Street Photography in Vienna

Stephansplatz is the center of the 1st district, under the Gothic cathedral, where the Graben and Kärntner Straße shopping streets meet. Street Photography Berlin lists jugglers, musicians, business people, tourists and locals, busy by day and night. Tanzi suggests early morning for the empty Graben, or daytime crowds for street work, with a 35mm prime. Stand by the edge of the square and use the cathedral's patterned roof or dark doorway as a background for walkers. Pickpockets work the crowds here, so keep your bag closed.

Outside the State Opera, sellers dressed as Mozart pitch concert tickets to visitors. It is a busy transit hub where metro and trams meet, so people cross rather than stay. Next to the opera, an underground passage leads to the U-Bahn and on to Karlsplatz. The passage gives you strong artificial light and people stepping onto escalators. On the surface, the Karlskirche is a golden hour favorite. The costumed sellers are working, so if you want a portrait, expect a sales pitch. The passage can feel rough late at night.

The Naschmarkt is a long open air market with narrow aisles for pedestrians and stalls on both sides: olives, fruit, cheese, spices and tea. Street Photography Berlin calls it an Eldorado, with a very mixed crowd. On Saturdays, a flea market sets up at the Kettenbrückengasse end, which adds sellers of old cameras, records and junk. Come early on Saturday for both. The market is closed on Sundays. Frame a vendor between stacks of produce, or shoot along an aisle for layers. Many stallholders dislike being photographed without buying, so ask first for close shots.

The MuseumsQuartier is one of the largest museum districts in the world, built around a large courtyard. In warm months, the courtyard fills with big lounge furniture where students and office workers sit, talk and drink. It is a good place to practice because people stay put. Tanzi suggests blue hour here. Stand at the edge and shoot groups against the museum walls, or wait for a single figure crossing the open space. Midday light is harsh and flat, so come in the evening.

Neubau, the 7th district, sits just behind the MuseumsQuartier and is Vienna's creative neighborhood. Tanzi recommends it for late afternoon street shots and evening walks, with indie boutiques and plenty of street life. Siebensterngasse has trams, cafés and small shops. Look for murals and café signs as backgrounds, and for shop windows that reflect the street. The side streets toward Spittelberg have old houses and restaurant terraces. The mood is relaxed, but people sit close to each other here, so stay polite.

The Danube Canal runs along the north edge of the old center. Near Schwedenplatz, the banks are covered in graffiti and lined with summer bars, and Tanzi recommends the canal walk for street art. On warm evenings the promenade fills with people sitting on the walls, cyclists and joggers. Use the painted walls as backgrounds for passers by. Try shooting from the bridges down onto the path to show the canal, the art and the crowd together. Watch for fast cyclists on the path.

The Wurstelprater is Vienna's old amusement park around the Giant Ferris Wheel. Street Photography Berlin suggests children and adults on the rides, light and shadow, and people in fright and ecstasy. Rides spin close to the fences, so you can get faces mid scream with a fast shutter. At night the colored lights make good backgrounds. I'd come late afternoon and stay into the evening. Families are here, so be careful with photos of children, especially when posting.

The Danube Island is a long, narrow artificial island along the New Danube, built for flood protection and used by Viennese for recreation. Street Photography Berlin notes it is busiest around the Donauinsel U1 stop and quieter further away. In summer you get swimmers, cyclists, barbecues and groups on the grass. Parts of the island have nudist areas, so keep your camera down there. Shoot wide in the open light and look for silhouettes against the water. The Donauinselfest, a free outdoor festival, is usually held in June.