The best city photographers on Instagram – from Lagos to Lisbon

Unsurprisingly, here at Guardian Cities we love urban photography – and Instagram is nothing short of a treasure trove when it comes to that. Our account features photographers from all around the globe that are just as obsessed with cities as we are we – and capture their urban surroundings in beautiful and fascinating ways.

Here is just a small selection of our favourite images from the last year, though it’s by no means an exhaustive list. If you love documenting your city on Instagram, share your pictures using the hashtag #guardiancities and we’ll feature some of the best on our feed. Get snapping!

Tbilisi, Georgia

@oheleno took over our account for one week to showcase her adopted city of Tbilisi. “Tbilisi has many beautifully dilapidated staircases,” explains Helen. “I’ve spent hours, days even, photographing them. If you ever come to Tbilisi I highly recommend you just open the door and have a look inside.”

Hong Kong, China

In January 2015, @typicalplan did a Hong Kong takeover to show us the city. Here an apartment building overlooks a forest in the Wan Chai district. “Even on the busiest streets of Hong Kong you are rarely more than a few hundred metres from wilderness. The proximity of extreme urban density and relatively untamed nature is an often under-appreciated characteristic of the city.”

London, UK

@onelastmidnight is based in the UK capital, where his favourite area is the square mile of the City of London: “Retaining its medieval street plan, this part of the city is full of narrow streets, alleyways and courtyards. There’s a mix of old and new architecture; it’s a great place to explore and get lost in.”

Mumbai, India

Chirag Wakaskar, curator of @everydaymumbai, took over our account during our week in Mumbai in November 2014, to share images of the city’s people and places. This photograph of a girl washing clothes in the slum area where she resides is taken by @roetry.

Berlin, Germany

@nadia_carreira is from Lisbon but based in Berlin. For her, living in Berlin is “like exploring a great book that you cannot stop reading”.

Moscow, Russia

@eugeneone lives in Moscow. He says of the city: “It’s very different and full of surprises. I try to discover interesting details, no matter where I am.”

Brussels, Belgium

@crisam did a week-long takeover of our account to showcase her city of Brussels. “The city is a real jigsaw of parks and hidden public gardens,” she says. This picture was taken in the gardens at Mont des Arts.

Copenhagen, Denmark

@tejlgaard lives in Copenhagen, where she particularly likes to photograph trains and the “old semi-industrial neighbourhoods” like Copenhagen North West.

Mexico City, Mexico

@duranhugo loves the “barrios bravos” of Mexico City as well as the city’s markets. He walks and cycles a lot around the city to capture its various aspects.

São Paulo, Brazil

@instamooca is an account by @jbrizida dedicated to the neighbourhood of Mooca in São Paulo: “Mooca is a traditional former industrial neighbourhood currently experiencing a rapid growth and modernisation,” she explains. “Despite that, it still has lots of old houses, industrial sheds and cobbled streets. Here there are remnants from the past still being part of people’s daily lives.”

Lagos, Nigeria

@snapitoga tries to capture the “positivity and energy” of Lagos. In this picture a woman boards a Keke Maruwa during the rains.

Aberdeen, UK

@marczakb is a photographer based in Aberdeen who is trying to document the mood and urban environment of the city in his The Grey City project: “The architecture, light and mood in Aberdeen are very different than in any city in which I used to live in the past.”

Bucharest, Romania

@raltamas lives in Romania’s capital. Her favourite spot to take photographs is Calea Victoriei (pictured), an avenue in the city centre: “At the beginning of the 20th century it was the most important road in town. Now it still has the charm of the past century, with historical buildings, as well as pubs, restaurants, international shops and a very useful bike lane, unique in Bucharest.”

Shanghai, China

@reycanlasjr lives in Shanghai, where he particularly likes taking photos in the French Concession and the famous promenade of The Bund. “I think storytelling is important, so I try to capture different contexts, ranging from everyday moments to unexpected situations.”

Toronto, Canada

@soteeoh captures life in Toronto. He says he falls in love with a different area in the city every few months: “I tend to photograph the same areas over and over, learning communities as I go. Every time I go back I uncover another layer – starting with the architecture and physical structures, then moving to the street art and details and finally the people, meeting residents and learning vicariously through their stories.”

Istanbul, Turkey

@sezgiolgac loves the Karaköy area of Istanbul: “What makes Karaköy special for me is you’re close to two faces of Istanbul: modern and old. Karaköy connects you to the Old City full of historical sites, or you can choose to explore the backstreets full of street art, fashion and cafes.”