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Fri, Nov 22, 2024 | Jumada al-Awwal 20, 1446 | DXB
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Dubai has most popular, photogenic skyline in the world
The city has the highest average number of likes per photo on Instagram
Dubai has the most popular skyline on Instagram, making it the most photogenic in the world with the highest average number of likes per photo, according to a study by the UK-based firm TonerGiant.
Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road’s skyline is dotted with a number of superlatives, including the tallest building Burj Khalifa and the tallest hotel Gevora.
According to Skyscraper Centre data, Dubai is home to 28 towers of 300-metre plus height, ranking the emirate first in the world. Dubai is followed by Shenzhen and New York with 15 buildings in each city and Guangzhou at 10.
When it comes to skyscrapers with 200-metre-plus heights, Dubai is ranked second after Shenzhen with 107 tall structures.
“Looking at cities worldwide, we found that images with the hashtag #Dubaiskyline had the highest average number of likes per photo. Berlin came in second place (297 likes) and Miami in third (273 likes),” TonerGiant expert said.
Recently, TikTok Travel Index 2022 released by Bounce also ranked Dubai as the most-viewed destination on the popular social media platform by far with views for videos featuring the hashtag 'Dubai' totalling over 81.8 billion.
Below is the list of 10 cities with the most popular skylines:
1. Dubai – 362 likes on average per photo
2. Berlin – 297 likes on average per photo
Photo: Reuters
3. Miami – 273 likes on average per photo
Photo: Reuters
4. Rome – 194 likes on average per photo
Photo: Reuters
5. Milan – 194 likes on average per photo
Photo: Reuters
6. Athens – 135 likes on average per photo
Photo: Reuters
7. New York – 125 likes on average per photo
Photo: Reuters
8. Prague – 124 likes on average per photo
Photo: Reuters
9. Strasbourg – 121 likes on average per photo
Photo: AP
10. Vienna – 120 likes on average per photo
Photo: AFP
The study used the hashtag logic of city name plus skyline for each city. It analysed a sample of between 50 to 100 photos for each hashtag. The analysis focused on Instagram accounts with a minimum of 150 followers. The final sample came to more than 7,500 photos.
Tips: How to take incredible skyline photos
TonerGiant’s experts have shared tips to take incredible skyline photos that will work with a smartphone too.
1. Find the best place to take your photo
Where you position yourself for a panorama of a city is crucial. Try to be at a height to take your photos to get a full view of the city. Some buildings have specific viewing platforms to take photos but they can often be busy with tourists. Another solution is sometimes to leave the city and find a nearby hill to take your photo.
The cities that often photograph the best have water around them. Having the reflection of the city in your photo will make the image more dynamic and picturesque. It will make it look more impressive and reduce the distractions in the background of the photo.
2. Wait for a special time in the day
While the golden hour is the best time to take photos of people, the blue hour is the best to photograph the landscape of a city. It is the time between sunset and complete night that usually lasts a bit less than an hour. It's a perfect time for capturing city lights, offering a mix of daylight and darkness.
To take the most spectacular skyline photos, try to take your shot at the extremities of the day so around dawn or dusk. It will incorporate some incredible colours in your photos.
3. Include a famous landmark
The best photos of cities are the ones that are instantly recognisable. You would recognise Paris from one look at the Eiffel Tower or New York with the Empire State Building and this is usually what people scrolling down on social media will recognise and what will encourage them to interact.
4. Use a wide-angle lens
Even without a professional camera, you can now have access to wide-angle options.
All the latest versions of iPhone models have a wide-angle lens by default. The devices with 2 lenses also have an ultra-wide-angle lens, so you can capture a larger image in a single photo or video. For Samsung phones, a wide-angle camera is available on Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, Z Flip, Note10, Note10+, Fold, S10e, S10, S10+, Fold, Note9 and S9+. Some even have ultra-wide cameras.
5. Keep your back to the sun
When dealing with geometric shapes, like buildings, you have to take the direction of the sun into consideration. Make sure that you always keep your back to the sun when taking your photo. The sun's path will change throughout the day and taking a picture into the sun will result in buildings appearing dark and featureless.
-waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com
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Waheed Abbas
Waheed Abbas is Assistant Editor, covering real estate, aviation and other business stories that directly affect the lives of UAE consumers. He frequently reports human interest stories, too.
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