The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: March twelfth, with tips for capturing cities.

If you're a traveler who likes to take photos, you know that capturing a city's essence on a few frames can be a daunting challenge. To hold the attention of any audience, an urban portrait must be varied and alive. Here are tips to bring that mission into focus.

First, get a feel for the place. If you aren't already familiar with a city, take a short sight- seeing tour. Rather than photos, bring back a shot list of buildings, monuments, street scenes, recreation or entertainment that you want to capture.

A city's skyline can be its signature, but finding the right angle is tricky. Check postcards or tourist brochures for clues about obvious vantage points, but don't be afraid to try new ones. Time of day is important. Early morning light is often good, but the city's own lights may be the most dramatic in that first half hour after sunset.

Street scenes present other challenges. Organizing chaotic activity into a coherent picture requires patience and luck. When photographing crowds, look for both broad action shots or close portraits. A wide-angle lens can capture dramatic images, while a telephoto can compress crowds and buildings into a tight composition.

A city's major architectural icons are important, but don't ignore its smaller symbols that may provide the local color that brings a slide show to life. Finally, you'll find that waiters, cab drivers and street vendors often make willing subjects, especially if you buy something or offer them a tip.