Cities and towns have their own character and feel. People who have lived in them for many years are well attuned to the atmosphere even if they are unable to put it in to words. It is just the something that makes the city unique for particular reasons. Some cities feel overbearing and cold whereas others feel energetic, exciting and welcoming. It can be something quite simple like the way the light falls on the street cafes or how traditional building have been preserved, or it may be the attitude of the people or something more complex and difficult to define. This is spirit of place.

Photographers must be in tune as far as possible with spirit of place. They must feel the city as well as see it and hear it. Once the spirit of a place is felt, try to introduce the feeling into images. It isn't easy, but viewers should be able to sense the very essence of the place from the best images. They should be left in no doubt about why the city is different to all others in some respect - why it is unique and how it feels to be there.

The feeling of a place can be conveyed through detail captured close up. It can also be captured in images of the grand buildings and monuments, or even through juxtapositions of the grand with the mundane. The photographer should see the good with the bad - every city in the world has its magnificent structures and its problems. However, he or she should also see a city in their own way and not be afraid to express personal opinions whether positive or negative in nature. If you like a city try to indicate to the viewer the basis for your satisfaction and pleasure. If you find the environment unpleasant, try to include in images some symbols of your displeasure.