Some photographic disciplines seem to withstand more than others. Some are due to laziness, others to the team, others to disrecognise and others because we feel “fat”. I feel like one of them is architecture. Of course, I’m talking about my point of view and my experience, because that’s how I feel.
However, experience also tells me that with enthusiasm and advice everything can be done, so I dedicate this article to architectural photography, in case you are in a similar situation, take off your fear and go. Architecture photography, the one that tempts you so much. A lot.
- First of all it is better to define the concepts.
- So that they are very clear and that we know what we are talking about.
- Architecture photography is responsible for embossing the elements and spaces created by man.
- Includes both the exterior of the buildings and the interior or details that make this work unique.
Photography can be done out of love of art or as a way to make a living, if what you have in mind happens with the first one, you can move on to the next paragraph, instead if you are looking for new job opportunities in the field of photography, you are reinventing yourself or need to develop your business, you may want to know how to get out of this type of photography :
One of the first questions that will come to mind will be “what do I need?”Although you don’t need a great team like in other photographic disciplines, I have to tell you that you have to have some considerations and that some materials, if they are not essential, will be of great help.
It is also necessary to take into account the purpose of photography, either at the artistic level, whether it is to practice and appreciate or if it is for publication or sale, because in the latter case the expectations of customers can be even higher than yours ?.
You can take architectural photography without it. Although I recommend that you include it (one with a kneecap) in the ideal equipment for indoor photographs and for cases where light conditions are worse, such as a sunset, a blue hour, etc. , this can also be useful when capturing movement around you.
Maybe it’s in that part of the team where you have to be more careful, to photograph a building, mainly because of its dimensions, you’ll have to wear wide-angle lenses, but eye, they’re not too extreme as it’s important to avoid distortions.
Ideally, it would be to use a decentralized lens, although for its price it is something to take into account when serious, to test, practice, enjoy, etc. , in principle it is not necessary, the important thing is to avoid distortions keeping the camera straight and parallel to the focal plane.
You can also try another type of more standard lenses to capture details, textures, etc. , or telephoto lenses, when you want to achieve a compression effect between work and the environment, because with these objectives you lose a lot of depth and the different planes seem to be together.
This is a very inexpensive thing that, however, can help you not lose lines. Use a bubble level to make sure the camera is completely straight in the different shots.
Although it’s useless on the outside, inside, when used correctly, it can save you more than one problem. You won’t always have large windows in broad daylight.
Another accessory that will be useful to you on certain occasions is a polarizing filter And what are these opportunities?For example, when it comes to avoiding reflections on glass, when you want to contrast clouds, or when it saturates the sky around your main building, if you want to know a little more about filters, you can go further.
When it comes to taking prolonged exposures, a remote shutter will avoid tremors when shooting (if not, you can shoot with the camera timer, but it’s somewhat uncomfortable to shoot multiple times).
If it’s ideal to use a center lens so that the lines don’t fall off, this isn’t always possible, it’s also not about avoiding those crooked lines if you can’t change your point of view, because no matter how much you place your camera at right angles, part of the building you want to include stays outside, so you have the option to correct the lines with an editing program , now avoid it whenever you can because it will never be the same again, the photo will be cropped, the information will need to be completed, etc.
On the other hand, not only do lines require treatment, but lighting, which is a key factor, will also require some adjustments, especially if you have different ambient lights with different temperatures, a good adjustment of the white balance will be critical. For best results, take pictures in RAW.
Finally, when editing an architectural photograph, trying to bring it as close as possible to reality, overly artificial photographs lose interest.
Know the building, its history, the intentions of the architect, if you can contact him to tell you the essence of his work, however static and supposedly inanimate, he has soul. of a person who put dreams, illusions, desires, effort and a lot of affection on him. If you manage to capture even a small part of its essence, you will have a great journey won.
According to the above, once you know the personality of the building, think about what you mean about it, on this basis you can take one type of photo or another, you can use one type of light or another, include movements around it or people to show its scale. What you mean depends on you based on the work and your interests (or those of the client), but in any case, try to be more or less clear before you stand in front of the building or architectural work.
Ortega and Gasset’s phrase “I am me and my situation” comes to mind, because you could say that something like this happens to a building, in this case it is him and his surroundings. An architectural work is generally not isolated, it coexists with other buildings, with other architectural or natural spaces. This coexistence is sometimes accidental, other times it is managed very incompetently (especially in a few past decades when many architectural “crimes” have been committed in this country (Spain)). That’s another matter, though. And other times you study, care for and pamper this relationship, stop and think about it, observe, if you can know when studying the work itself and keep it in mind when taking your photographs, but never forget the environment.
If you think that only the exterior of a building or an architectural work matters, keep in mind that it is not, on the contrary, a professional of architecture pampers both the interior and the exterior, how and where the light falls, spaces, orientations, details, etc. Note that when shooting, you will need to use the tripod and if there is ambient or artificial light, observe the white balance.
In photography, there are two key elements that, while in photography in general, are of particular importance here, I speak of light and composition.
That’s why the great architect Le Corbusier said
Architecture is the encounter of light with form.
In photography light is important (in addition to necessary), in architecture it is also important, when a professional projects a building does so thinking about light at all times, because that is what helps, among other things, to shape spaces and create volumes, it takes into account daylight and its changes, as well as artificial lighting of spaces , all this has an impact on the perception of the building, both inside and outside, and even influences the mood of those who inhabit it. or visit it.
Therefore, it is very important that you observe the light and how it coexists with the work before planning your session, it is convenient that you know which light favors you the most, which is more appropriate to say what you have set out to convey with your photograph.
Some tips:
Perhaps a photograph that conveys a strong emotion can be forgiven if the composition is not very good, in architectural photography this will not happen to you. If you don’t pay much attention to the composition, it won’t do you any good to find the perfect light, take care of the lines, study the different perspectives, maintain the visual balance and take advantage of the escape point.
Another resource that you can use in your photographs is the human factor, including people in the frame will help you show the scale, on the other hand, if the objectives are, for example, real estate advertising, this resource will bring you an emotional aggregate.
The main problems you will encounter will be
Inside and after sunset, you will find the problem of lack of light. Solutions? On the one hand, the use of the tripod, on the other hand, the external flash that told you to photograph indoors or certain outdoor spaces. Of course, make sure that, except for a specific effect, the light is returned or faded. A flash will never be a good solution. Also pay attention to white balance.
On the other hand, you will have to adapt to the outdoor ambient light, that will be your knowledge of the different types of light, know which is the most optimal for what you are referring to, which will help you solve it. the light that suits you best, wait for it or even adapt to it if there is no more. Before you leave a few things, don’t you forget them?
By that I mean that, sometimes, you will find yourself unable to frame the whole work for lack of space to move, many times these buildings are in turn surrounded by others, you would like to be able to get away, integrate the environment, etc. However, the boundaries are there. In this case, the solution goes through the team or even your wits to capture other perspectives, abstract or capture details.
The whole is always the sum of its parts, so when photographing an architectural work recreate yourself in the small details, in the visible geometries, in the textures, etc. With them you can even create abstract images. management and composition will help you in this task.
There are many reasons to photograph in black and white, today I leave you some related to this photographic discipline, so that you do not forget the grayscale:
And finally, I’ll leave you with some architecture photographers, so you can find ideas, inspiration and so you can delve a little deer into the tips I just gave you.
(Special thanks to Mariela Apollonio and Emilio Chulio for lending us their photographs). )
Of course, it’s about walking through its galleries, not staying there forever, running to your camera and photographing any building you have nearby you like, the only way to really learn is to do it. What are you waiting for?
Oh, now? You thought it was so interesting that you have to share it on your favorite social network, don’t you?Is it worth the effort?. Soon!