Capturing the moment through the lens of a camera takes a steady hand a focused eye. When taking photos of couples, children, office events, etc. you’ll need to key in on body language and facial expressions. Taking pictures of beautiful architecture is a completely different story. How do we key-in on various elements and pay specific attention to the details of a building? Let’s explore the depths of architectural photography.
Old Architecture
Stripping down the beauty of an older building is simple – all you need is a straightforward and simple composition. It’s great to incorporate the surrounding scenery to provide texture between the building and nature surrounding it. This also makes the image appear less congested.
Modern Architecture
Photographing modern architecture takes a bit more experience as you’ll need to utilize a more abstract style. Try using wide-angle lenses to generate an extreme perspective and bring unique angels to the light. Since modern buildings are typically constructed rather close to one another, you have more leeway to crop in tightly on the building without losing the natural feel.
Don’t Forget Lighting
If you’re trying to work with natural light, side-front lighting often creates the best architecture photos. Not only does this provide illumination but long shadows are created which pulls out the surface details. If possible, avoid back lighting as it generates dark surfaces. Back-lit buildings should have the sky cropped out and use a longer exposure.
Take Photos at Night
Did you know that many modern buildings are specifically designed for the night time? Once it gets dark outside, these buildings are filled with vibrant, colorful lights to create mesmeric shadows across the building.
Use a Longer Lens
A building can appear to be bulging outwards if you shoot too close so use a telephoto lens at a distance to create clean walls and lines; this lens also creates abstract effects. By using a long focal length lens, he building’s lines will look parallel, creating a surreal atmosphere.
