Dubai: A photographer always has an eye out for the right moment, even if he or she is doing something seemingly mundane, like walking along a street. Interesting portrait opportunities, colourful street art and urban landscapes might pass us by if we are not actively on the lookout for them.

However, it’s not just about finding the right scene to capture, it takes more than that to get an unique image. According to a National Geographic report, the best way to capture city landscapes is to explore different angles. Like looking down over a view, getting high up to get an image overlooking an urban setting, or clicking from in between different elements. We tend to forget about those possibilities and often choose to click from the street level. So, don’t be afraid to move around and change positions. Another handy tip they share, is to “be on the lookout for the intersection of people and landscape”. This gives pictures focus and variety.

Our reader photographers took up the challenge, as part of March’s Facebook Picture Competition theme: Street scenes.

We posted the editor’s pick of top five images on Gulf News’ Instagram page and asked our followers to vote on the picture that they thought best captured the theme. Here, we collect the results and present the winners with the most cumulative votes.

Editor’s note: If you would like to participate, log on to Gulf News’ Facebook page and send in your submission for April’s Facebook Reader Picture Competition.

FIRST PLACE

Thulasi Krishnan took this image at Downtown Dubai and effectively combined good timing and composition to give viewers a feel of the festivities. His picture received over 1,124 votes on Instagram, granting him first place in this month’s competition.

SECOND PLACE

J. Nasara took this photograph in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, of young girls playing around a traditionally adorned, colourful rickshaw. This image received 1,086 votes on Instagram and won second place.

THIRD PLACE

Noman Zahoor took this picture of a man sitting on a bicycle outside a traditional townhouse, called Haveli Sujan Singh, in Bhabra Bazar, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He said: ‘The narrow alleyways and old structures of the bazaar make the place worth exploring.’ His picture received 1,047 votes on Instagram, placing it third in this month’s competition.

FOURTH PLACE

Muneer Ponna Valappil took this quirky picture of street art during a 3D art festival called Dubai Canvas, which took place around Dubai in the first week of March. His picture is from La Mer. He said: “I added a human element in this shot to develop a story. Streets have many chances to tell stories through photography. You only have to think in different perspectives, there would be a hidden story available in each frame.” This image received 972 votes on Instagram and won fourth place.

FIFTH PLACE

Sumesh Makhija, who uses the Instagram handle @sjm_pictography, took this image of a pedestrian bridge in Al Awir, Dubai. He said: ‘I took this photograph on a Friday evening when I was in the area. As it was a weekend and during the evening hours, people seemed to walk at a relaxed pace, going from one side of the road to the other. The setting sun gave the composition a golden glow and created a nice silhouette of the bridge and the people.’ His image earned 523 votes on Instagram, winning fifth place.