Street Photography in Glasgow

Buchanan Street is the main pedestrian shopping street, running downhill from the subway station toward the river. With no traffic, the whole width fills with people, and buskers set up along it. The slope helps: stand near the top and shoot down with a longer lens to stack walkers against the stone facades. On wet days, look for umbrellas and reflections in the paving. Late afternoon is the busiest time. Keep your camera strap on in the crowds, and step aside before you stop to shoot so you don't block the flow.

Royal Exchange Square wraps around the Gallery of Modern Art, with the Duke of Wellington statue out front, usually wearing a traffic cone. Jim Nix calls the gallery building his favourite place to shoot in Glasgow and says the square is at its best at night, right after the rain stops. The wet stone reflects the lights of the surrounding bars and shops. Frame people passing the statue, or crouch low to catch a reflection with a figure in it. Watch your footing on the slick paving, and keep lens cloths handy for drizzle.

The City Centre Mural Trail links dozens of large commissioned murals, and Mitchell Lane beside The Lighthouse holds two of the best known. The Wandering Lens suggests waiting beside Smug's giant painted woman until someone walks past, so she appears to pick them up. That is a good model for the whole trail: find a wall, then wait for the right person. The lane is narrow, so a 28mm or wider helps. Light is flat and shaded most of the day. Some murals sit in quiet lanes and underpasses, so be aware of who is around.

The Hielanman's Umbrella is the glass-walled railway bridge that carries Central Station's platforms over Argyle Street. According to its history, Highlanders who moved to Glasgow in the 19th century met under it to trade news, sheltering from the rain. Today it is a dark, busy underpass between two bright ends. Stand inside and expose for the street beyond, so people walking into the light turn into silhouettes. Buses and crowds pass all day. The pavement is narrow, so shoot from the edge and avoid blocking shop entrances.

George Square is the city's main civic space, with the City Chambers along the east side. Jim Nix calls it a classic European square. It hosts events and demonstrations, so check what is on before you go. On an ordinary day it is open and busy with people crossing between Queen Street Station and the shopping streets. That openness suits layered shots across the square with the Chambers behind. Midday light is flat on grey days, which is fine for faces. At demonstrations, respect anyone who signals they don't want to be photographed.

The Barras is the East End market on the Gallowgate, open Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 16:00. Stalls sell vintage clothing and bric-a-brac, and the traders are as much a part of it as the goods. It is the least polished spot on this list and the best for everyday faces. Arrive near opening for traders setting up. Work at stall height with a 35mm and look for hands counting change and handwritten signs. Ask before close portraits of stallholders, and buy something if you spend time at one stall.

Glasgow Cathedral is the city's oldest building, and the Necropolis is the Victorian cemetery on the hill behind it. The Wandering Lens uses the top of the Necropolis as a viewpoint over the city. For street work, this is a place for quieter frames: lone walkers among the monuments, silhouettes against the skyline at sunset. The paths are steep and slippery in rain. Visitors come to tend graves, so be discreet and don't photograph mourners. It is about a 20 minute walk from the centre, as Jim Nix notes.

Ashton Lane is a cobbled West End lane of bars and restaurants near the University, strung with fairy lights overhead. The Wandering Lens recommends it for evening photographs. After dark the lights and warm windows give you enough light for handheld shots at higher ISO. Stand at one end and shoot down the lane with the lights as a canopy, or work the doorways as people step out. It gets lively late on weekends. Take the subway to Hillhead, a few minutes' walk away.