American Cityscape Panoramas

by: Michael O'Brien

Through the ages, the architecture of cities has been a popular subject of artists. Watercolor, ink and charcoal drawings and oil paintings of great cities have long been valued among collectors.

Artists would often create panoramic images that encompassed the breadth of what the artist saw. Demand for these wide view angle art works was very strong.

The advent of photography in the early eighteen hundreds gave artists a new medium. Great cities around the world have since been extensively photographed sometimes in detail. Distinctive buildings and public structures such as fountains and bridges are well documented in photographic works. The art of creating panoramas was adapted to this new technology and photographers took full advantage of this popular genre.

Because of the limitations of available light, early cityscape panoramas were virtually all of daylight settings. The invention of the electric light bulb provided photographers with entirely new opportunities. As cities and towns became electrified, public street lighting completely change how people looked at the urban landscape. Combined with constant innovations in photographic technologies, the art and science of capturing nighttime cityscape panoramas advanced as never before.

Modern cities across the globe each have unique architectural features and lighting becomes a very important component to creating panoramic cityscapes. Cityscapes have quickly become the most popular genre of panoramic print.

When shopping online for a cityscape panorama, consumers can find images of major cities along with smaller cities that offer unique architectural features. Some of the best known cityscapes include cities like San Francisco, which is known the world over for the Golden Gate Bridge. While the Golden Gate is the most recognizable feature of this great city, the city offers other edifices unique to the skyline.

The Transamerica Pyramid is thought by some to be more recognizable than the Empire State Building. Against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay, images of this great city have long been a popular subject for artists, photographers and collectors of cityscape panoramas.

Another very recognizable skyline and popular cityscape can be found in the great city of Chicago. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Chicago skyline offers a diverse collection of architectural styles, anchored by the world famous Sears Tower. Panoramic views taken from the lake can include views of Lake Shore Drive, waterfront marinas and Navy Pier. Many panoramas of this vibrant city are backlit by a setting sun, with Lake Michigan providing a mirror like reverse image of the skyline.

With its distinctive palm trees and bright neon lighting, skyline panoramas of Miami Beach reflect the vibrancy of a city that never seems to sleep. The Art Deco motif of much of the South Beach area is at once ultra modern and at the same time harkens back to nineteen forties and fifties.

Moving up the East Coast of the United States, the great city of New York has one of the most recognizable skylines in the world. Unique structures such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building are known world wide. The Art Deco splendor of the Chrysler Building stands among other skyscrapers as the tallest brick building of its type in the world. From the vitality of the Manhattan skyline to the strength of the many bridges that connect the boroughs of the city, cityscape panoramas of New York City offer photographers an endless supply of unique images.

These are just a few of the dozens of American cities that have become the subject of cityscape panoramas. From Denver and Houston to Los Angeles and New Orleans, your favorite cityscape panorama can be found on many quality websites.

About the Author

Michael O'Brien is a writer for many popular websites.