The 9 Best Cityscape Photographers in Portland

Portland, OR, has many names. This indie jewel of the Pacific Northwest has inspired countless songs and stories. Whether you know it as Stumptown, Portlandia, or the City of Roses, there are millions of reasons to visit or settle here — and even more reason to take pictures. On this curated list of Portland cityscape photographers, you’re going to see photographs that will admire and inspire you. We hope you love the work of these artists as much as we do.

1. Jeff Risher

One of the first Portland cityscape photographers to catch our eye, Jeff Richter, is inspired by the Pacific Northwest. While a cross-niche photographer — providing senior pictures and family portraits — his love of landscapes also comes across in his cityscapes. We love how he captures the changing light over the PDX skyline and all of the oranges, reds, and pinks it brings. It’s so hard to accurately capture the sky on camera, but Jeff does it so vividly and expertly, it’s hard to look away from his creations.

2. Rob Harrold

Freelance photographer Rob Harrold operates under his photography business name, Remaining Light. Rob focuses on nature, city architecture, and the people of the PNW. Quite recently, he’s taken his passion for those things and started to delve into photojournalism, shooting from the front lines at the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in downtown PDX. Whether he’s shooting events or nightscapes, he clearly has an amazing talent for catching the right thing at the right time.

3. Nicolae Gheorghe

In one of the photos on Nicolae Gheorghe’s Instagram, the recognizable sign on the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall is reflected as a mirror image against a window pane.  This sign on what was historically the Paramount Theater is one of Portland’s most recognizable sights. And the most photographed. The way he composed it was really impressive and the framing is a a trend you can see in his cityscapes, too. If any pictures make you want to visit PDX, these are the ones.

4. Jake Egbert

Jake Egbert is one of those Portland cityscape photographers who has been taking pictures his entire life. While he got his start as a kid with a Kodak, as he’s grown, he’s expanded his equipment to include a Nikon D90 DSLR. Once equipped, he turned his hobby into a career that he’s still doing to this day. Turning auto mode off for good a decade ago, he’s been in the pursuit of the perfect composition since. And even when he gets it, he’s somehow able to better it each time.

5. Morgan Larsen

Published photographer Morgan Larsen considers himself a professional wanderer, and he takes his camera along for the hike. Both life and photography are adventures to him which coincide, curating a stunning portfolio of pictures you could only get in the PNW. His edits have the most dreamy, peachy overlay that makes the coldest of oceans and ice feel warmer than California. We love how soft and inviting his photographs look. We also wish we could live in them.

6. Nick Ozerkov

Owner and lead photographer of Ozara Media Productions, Nick Ozerkov, has an eye for aesthetics. His Oregon landscape photographs absolutely take our collective breath away. Somehow able to make even digital look like film, each shot looks like it could be taken from a professional calendar of PNW’s best kept secrets. Although he doesn’t have as many city shots as the other Portland cityscape photographers on the list, those he does are so good we had to feature one.

7. Clifford Paguio Jr.

Clifford Paguio Jr. considers himself a novice photographer, but one glimpse at his Instagram and we’d immediately disagree. His shots of Portland’s streets and skyline are so captivating, it feels like you could walk right into them. Somehow able to capture the right shades of ocean grey, slate brick, and golden orange sky all using his Sony A7R IV. These are the kinds of pictures you could frame and hang up, all the while making Oregon look like the most beautiful place on Earth.

8. Patrick Hart

Portland product photographer Patrick Hart shoots all kinds of pictures outside of his day job. He shoots portraits, cityscapes, animals, and landscapes, all with the same level of precise, inspired intricacy. When you take a look at his landscapes or city shots in particular, you can see how much he loves the world in which we belong. With each shot, he aims to find the perfect angle to showcase urban areas in their best light. And if you ask us, he’s wonderful at it.

9. Robert Aughenbaugh

Robert Aughenbaugh is a bird and landscape photographer based in the Pacific Northwest. Although you can get lost for hours looking at the stunning bird photos on his Instagram, his cityscapes jump out as bright as a robin’s breast. Robert has a brilliant command of light and color; of how to use it and shape it to form final products that inspire desire. Oh, and while you’re there, don’t forget to take a look at his J.M.W. Turner-style wave pictures. Stunning doesn’t even cover it.

See Portland a different way.

Whether you’ve heard of Portland but never seen it or it’s your hometown, there are plenty of reasons you might have found yourself here. For all of them, we’re right there with you. This is a city bordered by the towering, snow-capped Mount Hood and characterized by its slogan, “Keep Portland Weird!”. And these cityscape snaps might just be enough to make you book a flight. Or pick up a camera.

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