Architecture is always around us, through the spaces we consume and inhabit – it is entwined into our lives through spaces of living, work, leisure, holidays and any activity we take part in. Apart from its functional aspect, Architecture plays an important role in portraying each region’s context, history, politics and culture over different periods and hence defines a form of human evolution. Considering the significance of Architecture, its documentation plays a huge role in sharing stories about how spaces serve us. Architectural Photography is about freezing a moment in time and appreciating a building’s beautiful form, materiality and/or function through our experiences with it.
What defines Architectural Photography?
An architectural photograph consists of one or more elements of built structures that are captured together, relating to each other and/or its surroundings. This typically focuses on framing different parts of the building’s exterior form and materials, or the details of its interior finishes, portraying its function, build, appearance, and so on. It has the power to transport the viewer to the closest reality of the structure captured at that moment.
Over time, it has developed into an art form that captures architectural elements from many different perspectives. Remember that these pictures are only a gateway into representing a version or part of a whole building. With photo editing and post-processing, final images can even be distorted and abstract renditions of buildings.
Architectural photography may not be definitive, as it can be produced, depicted and understood by a photographer and an observer through multiple perspectives like any other art form.
Choosing intent for your image
It is good practice to understand the purpose your photograph serves. This helps to decide factors like the timing of the shot, the platform of publication and the number of photographs required to best convey the intent. For example, if a photograph is trying to showcase the successful functioning of an office building, it is ideal to set it up during its busiest office hours. And publishing it on a real estate website may require multiple shots in different light settings to promote the office space.
It’s also useful to read up about the building and talk to its users or architect to incorporate its best features, sometimes missed by the photographer. Learning about the Architect’s design intent or the end user’s perspectives can be helpful if you’re trying to capture the truest essence of the building. Ultimately, choosing intent is about creating a story associated with the building and depicting them together in the Architectural photograph.
Once you’ve ‘pictured’ the story of your image, here are some fundamentals to capturing Architectural photographs and how to get a beautiful clean shot.
Moving around for perspective
Dedicate some time towards moving around the subject to explore different viewpoints. It allows you to test out a few angles to see what best describes your intent. For instance, portraying the form of a building might look better with a wide-angle shot from the corner, including more of the surrounding context, to show the depth of the form. Walking around even a seemingly uniform building might surprise you with different results, thanks to varying surrounding contexts. Also test shots sometimes reveal more than what is noticed by the human eye.
Maintaining Horizontal and Vertical lines
To obtain a natural alignment of buildings, make sure all the vertical lines of the building line up parallel to the frame. To avoid the vertical lines leaning inwards, hold the camera higher up towards the middle of the building and make sure the vertical lines are 90 degrees to the horizontal planes as well.
2-point perspective
The 2-point perspective introduces a point of view from any corner; while the building’s horizontal levels are inclined away from the viewpoint, ensure the vertical lines stay straight.
1-Point Perspective
The 1-point perspective aligns all the vertical and horizontal lines of the building to match the camera frame, basically photographing without any angles from the point of view and facing straight towards an elevation of the building. It can also appear to like all the lines in the photograph converge to a single point.
Relativity and scale
Often, it’s the relation of the building to its surrounding context that makes the best stories. For example, the magnificence of a church is felt by the larger-than-life size of its doorways and openings. This scale is appreciated through a photograph relating to the surrounding landscape or humans standing near the doorway.
Buildings best describe themselves through surrounding elements to show their relation to one another. Similarly, depending on the story you’re telling through the image, you may insert elements of scale like humans, trees, cars etc. into your frame.
Balance and composition
Creating a good composition of elements in the frame is important to draw attention towards the most relevant features. A balanced composition creates clarity and directs the viewer’s eye towards the purpose of the image. A photograph highlighting material finishes and textures of a space should not have excessive products placed, to avoid clutter and distraction from the main intent.
Levels of Lighting & Colour Temperature
Photographs convert 3D spaces into 2-D images, hence good lighting and shadows are pivotal to comprehend the depth of spaces. For example, a photograph showing an exterior facade requires well-lit conditions for better definition and clarity of its detail.
Shooting at different times of the day depict different aesthetics and moods of the building or space. A living room captured with only daylight looks completely different from the same space shot with designated indoor lighting at nighttime.
Maintain the same colour temperature from the different sources of lighting in a single frame to get an elegant outcome. Daylight typically has cooler temperatures which when combined with warmer shades from a lamp, tends to give incompatible lighting across the image.
Framing Equipment
Do not worry about the equipment to start exploring Architectural photography. Today, smartphones with cameras with high Pixel rates (resolution) are capable of taking high-definition photos. There are, of course, professional cameras that can be used by experienced photographers for greater impact.
Inspiration to create your own Architectural Perspectives
Study the work of accomplished architectural photographers. Understanding their approach and methodologies serves as an inspiration to find your own style and way. Directing your energy towards Architecture Photography is an easy way to explore your creativity. There are numerous subjects of interest around us and it certainly cultivates unique new perspectives towards your surroundings. Practice makes a huge difference; and soon, you can start making a portfolio of your best images.
Images are powerful tools. Images speak louder than words and therefore allow Architectural photography to be a form of creative storytelling. By exploring it, discover a skill to make income or simply a new hobby to indulge in as an art form.
