Alamy: 'London is the world's most photographed city'

   © Pawel Libera Images / Alamy
 

World’s largest independent stock photo site highlights the top 10 most photographed cities.

As London continues to welcome this year’s influx of summer holidaymakers, the city has come top in a list of the world’s most photographed. So, if you are one of the 27 million [1] people planning to visit London in 2011, then don’t forget to pack your camera – it seems you’ll be in good company.

Independent stock photo agency, Alamy (www.alamy.com), has the largest collection of stock images online. Here, the company provides its list of the world’s most photographed cities.

1. London – currently 804,468 images on the Alamy website. The world’s most photographed city has almost double the amount of images of New York. London has everything to offer, from historical monuments to beautiful parks, museums, restaurants and clubs. And, we can’t ignore the hype that now surrounds the city in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games.

2. New York – currently 416,048 images on the Alamy website. The city that never sleeps is the most popular place to be photographed in the United States. We’d expect to see this at the top of the list, with famous monuments including: The Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Brooklyn Bridge (all of which featured in Alamy’s top 10 list of the world’s most photographed monuments).

3. Los Angeles – currently 302,732 images on the Alamy website. With a population of over three million – it is the most populous city in California, and the second biggest in the United States. Over 46 million overnight visitors [2] go to LA and the Orange Counties each year, visiting attractions including: Disney Land, Venice Beach and Universal Studios.

4. Paris – currently 207,558 images on the Alamy website. The Eiffel Tower recently came top of the list as the world’s most photographed monument, yet Paris only appears fourth on the list here. It seems tourists are fixated with the Eiffel Tower, but are perhaps not as ‘wowed’ by the city.

5. Berlin – currently 116,531 images on the Alamy website. The capital of Germany and the country’s most populated city. Famous monuments to snap include: The Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie and The Berlin Wall. East meets West in Berlin, making it a visually diverse city.

6. Rome – currently 107,078 images on the Alamy website. Italy’s capital and most populated city. Rome’s famous historical monuments include: The Colosseum and The Vatican.

7. Miami - currently 72,831 images on the Alamy website. This is perhaps a bit of a surprise, but those who have visited with a camera will tell you there's something to shoot on every street corner, from the beach to diverse architecture, everyday life to a spot of ‘how the other half live’.

8. Barcelona – currently 69,581 images on the Alamy website. Spain’s second largest city, and well known in recent times for hosting the 1992 Olympic Games. Its distinctive Gaudi architecture also remains popular with photographers because it’s so unique.

9. Tokyo - currently 66,477 images on the Alamy website. As the world’s most populous metropolis, and Japan’s capital, it is hardly surprising this city appears in the top

10. Hong Kong - currently 62,441 images on the Alamy website. The city’s striking contemporary architecture and extraordinary skyline are sure to be the main reasons why this city makes it onto the list.
Commenting on the top ten most photographed cities, Alan Capel, head of content at Alamy, said: “I suspect the order of the first five cities is heavily influenced by a strong mix of both tourism and business. The latter five provide a strong mix of cultural, historical and visual intrigue. For example shooting Tokyo and Hong Kong at night can give stimulating and powerful results.

“London clearly has universal appeal with the largest number of photographs by far. And, I would anticipate its lead to increase further in the run up to and during 2012 with an influx of tourists and sports fans and new infrastructure and buildings to photograph.

“Cities offer a rich mix of cultures, colours and styles – and a good photograph can provide real insight into their life and soul.”

[1] http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_tourists_visit_London_per_year
[2] http://golosangeles.about.com/od/thingstodoinlosangeles/tp/Top-Things-to...