Saturday, January 26, 2013

The Real Deal With Architectural Photography

By Sue Carpenter


Boston architectural photography is not just about following the linear pattern literally and putting two and two together. It requires the understanding of how lines and patterns work to lead your attention towards a focus point, even without showing it outright. Here are 9 tips to polishing your skills and making the viewing audience discern the character of your photos with depth.

Photography is only possible with lighting, so position yourself the right way for the shot. Sensitivity towards how light falls on surfaces allows you to manipulate reflections, shadows and textures, among others. Architectural photography benefits from high dynamic range the most, wherein you take at least three shots of the same view but of different exposure levels which you can combine in post processing.

Whatever the body of the camera is, you need to use the appropriate glass or lens. Considering that you are photographing buildings that are larger than you even when multiplied by tenfold, you need a lens that wide angled. This helps you fit the subject in the frame without having to move back farther.

Meanwhile, the architectural features of the building is not only limited to the facade. Expect to cover the interiors as well. However, you might have to adjust your white balance to counter the artificial lighting. To get as much accuracy, consider different techniques such as long exposure or the use of filters and external flashes. This is so you can retain the right temperature when translated to colors.

Meanwhile, if the subject is positioned against the sun, you can make do with taking silhouettes. You need to focus your proper exposure on the vibrancy of the sky, while the structure appears all black. It is called such because you are photographing the shadow of the building among the glorious streaks of the setting sun.

Do not be beaten up by the light that is cast by the weather because you have several options for this. Sunny days can put emphasis on colors and textures, which give off a warmth that makes the view inviting to the ordinary viewer. Gloomy skies meanwhile can be a challenging but good back drop for a dramatic feel.

Be mindful of the presence of reflections. Usually, you can play around with a lot of mirror like concepts when there are puddles on the street you are walking on. For a more rural appeal, you can shoot landscapes in front of the river and see the creative distortions that come out of it.

To give you a firmer grasp of the subject that you are so passionate about, always read reference materials. This can jump start your journey and keep you inspired every time you go out there to capture the world of architecture. Everybody needs a key thought to look back to in order to foster positive feelings to the person, even through creative blocks and burnouts.

When you have a good eye for details, that means that you can also properly compose your subject. This is the key to making every detail work. With practice, the good taste for beautiful composition will grow in you and it will be second nature. If this information about boston architectural photography is enough to entice you, then pick up that camera and start shooting.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment