by Lucius Felimus | September 25, 2020

In the previous part of the tutorial, we discussed about the elements that establish a cyberpunk world and which subjects to look for in the city. Once we have those down, it's time to enhance the look and feel of our pictures by including elements that are commonly associated with the cyberpunk city aesthetic.

This is what you mostly see in those pretty neon city pictures on Instagram and elsewhere. Or if you're a cyberpunk photographer yourself, chances are, you're already going for these in your photos.

Neon lights are perhaps one of the first things that come to mind when it comes to cyberpunk. Although, as I've said before, cyberpunk is really more than just the neon, it's probably the single most recognizable aesthetic element of the genre. It's perhaps one of the biggest reasons why people are drawn to it in the first place.

Although nobody uses real neon anymore in favor of the far more efficient LEDs, they still look cool and stylistically appropriate for a cyberpunk-looking photo. In fact, some LED installations look very similar to old neon lights and that's why people (myself included) often refer to them that way. It's not just limited to neon either - you can use still other types of lighting as well, such as fluorescent tubes, halogen lamps, and even sodium lamps.

One of the things you'll notice first in cyberpunk environments is the futuristic sci-fi buildings. If you can find some ultra-modern or futuristic-looking buildings in your city, it's good to include them in your pictures to invoke that high-tech futuristic feel. Sometimes, the buildings and urban elements are arranged in a chaotic manner that makes the city feel like a convoluted concrete jungle. If you can find spots like these in your city, they can make for some really nice subjects.

It's not limited to the sci-fi architecture either - even old buildings and architectural styles can also be part of cyberpunk. You can use this to frame juxtapositions of old and new, like I mentioned in the previous part of the tutorial. At first I avoided going to places with traditional architecture, but once I passed by Intramuros (a centuries-old Spanish town in Manila), my mind was changed after seeing some elements there that can fit in my cyberpunk worldbuilding narrative. 

Speaking of old poorly-maintained buildings, some places that might be a good fit are the more run-down parts of the city with visible signs of urban decay. The grime, grit, and graffiti add to the dystopian noir atmosphere of urban environments. Talk about finding beauty in the ugly parts of the city!

If you look at cyberpunk city artworks and photography around the web, they often have rain, fog, or air pollution in them. Weather effects give the city another layer of a dark, dystopian mood that fits well in a cyberpunk world. They also interact with artificial lights (or the sky during daytime) in such interesting ways that produces some beautiful visual effects.

Rain is often thought to be an agent of gloom that evokes a certain depressing, dreary atmosphere upon the city - the colored, tainted raindrops falling from the sky, washing the weary faces of people going by. Fog and haze add an air of mystery and uncertainty to the overall mood - clouding our vision of the bleak present day and the dark future to come.

Keep in mind that this is more of a supplementary guide than anything - it's not about the core ethos of cyberpunk (we already covered that in the previous parts), but an aesthetic and styling guide that only adds an additional layer of immersion in a cyberpunk world. It's important that you also read Part I of this guide to get an overview of cyberpunk worldbuilding elements:

Part I: Worldbuilding Elements

As always, I'm always looking for feedback from other fellow photographers and cyberpunk enthusiasts, or suggestions on how to improve this guide. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below, or contact me through any of my social media accounts.