Street photography in Prague
I was fortunate to spend a little time in Prague a few weeks ago. Although it's not too far from Budapest (a 5-hour drive), I've never been there. Saw a plethora of photographs, and I could tell that the city must be great for street photography. And honestly, it is more than great!
Living in Budapest means that I'm used to seeing great, old architecture, but Prague is just stunning. It's like travelling back in time, or if the weather is moody, being in a period piece film.
The weather forecast
I saw the forecast was not that great, but as I only had this opportunity to go there, I thought, let's try it. I'm not that great in grey weather, but after a few hours, I started not only to accept it and try to use it to my advantage, but I was also happy that the sky was not blue, everything was a bit moody (except the people). I think this greyish weather is amazing in black & white. I saw the sun for a few minutes during my stay. And as much as I have grown to love this type of weather in photography, I think this city must be amazing when the sun is out.
Attitude towards photography
Usually, I experience that the people there aren't afraid of the camera. Of course, it is very touristy, but still, they seemed much more forgiving than people in Hungary, for example. I had only maybe one or two strange looks; most weren't bothered by the camera or me getting closer with the camera. If something makes it harder, they are so polite that many times the subjects I wanted in my frame waited patiently for me to take a picture, of course, next to me, to not disturb me. I had several occasions when the perfect subject appeared near my frame line, in a great dress, perfectly suited for the scene, and in the next moment, they would jump next to me, apologising for ruining my photograph.
Places
Every city, town has multiple great places for photography. But some are harder to photograph than others. But Prague is amazingly photogenic. I honestly think I could spend a few weeks there without any boredom. Even walking 20,000-30,000 steps revealed places I'd like to visit but couldn't because of a lack of time. But don't worry, even if you just scratch the surface and go to the well-known places, you'll have ample opportunity to get great shots. Depending on your style of photography, you have to choose the time of day properly. If you'd like to get only a few people in your shots, then go very early to otherwise touristy places. Otherwise, foot traffic will be so high you won't have the chance of an empty architecture shot, or just having a few people in those shots.
The verdict
In my opinion, Prague is an excellent choice for street photographers. Small enough so you can navigate in the city, and most places are easily reachable by walking. If you plan to switch places rapidly, public transport is cheap and great. You can use the tram system, but the metro lines can bring you anywhere fast. This is a city where one could easily spend weeks without a boring day. Food is great, the architecture is stunning, and the city has a very welcoming vibe, which I love. Prague is highly recommended.
