You keep the balance by treating the city like a story you’re watching in real time. Stick to a loose rule of thirds or a guiding line to give it structure, but don’t fight the light – let the streetlamp, the wet asphalt, the passing neon bleed where they will. Shoot handheld, a little shaky, because that tremor carries the pulse of the streets. Keep your settings locked once you find a good exposure; that way you’re not constantly hunting for that exact sharpness and you can let the moment unfold. Then, when you edit, add a touch of grain or a subtle vignette, not a whole overhaul – that preserves the raw vibe while still giving the shot a cinematic edge. And most of all, walk a bit slower, breathe, let your own heartbeat sync with the city’s rhythm, and you’ll find that control and spontaneity will bleed into each other naturally.