Architectural Photography Needs a Keen Eye: How to Develop Yours

When you think of architectural photography you might think about how easy it should be - after all, buildings don’t move, they don’t blink, and you’re not worried about getting them to smile. That may be true but that’s where the difference ends in doing architectural photography and photographing people.

Architectural photography can be enjoyable, but also time-consuming and costly due to the many variables in the environment surrounding the building you wish to photograph. The angle of the sun and how nearby buildings cast shadows onto the target building can have a dramatic effect on the outcome of the shoot, as can the light quality of the sky.

In taking photos of a group of buildings, the position of the sun will be probably the most important aspect, as regardless of the time of day, shadows prevail. You will have to go with the fewest detriments present to obtain the best shot possible. With architectural photography be prepared to spend an inordinate amount of time waiting for the weather to present the best opportunity.

Another aspect of architectural photography affecting the outcome will be the angle at which the picture is taken. Standing in front of the building and shooting upwards with a wide-angle lens can cause the top of the structure to appear as though it’s rising to more of a point than it really does. Using a really wide-angle lens, say an 8mm or “fisheye” lens may tend to make the building look more rounded than it is, but it does offer some really dramatic effects.