For sunset shots, head to the area around the Makhachkala lighthouse near the port. The old Soviet-era buildings along Prospekt R. Gamzatova catch some nice warm light just before the sun dips behind the mountains. If you want something less crowded, try the little beach by the Tarki-Tau foothills, about a 15 minute drive from the center. The contrast of the sea with the dry slopes is pretty unique for a coastal city.

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You should check out the rooftop of the Hotel Lotos on Prospekt Imama Shamilya. It's open to anyone who walks in, not just guests, and you get this wide view of the whole bay with the mountains stacking up behind the city. The light hits the Caspian around 6:30 in late spring, turning the water a hazy gold that bounces off the white buildings below. For a different angle, walk south along the promenade past the Rodina monument until you hit the old pier, it's a bit rusty but gives you a straight line toward the sunset with no crowds.

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honestly the old city streets behind the central market have some killer textures for street photography. the fading paint on those 19th century buildings plus stray cats makes for good moody shots

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