walls as backgrounds and wait for figures. The FCDO reports armed robberies in La Candelaria, so go by day and stay where people are.

Plaza de Bolívar is the main square, framed by the cathedral and Congress, with a statue of Simón Bolívar at its center. There are always people and pigeons, and it is a stage for events and protests. Walker stopped here several times a day. Morning light is best, when pigeon sellers and visitors are out and the square is not yet crowded. Get low and use a burst of pigeons as foreground. Do not photograph the guards or government buildings closely, and leave if a protest turns tense.

San Victorino is a large square west of the center surrounded by wholesale shops and street markets, with more edge and more characters than Plaza de Bolívar, in Walker's view. He noted a permanent police presence and sex workers among the shoppers. It is one of the busiest pedestrian areas in the city. Come by day and stay at the edges, where you can shoot the flow of shoppers carrying goods. Keep your camera small and your bag in front. This is not a place to linger after dark.

Paloquemao is Bogotá's big market for food and flowers, a large covered hall used by locals and restaurant buyers. Maison XXII notes that flower buying starts in the small hours and peaks early in the morning, when traders carry huge bundles of roses and lilies. Get there by 6:00 for the flower section, then walk through the fruit and meat halls. Frame a vendor behind a wall of flowers, or hands trimming stems. Buy some fruit and ask before close portraits. Take a ride app there and back.

Usaquén is an old colonial village swallowed by the city's north, with a small square and church. On Sundays it hosts a flea market that Walker found upscale but pleasant, with crafts and live music on flower lined streets. It is one of the safer places to walk with a camera. Late morning is best, when the market fills. Shoot musicians with the crowd behind, or the church square from a cafe terrace. Prices are higher than elsewhere, and the crowd leans toward visitors and wealthier families.

Parque de la 93 is a small, upscale park in Chapinero surrounded by restaurants and bars. Walker calls it one of the safest and most modern areas to walk. It suits an evening session when the rest of the city is less safe. Come at dusk, when office workers meet for drinks and restaurant lights come on. Shoot people crossing the lawn against lit terraces, or dog walkers on the paths. It is polished rather than gritty, which is exactly why it works at night.

Parque Simón Bolívar is a huge metropolitan park, larger than Central Park according to Walker, with a lake and an outdoor gym. On weekends it fills with families and joggers, and it hosts big concerts such as Rock al Parque. Come on a Sunday morning, when the Ciclovía brings cyclists nearby. Frame rowers on the lake or kids flying kites on the lawns. It is spread out, so pick one area rather than trying to cover the whole park.