Street Photography in Tampa

7th Avenue, La Septima, is the main street of Ybor City, the historic Latin Quarter built around cigar factories. Brick buildings with iron balconies line the street, and it is Tampa's best street for people day and night. By day you get cafes and cigar shops with people rolling and smoking outside. At night the bars and clubs fill, and the street gets loud, especially on weekends. For daytime work, stand under the balconies and use the arches and columns as frames. At night, use the neon and shop light on faces. The TECO streetcar, which Visit Tampa Bay says is free, runs from downtown and stops nearby.

Centennial Park is a small square at 8th Avenue and 18th Street, and it is the usual hangout of the Ybor City chickens. Visit Tampa Bay calls them Ybor's most historic residents, roaming free across the Latin Quarter and protected by a local ordinance. They make an odd, very Tampa subject: a rooster crossing the street in front of a brick facade, or strutting past someone on a bench. Mornings are best, when the birds are active and the light is low. Keep your distance, as Visit Tampa Bay asks. The streetcar stop by the park makes it an easy start for an Ybor walk.

The Tampa Riverwalk is a 2.6-mile pedestrian path along the Hillsborough River through downtown, and Visit Tampa Bay says it is hard to find a bad spot on it. It links parks and museums, and it is where downtown goes for a walk or a run. Evenings are best, when the heat drops and people come out. The minarets of the University of Tampa across the river and the downtown towers give strong backgrounds. Shoot joggers and cyclists passing the rail with the river behind, or silhouettes at sunset. Events and festivals often take over the parks along the path, so check listings.

Armature Works is a restored brick streetcar warehouse in Tampa Heights, now a public market full of food and drink, with open views of the Hillsborough River. Visit Tampa Bay describes an industrial and modern feel. It is busiest on weekend evenings, when people fill the lawn and the terraces. The big windows and industrial beams frame people inside, and the lawn outside at sunset gives silhouettes against the river. It sits at the north end of the Riverwalk, so it links well with a walk. It is private property, so security can set rules on cameras. Keep it casual and ask before close portraits.

Sparkman Wharf is an outdoor waterfront food hall in the Channel District, with a dining garden, a biergarten and a lawn, according to Visit Tampa Bay. It is lively at lunch and in the evening, and fills up before events at the nearby arena. People eating and talking at long tables give you candid moments, and the water behind adds context. Late afternoon light comes low across the lawn. It is privately managed, so follow any rules on photography. It is a short walk from the Riverwalk and downtown.

Bayshore Boulevard runs along Hillsborough Bay south of downtown, and Visit Tampa Bay describes its 4.5-mile path as the world's longest continuous sidewalk, with the bay on one side and grand homes on the other. It is Tampa's running track: joggers, walkers, cyclists and rollerbladers from dawn. Visit Tampa Bay recommends sunrise or sunset. At sunrise, the sun comes up over the bay, so you can silhouette runners against the sky. A longer lens helps compress the long line of the balustrade. Bayshore is also the route of the Gasparilla parade, usually in late January, when it is packed.

Hyde Park Village is an outdoor shopping neighbourhood in South Tampa, six blocks of restaurants and shops according to Visit Tampa Bay, with murals, fountains and coffee shops. It is where South Tampa strolls and walks its dogs, and weekend mornings are busiest. The pace is slow, so you can wait for moments: a dog pulling its owner past a mural, or friends at an outdoor table. Midday is harsh, so come in the morning or late afternoon. It is privately managed, so keep your setup small and follow any instructions from staff. Bayshore Boulevard is a few minutes away.

The Tampa Theatre is a movie palace that opened in 1926 on Franklin Street downtown, and Visit Tampa Bay points to its famous sign as a photo spot. After dark, the lit marquee and vertical sign are the best light on the street. Stand across Franklin Street and wait for people walking under the marquee, or for a crowd leaving a show. By day, downtown can be quiet, so evenings are the time. Inside is a ticketed venue with its own rules. Pair it with the Riverwalk, a few blocks west, for a downtown evening.