106. Q Train

Possible Camera Used: Nikon Coolpix B500
Where to Buy: Nikon USA
Cost: $299.95*
This candid photo was taken on the Q Train, and that was what it was titled by photographer Paul Kessel. Kessel said that photo was a pure “candid” shot, as the camera was on his lap and the mother and her two towheaded children “never noticed” him. The photo won third place in the single portion of LensCulture.

Q Train @mena_riley / Pinterest
The Nikon Coolpix B500 is a popular photo for those taking candid shorts. It’s also one of Nikon’s more affordable products, as the brand usually sells its cameras for thousands of dollars. You can find the B500 at Nikon USA for just under $300.

107. Passersby

Possible Camera Used: Canon PowerShot Elph 180
Where to Buy: Target
Cost: $159.99*
The Golden Hour is a fleeting period of time in the evening where the shadows and lights of the setting sun serve to sculpt passerby the way cinematographers do an actor. Whether you’re taking a selfie or a candid of someone else, the lighting from the Golden Hour is near-perfect.

Passersby @andypask / Pinterest
Wenpeng Lu took this photo, “Passerby,” stating that the Golden Hour allowed people to go from “ordinary” to the “stars of their own li[ves].” Lu described “Passerby” as  “tribute to the human face,” honoring the face’s “endless ability” to communicate any number of emotions in just a split second.

108. Sumadija

Possible Camera Used: Panasonic Lumix FZ80
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $397.99*
Sumadija, a central region in Serbia that is basically untouched by tourism, was once covered by dense forests. However, now, part of it is covered in cities, which feature passerby such as this man, who is captured in the picture “Sumadija” by Sebastian Steveniers. Steveniers was a LensCulture finalist, and he described Sumadija as though it was a “fairytale.”

Sumadija @andypask / Pinterest
Steveniers said that the “daily life” of the city was blended into a “magic-realistic” universe, which he found “strange…as an outsider.” He intended his photo, complete with random, little white bunnies running around a man reading the paper, as an exercise in “light-hearted…surrealism.”

109. Duologues

Possible Camera Used: Ricoh GR III
Where to Buy: BH Photo-Video-Audio
Cost: $896.95*
You might not believe it, but this picture is not two separate photographs stitched together. Photographer Nina Welch-Kling was in the right place at the right time when she captured “Duologues” in Times Square in New York City during January of 2020.

Duologues @theguardian / Pinterest
Welch-Kling says that the blue wall of a coffee truck caught her eye while walking downtown on a “cold, winter afternoon.” She stuck around to see if the blue wall would make for a good background, and her wish came true when someone with a red hat stood in front of the wall, looking at the skyscrapers.

110. new york city² / lost

Possible Camera Used: Sony A7S III
Where to Buy: Filmtools
Cost: $3,498*
Titled “new york city²/lost,”  this photograph was taken by Rokas Jankus. He said that he was inspired by New York City’s people, as they seemed “somehow lost” to him, whether “physically” “mentally,” or “geographically.”

new york city² / lost @theguardian / Pinterest
Jankus said that he was surprised at how these “lost” people “open[ed] up” to him as though they were in a “private place,” as NYC is the “least private” place he could “imagine.” A camera that could have captured this low-light photo is the Sony A7S III. The A7S III is great when there is dim lighting, and you can buy it from Filmtools for just under $3,500.

111. New York: A City as a Stage

Possible Camera Used: FujiFilm X-T100
Where to Buy: Camera Wholesalers
Cost: $999*
New York City appears to be the place to be if you’re trying to capture an urban photo. Entered into LensCulture, “New York: A City as a Stage” is a snapshot of a young couple, fresh off their wedding day, still wearing their bridal attire. The beautiful, clear photo looks as though it is from a high-end, designer .

New York: A City as a Stage @theguardian / Pinterest
The photographer behind this picture was Hugo de Melo, who said that NYC was known for its “diversity,” and taking a “stroll” on even a regular day could provide you with a shot that looks like a “movie scene” or “fashion editorial.”

112. The city needs people

Possible Camera Used: FujiFilm X-Pro3 Mirrorless Digital Camera
Where to Buy: Best Buy
Cost: $800*
Ash Shinya Kawaoto was a finalist in LensCulture for this photo, titled, “The city needs people.” The photo, done in black and white, pictured a man leaning over a cart of groceries, sleeping. His glasses are askew, and people around him continue walking, stepping around him as though he isn’t there.

The city needs people @theguardian / Pinterest
Kawaoto said that he felt as though the “city raises” people. He said that he enjoys capturing people walking in photographs because the movement gives the city “power” and helps it “develo[p].” A good camera for black and white photography is the FujiFilm X-Pro3, which retails at Best Buy for $800.

113. Looking at the Scenery

Possible Camera Used: Huawei P40 Pro
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $240*
Titled “Looking at the Scenery,” this photo was captured by @huangxben. The mobile photo features a group of people eagerly looking at a scene. We don’t see what they’re looking at, as the point of the picture is to highlight the community involved when you’re all taking in a sight.
Looking at the Scenery @Say You Say Me / Inf.news
Even when half the people are wearing masks, they’re still close together, enjoying whatever it is they’re seeing. Strangers or not, we all love a good view. This photo was captured with a Huawei P40 Pro, which you can find on Amazon for $240, which is far cheaper than an iPhone or Android.

114. The girl and the cake echo.

Possible Camera Used: Nikon D850
Where to Buy: Nikon USA
Cost: $3,000*
No matter what country we’re all from, everyone’s the same, basically. Little girls love princesses, and these two photograph subjects are enamored with a set of princess cakes. You have to wonder whether they’ll be able to wheedle their dad into buying them one (or two).

The girl and the cake echo. @Xu Li / Inf.news
The picture perfectly captures the little girls’ awe as they look at the cake. Though photographer Xu Li doesn’t list what camera is used, the Nikon D850 is a fan-favorite for catching candid photos like these. You can buy the D850 for $3,000 at Nikon USA (though you might be able to find it cheaper if you buy it used).

115. Desolate

Possible Camera Used: iPhone 12 Pro Max
Where to Buy: Apple
Cost: $1,099*
In 2020, everything changed. Bustling cities became desolate stretches as everyone stayed indoors. Guangzhou, a major city in China, was no exception, and Leng Yuan captured a photo titled “Desolate” with his iPhone 12 Pro Max. The thousand-dollar phone’s camera has been lauded for its quality and clarity, and people looking to upgrade their iPhones would do well to shell out the money for the 12 Pro.

Desolate @Leng Yuyan / Inf.news
“Desolate” showed Guangzhou in 2020. The store in the picture is completely deserted, and the owner of the store sits on the curb, deep in thought. The photo highlights the strain that 2020 put on small business owners like this one.

116. envy

Possible Camera Used: Huawei P30
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $690*
This photo is an example of a dichotomy, and, though it looks like two separate pictures stitched together, it is not. The top half of a photo features a man walking past a temple. The bottom half of the photo, separated by a brick wall that is both literal and a metaphor, features a man in a wheelchair watching the walker pass by.

envy @exists / Inf.news
The title of the photo, “envy,” is self-explanatory. The photographer captured “envy” with a Huawei P30, which you can find on Amazon for $690. The photo was enhanced and filtered with Snapseed, a professional photo-editing app that is owned by Google.

117. Guangzhou Library

Possible Camera Used: Sony Alpha A6000
Where to Buy: Best Buy
Cost: $999.99*
The Guangzhou library is an architectural marvel. The public library has multiple floors full of books, magazines, media, and more, and it is a super-popular hangout in the city. The 8-million-book library has modern designs, as well as traditional Lingnan architecture.

Guangzhou Library @blackmud / Inf.news
The green glass windows of the library are its best-known feature, and this photo shows the pedestrians entering the library through the green glass. Though filtered, the photo is still clear. A camera that could capture the photo with the same clarity is the Sony Alpha A6000, which you can find at Best Buy for a little under $1,000.

118. night market

Possible Camera Used: Huawei Mate 10 Pro
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $578.88*
Though this photograph was taken at night, it is still brightly-colored and lit up, giving an otherwise dark scene a cheery vibe. Social media user @He took this photo, titled “night market,” in China. The colors and lights pop out from the dark, and @He used a Huawei Mate 10 Pro to capture the picture.

night market @He / Inf.news
You can find the Huawei Mate 10 Pro on Amazon for under $580. Night markets are very popular in China’s culture, and they’re tied with Morocco for having the best nighttime vendors. This photo captures one of many markets that are open late at night, allowing you to buy whatever you want, no matter the hour on the clock.

119. The Journey

Possible Camera Used: FujiFilm X-S10
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cost: $999*
The Chaka Salt Lake, located in Qinghai, China, is the largest salt mine in the world. The crystallized, saline body of water provides not only an essential mineral, but also a beautiful sightseeing opportunity. @hAibara went to Salt Lake with some friends to wait for the sunset in the hopes of capturing some amazing colors.

The Journey @hAibara / Inf.news
While waiting, the photographer noticed two travelers walking by. @hAibara snapped the photo as the pair traveled “toward the last light.” The camera used to snap this shot was the Fuji X-S10, an offering from FujiFilm that you can find on Amazon for $999.

120. The Lonely Man

Possible Camera Used: Xiaomi Mi8
Where to Buy: Kimovil
Cost: $500*
Social media user @=v= captured this picture of a man sitting by himself near a body of water. Instead of looking at the lovely scene in front of him, the man is hugging his knees and looking down. The entire picture gives off an aura of loneliness, a common concept that many photographers try to make tangible through their art.

The Lonely Man @=v= / Inf.news
Taken by a Xiaomi Mi8 camera, you have to wonder about the backstory of the photo, something that was, no doubt, the photographer’s intention. Is the man hungover? Brokenhearted? Does he even know that he looks lonely to everyone else? The mystery of the photo adds to its appeal.