How to Photograph Buildings

These photography tips on how to photograph buildings start with scale. Scale is an all-important concept as what attracts us to take a picture of a building in the first place is often its sheer size.

How to Photograph Buildings: Handling Scale

In the photograph below, the castle dominates the surrounding area due to its scale and the grandeur of the castle is brought out by the contrast of the small figure in the foreground. So make sure you include people in your pictures to give a sense of scale to the buildings and surroundings.

Dalian Development Zone, China (Photo: Anne Darling)

The woman in the foreground is not the only person in the photograph (there are many pedestrians crossing the bridge) but she is the most prominent (due in part to the strong red of her clothing but also the pedestrians on the bridge are mostly obscured by the railings) and acts as a still point in the multiple-layered composition. Without this still point the image might have appeared too detailed or confused. With it, the complexity of the rhythms created by the repeating elements is more enjoyable.

If you don't have a wide-angle lens you need to stand well back from the subject to avoid converging parallel lines. (The focal length of the lens for this shot was 55mm.) Also, be sure to keep the camera parallel with your subject as this also helps to avoid converging lines.

How to Photograph Buildings: Enhancing the Sky

Left: Abbaye aux Dames, Saintes, France (Photo: Anne Darling)

Although this series of photography tips is not about skies, it is important here to include the use of a polarizing filter as the sky so often figures in a building shot. Using a polarizing filter will enhance the colour saturation of the blue sky which acts as a backdrop to your building.

The greatest effect is obtained at a 90 degree angle to the sun which means that if you plan to make a panoramic using several shots stitched together then it is not possible to use a polarizing filter as changes in the depth of sky colour will be all too obvious.

Polarizing filters absorb light so in situations where the light is low you will need either a slower shutter speed or a wider aperture to accommodate this. A 1.5 stop increase will be needed to offset the absorption of light by the filter. If you set your camera to automatic, you may still need to use a tripod to account for the slower shutter speed and to avoid blur.

Strong diagonal lines lead the eye into the picture and create a greater sense of 3-dimensionality in a 2-dimensional image.

How to Photograph Buildings: Finding the Abstract in the Concrete

Abstract: On the Beach (Photo: Anne Darling)

Building façades and surroundings are often full of interesting shapes, textures and colours. Patterns in particular can make great abstract images.

In the above photograph, the pattern of the stone-work of the building is echoed in the stones on the beach, and the pattern on the door is echoed in the posts sticking out of the sand. Natural patterns and man-made patterns have combined in the picture giving a unified and ordered feel to the composition.

In order to make a successful abstract photograph, you need to see the different elements of the scene graphically rather than realistically. The lines, forms, patterns and rhythms are more important than realistic elements and take precedence.

The way the elements fit together to make up the composition is of greater importance than a realistic representation. Although the boat in the picture is recognizable, it is of interest within the image primarily because of its colour and because the diagonal line that the pale blue shapes create add interest by breaking up the composition. It is the only diagonal movement in the whole photograph and without it the composition would be less interesting.

Architectural Photography: Composition, Capture, and Digital Image Processing

by Adrian Schulz

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Architectural Photography is a step-by-step guide, both for the aspiring amateur photographer interested in architecture, and for the professional photographer wanting to expand his skills in this domain. Moreover, architects themselves will find this book motivating and inspiring

Architectural photography is more than simply choosing a subject and hitting the shutter release; it's more than just documenting a project. With the advent of the digital photographic workflow, architects are increasingly discovering exciting new opportunities to present and market their work.

Adrian Schulz, both an architect and a photographer by training, teaches and illustrates with real world projects how to:

• Capture outstanding images of buildings, inside and out
• Choose the right equipment and how to use it effectively
• Compose architectural shots, and work with ambient and artificial light
• Process photographs in an efficient workflow based on Adobe Photoshop

Building With Light: An International History of Architectural Photograph

by Robert Elwall

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Ever since the invention of the medium, photography has enjoyed a close and mutually stimulating relationship with architecture, underlined by the description of photography as "building with light". Building With Light: An International History of Architectural Photography explores the development of architectural photography and some of its key themes.

Among these are the way architectural photography initially relied on pre-photographic modes of architectural rendering; the gradual emergence of a specific aesthetic of architectural photography and the growth of specialist firms documenting the nineteenth-century building boom; the influence of photography during this period on both architectural practice and history; the impact of the invention of half-tone reproduction; the influence of the 'New Photography' during the inter-war years and the significance of this period in establishing the camera as the undisputed mediator of architecture; the role of photography in the spread of Modernism; the impact of colour photography during the 1970s and 1980s; and today's digital revolution.

Authoritatively written by a world-renowned expert, and with fascinating and stunning images drawn from collections throughout the world, this book will appeal to architects and photography enthusiasts everywhere.

How To Take Photos That Move Houses, a Guide for Real Estate Agents, Brokers, Architects & Designers

by Ed Wolkis

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How To Take Photos That Move Houses is a beautifully illustrated, full color book, which shows you before and after photos, and simple to advanced tips and techniques designed to help you take better photos.

A picture is worth a thousand words... good photography can help to increase your sales by thousands of dollars.

Author Ed Wolkis, award winning Atlanta based photographer, shares his knowledge and expertise in this fun, classy, easy to read guide. If you are a Real Estate Broker, Agent, Manager, Architect, Interior Designer, Home Seller, or anyone who needs to be able to show a property in its best light, this book is for you.

You'll learn step by step how to produce photos that will stop potential clients in their tracks; what photography equipment you'll need, and how to use your digital (or film) camera. Dramatic before and after photos demonstrate the difference between great photos and ones that go unnoticed.