Architectural Photography Advice

[Mentalblock]

Newbie here looking for guidance and tips from those further along the learning curve than myself.

There are several genres (is genre the term we photographers use?) of photography I’d like to focus on (no pun intended), Architecture, Landscapes and Macro photography; mainly because I think these areas fit well with my other interests.

In this thread, I’m looking for tips and advice on Architectural Photography. Tips on things such as light, camera settings, interesting angles and general things I should be thinking of or looking for.

So, can you help?
Thanks for reading and for any advice.

 

[Dark Star]

Welcome Neil and an interesting question.

I love architectural stuff and I take a lot of it but in an abstract sense (pop on to my flickr theres a fair few examples in there somewhere architecture set )

I look for shapes, lines, contrast and repetition of patterns and I almost invariable shoot with a 70-200 for 2 reasons 1) To isolate the abstract shapes and 2) to foreshorten and compress features and buildings that are close together.

As for light...it helps

Reflections and colours I also look for and on a bright day they seem more abundant and shotworthy

I have a whole Liverpool set in my flickr that contains a few architectural shots some of an abstract nature, some less so (many HDR).

I guess its all in the eye - so get out and look and shoot

Thats the best advice I can give!

 

[Musicman]

I'm not an architectural photographer, I don't think, though I trained as an architect and I take a lot of pictures of buildings.

Elevation

Abstraction

Reflection

Perspective

Detail

 

[matie1138]

you can play with light, as long as it's not against you

 

[Wail]

I've toyed with this genre but then found it way too complicated for me :shrug:

What are you looking to capture? Are you just trying to shoot specific buildings for a catalogue, are you doing it for a Real Estate library, Interior vs. Exterior of the building, trying to get an artistic view of buildings, looking for symmetry in constructions or contrasting buildings (old vs. new; derelict vs. well-maintained), are you trying to form a sub-theme of specific buildings (houses of worship, for example, synagogue, churches, temples etc.) .. as you can see, there are too many ways to represent the very same building.

Or just casual shooter going by shooting whatever interesting comes your way?

Personally, to keep things simple, I went along with the houses of warship and stuck with that as the only sub-theme for architectural photography. Helps me to stay focused on what I want to shoot in this regards, especially as it is just my hobby.

 

[Mentalblock]

.. as you can see, there are too many ways to represent the very same building.

Wail,

I take the point about the various sub genres within the ‘Architectural’ genre.

I work with some well-known Architects whose main work is new build, so I guess I would be leaning toward modern buildings due to my daily exposure to them, albeit at design stage. Over all though, and I guess it is true of anything that I intend to photograph, I would be looking to capture an image that interested me.

My post is therefore looking for the things I probably would not think of, such as angles and perspective.


Musicman,

I like your pictures and the ideas they raise.
While I would not rule out detail pictures, your example looks more like a picture from a product catalogue or at least to me anyway.

I like the perspective picture, especially the rain detail on top of the wall in the foreground.


Thanks for the replies everyone.
I will be posting some of my pictures soon so keep an eye out and feel free to comment.

 

[Braidsta]

Welcome Neil and an interesting question.

I love architectural stuff and I take a lot of it but in an abstract sense (pop on to my flickr theres a fair few examples in there somewhere architecture set )

I look for shapes, lines, contrast and repetition of patterns and I almost invariable shoot with a 70-200 for 2 reasons 1) To isolate the abstract shapes and 2) to foreshorten and compress features and buildings that are close together.

As for light...it helps

Reflections and colours I also look for and on a bright day they seem more abundant and shotworthy

I have a whole Liverpool set in my flickr that contains a few architectural shots some of an abstract nature, some less so (many HDR).

I guess its all in the eye - so get out and look and shoot

Thats the best advice I can give!

Bruva that "Rails" at the stairway in Natural history museum is breathtaking, and here's me thinking I'm headed down the wildlife path lol. Supposed to be going NHM next thursday and hadn't thought of photographing anything other than dinosaurs!

 

[Dark Star]

Bruva that "Rails" at the stairway in Natural history museum is breathtaking, and here's me thinking I'm headed down the wildlife path lol. Supposed to be going NHM next thursday and hadn't thought of photographing anything other than dinosaurs!

Thanks, much appreciated Its a terrific piece of architecture both inside and out methinks

 

[bass_junkie83]

Welcome Neil and an interesting question.

I love architectural stuff and I take a lot of it but in an abstract sense (pop on to my flickr theres a fair few examples in there somewhere architecture set )

I look for shapes, lines, contrast and repetition of patterns and I almost invariable shoot with a 70-200 for 2 reasons 1) To isolate the abstract shapes and 2) to foreshorten and compress features and buildings that are close together.

As for light...it helps

Reflections and colours I also look for and on a bright day they seem more abundant and shotworthy

I have a whole Liverpool set in my flickr that contains a few architectural shots some of an abstract nature, some less so (many HDR).

I guess its all in the eye - so get out and look and shoot

Thats the best advice I can give!

Some great shots there.
May i ask what you use for your hdr's? I do a bit or architectural stuff for work as i am a structural engineer, but nowhere near your standard.

 

[Dark Star]

Some great shots there.
May i ask what you use for your hdr's? I do a bit or architectural stuff for work as i am a structural engineer, but nowhere near your standard.

Thanks again thats kind of you!

My HDRs generally are from 1 of 3 RAWS into JPG via Lightroom or Canons DPP then into Photomatix followed by a final tweak in CS/CS3

I'm no processing techie at all - its all by feel

 

[bass_junkie83]

That seems to be the software of choice.
So far the only hdr's i have done are all using just CS4, which have come out quite well for what i wanted, but the control seems quite limited.

 

[TheTimeChamber]

Thanks, much appreciated Its a terrific piece of architecture both inside and out methinks

One of the best buildings in London IMO.

I haven't really got any advice for architectual photography, even though I do a fair amount of it myself. But I do find it pig difficult because it takes a lot of work to correct a wonky image when you have used a wide angle (which I use too much off lol).