City through the photographer's lens: representation of urban identity

The article considers the development of urban photography as a unique way of representing space through its subjective perception. The historical development of urban photography and the views of researchers on the phenomenon of photography in general are reviewed. City photographs combine a documentary approach and the artist’s vision, which allows them to be considered as a subjective photo chronicle of urban history. Using the example of Orenburg photographs, I analyze how visual images of cities allow us to connect the past and the present, revealing the deep meanings of the urban environment and creating a space for dialogue with its cultural memory.