Bath residents are proudest in the UK as new study reveals our most photographed skylines

According to a new study carried out by image monitoring platform Pixsy, Bath residents photograph their home city’s skyline the most – even more than Londoners – with 0.036 posts per Bathonian!

We all take pride in our hometown, and can truly appreciate its beauty on a sunny day, or lit up over a winter’s sunset. But those living in Bath  are most proud to the point where they photograph their city the most in the UK and upload pictures of its many stunning, historic landmarks and beautiful National Trust skyline circular walk!

Here are the UK’s most photographed skylines, by their residents, where Bath featured first:

Total posts per resident:

1. Bath, England – 0.036 posts per resident
2. London, England – 0.030 posts per resident
3. Liverpool, England – 0.022 posts per resident
4. Manchester, England – 0.019 posts per resident
5. Edinburgh, Scotland – 0.016 posts per resident
6. Oxford, England – 0.008 posts per resident
7. Glasgow, Scotland – 0.004 posts per resident
8. York, England – 0.003 posts per resident
9. Belfast, Northern Ireland – 0.003 posts per resident
10. Brighton and Hove, England – 0.003 posts per resident

This news comes from Pixsy’s study into the most photographed skylines around the world (and the UK) where the photo experts researched and analysed Instagram data. They used this to compare and analyse the number of posts against each city’s population, as well as estimated annual tourist figures.

When looking into the UK’s Most Photographed Skylines overall (which takes into account total posts from residents AND tourist figures), the South West of England scored pretty well, with both Bath and Bristol featuring in the top 10!

1. London: 269,786 posts
2. Liverpool: 10,715 posts
3. Manchester: 10,019 posts
4. Edinburgh: 8,268 posts
5. Bath: 6,992 posts
6. Birmingham: 3,281 posts
7. Glasgow: 2,422 posts
8. Oxford: 1,312 posts
9. Leeds: 1,296 posts
10. Bristol: 1,001 posts
11. Belfast: 910 posts
12. Brighton and Hove: 710 posts
13. York: 644 posts
14. Sheffield: 558 posts
15. Newcastle upon Tyne: 399 posts
16. Cardiff: 355 posts
17. Portsmouth: 351 posts
18. Aberdeen: 205 posts
19. Kingston-upon-Hull: 188 posts
20. Leicester: 139 posts

With winter being one of the most beautiful seasons of the year for sky-lighting sunsets, twinkling lights across iconic landmarks, and outdoor festive walks, the team at Pixsy were inspired to investigate where in the world – and the UK – has the most snapped skyline.

It’s no surprise with a beautiful hometown like Bath that many of us are taking pictures, but here is some advice from the image experts at Pixsy if you too are inspired and would like to get out and snap the city more this winter:

1. Consider your vantage point:
   “When photographing a cityscape or skyline, arguably the most important aspect to get right is your vantage point. You may need to head out of the city to find a suitable angle that’s wide enough to take in the entire view. Take a look at the city map and check for any hills, parks, or even islands outside of the city limits and take the trip to see how the view looks. You may even find a new favorite spot that you would never have come across otherwise!”
2. Try to align your schedule with a winter sunset:
   “You should be aiming to take your skyline image during the “blue hour” – the time when the dusky blue sky hasn’t gone completely dark, but the city lights have already come on and created an attractive twinkle.”
3. Pack suitable photography gear and keep it protected:
   “A wide-angle lens will be invaluable in taking the perfect skyline shot, and a tripod will be hugely useful in preventing any blur (and stopping your arms from getting tired!). Depending on the location and weather, you might want to consider waterproofing measures to protect your equipment. If you’re planning to head off the beaten path, make sure to invest in suitable photography insurance, so you’re protected if anything should happen to your camera.
4. Put your camera’s features to use:
   “Try to use a manual focus when taking a skyline shot to avoid inaccuracies in the automatic settings, which might set the focus on the wrong building or even zone in on something as small as an animal or a passing truck in the foreground and ruin your image. A long exposure will allow you to capture plenty of light and could even create some pleasant light trails from cars which add to the atmosphere of your photography. Most importantly is to experiment and try a number of different lenses and exposures until you find the perfect settings for your ideal skyline picture.”
5. Protect your work:
   “When you do get that perfect shot, make sure to monitor it if you post it online; this will help you avoid your image being used elsewhere on the internet without your permission.”

You can read the full study of the World’s Most Photographed Skylines here to discover where in the world is most popular: https://www.pixsy.com/the-worlds-most-photographed-city-skylines/

Photo of Bath by @alexandra.searle on Instagram, with permission given to Pixsy.