Architectural photography is known as one of the oldest photography in history. One of the best examples of architecture photographs is the Window at Le Gras view. It is one of the oldest photos taken in 1820. Architecture photography usually refers to the structure or building photography. Likewise, in this kind of photography, shooting exterior and interior of the building, cityscapes, bridges, and other structures.
Several photographers do architectural photography, either for artistic pursuit or for making a carer by shooting images for the clients. No matter for what purpose you are doing architectural photography, there are some similar things to consider. Having the proper equipment and knowing to identify the best location and angle are basic things that a photographer must know while doing architectural photography.
Table of Contents
Two kinds of architectural photography
Architectural photography mainly has two types: exterior and interior.
Exterior architectural photography
Exterior photography means capturing the image of the outside view of the subject. Natural light is one of the primary benefits of exterior photography, making it easy to do exterior photography. Depending on the environment and weather of the nature, you may sometimes get dramatic, moody, and varying results while doing exterior photography of the structure.
Interior architectural photography
Interior architectural photography means capturing the image of the inside of the structure. In comparison to exterior photography, interior photography is challenging. It is because you will not have natural light while doing interior photography. You will only get little natural light from the windows or skylight. Moreover, you might also need an extra light source to get a perfect shot.
Best camera for architectural photography
You don’t need to have the best camera for architectural photography; everything that matters is a skill. No matter if you have a professional DSLR camera or just a smartphone, you can easily capture beautiful images of structures if you have a good idea of doing it.
Smartphones
In today’s days, there are several smartphones with high-resolution cameras. Smartphones like iPhones and some other android phones can take the best shots of architecture. You can easily capture beautiful images with your smartphone paired with some manual camera applications like Adobe Lightroom.
Digital cameras
A digital camera like DSLR and mirrorless cameras is one of the best cameras for architectural photography. Will these cameras, you can experiment with manual mode and lenses. You can try different settings like ISO, shutter speed, exposure for the perfect shot. Nikon, Canon, and Sony are some of the best camera companies which provide a wide range of functional cameras.
View cameras
View cameras are among the best cameras that provide the best quality images. These cameras are mainly dedicated to architectural photography. The images captured in these cameras are of the best quality, but at the same time, the price of these cameras is very high than other cameras. Because of that, as a beginner, it is best to go with other cameras rather than investing in View cameras. But if you are a professional architectural photographer, using view cameras can be best.
Equipment for architectural photography
Just having a camera is not enough while doing architectural photography. You will need several other types of equipment for the best shots. Especially if you are doing an interior photoshoot of the structure, having other equipment is necessary. Some of the best equipment you can invest in are:
Tripods
Trying different settings and angles is very important if you want a perfect and unique shot of the architectural subject. Sometimes you might need to shoot in long exposure, or sometimes you might need to use a heavy telephoto lens. That is when the tripods come in handy. Tripods can be handy while doing a long exposure or using a heavy camera lens by making an image stable.
Flash
Flash can be one of the most necessary pieces of equipment for interior architectural photography. Flash provides good details and makes an image brighter. You can do several shots using a flash like bouncing the light, speeding the light or even shooting through the umbrella for the perfect shot.
Standard camera lens
Having a standard prime lens or the zoom lens is very important for an architectural photographer. These lenses will help in getting better details from the inside out.
Tips for perfect architectural photography
Take inspirations from others
One of the best ways of learning is observing others. You can check out other architecture photographers’ images to take inspiration from. There are thousands of best photographers who capture outstanding photos of architecture.
If you want to take inspiration from some pre-shot images of architectures, photoAC can be one of the best options to go with. photoAC has thousands of best photos you can look at and take ideas from, and also you can download the images for free.
Get familiar with the subject.
Before shooting any architecture, make sure to spend some time there to know more about it. You can simply walk around the outside of the building and explore the inside if possible. Likewise, you can also research the history of the building, like how the building was made and how it is being used.
Knowing the architecture better will give you the idea for your photoshoot perspective. It will provide you with a better idea about which style will best shoot the building. For example, you researched and found out that the budding has several historical stories. In that condition, you can experiment with the black and white or vintage for reflecting its history.
Try different weather conditions
For creating a dramatic effect, people often take pictures like sunset and sunrise hours. Taking shots in these hours will give you a beautiful photo, but you should not stick with those times forever. Try taking images at different times of the day in different weather; it will depict the relationship of the building with its environment.
Use good lighting
Using a good light can enhance the details and quality of the image, so using a light while doing a photo shoot is very important, mainly if you are doing an interior photoshoot of the architecture. Sometimes there may not be enough natural light inside, and because of that, you can not capture better details of the architecture. Using light at that time can be helpful.
Try different angle
Trying different angles to capture the subject is fun, and it might also give a surprising result. Sometimes the angle where you are taking a photo might not show the real meaning of the architecture. Take time to observe and find the best angles to capture the image. Sometimes small changes can also make a huge difference, so try different angles during the photoshoot.
Include people
You might think we are saying the wrong thing because we have been hearing that people should not be included while taking a picture of architecture for a very long time. We can also see several images of buildings and other structures that do not have a single person. But according to time, the trend is also changing. Several photographers have started to picture buildings where there are people.
The building is made for people, so including people will not decrease the value of the image. Architecture does not exist without people, so including people in your photo with architecture is not bad at all.
Fine lines and shapes
Architects know that the lines and shapes of architecture are essential, so do architecture photographers. While taking shots of architecture, look for the lines and shapes in the subject. Leading lines of the subject can capture the attention to the subject. Not only do lines and shapes catch the attention, but it also reflects emotions. Diagonal shapes can reflect the feeling of movement; horizontal lines can reflect calm and vertical lines can reflect growth and power.
Moreover, you might also find curved lines sometimes because curved lines are not common. You will mainly find the curved lines in the structure made naturally rather than the artificial structure. These types of lines and shapes can reflect nature.
Once you find the perfect line or shape, you can try taking several images, including that in the picture. You can try different angles and compositions to enhance the shape.
Use a polarizing filter.
A polarizing filter is one of the inexpensive pieces of equipment that can make a huge difference in photography. Using a polarizing filter can be beneficial in controlling the reflected light, and you can easily control the reflections that come from the water or windows in architecture. Moreover, a polarizing filter can also slightly blur the sky without the reflective light effects.
These filters are optional, and you can use them according to your needs. If you don’t want to control the reflective light or take indoor images at night, you can take off these filters. Using polarizing filters during the night can reduce the amount of light in photos.
Do interior shoot, too, not just exterior.
While talking about architectural photography, the first thought that comes to mind is doing an exterior shoot of the building. But let’s be clear that architectural photography is not only about shooting the building from outside. Doing an interior shoot can also be as crucial as an exterior shoot.
While doing an interior shoot, the only thing to remember is that there will not be as much light as outside. You will only get light from the windows or any other place. Because of that, it might be a little more challenging to do an interior shoot than an exterior shoot. But that does not make it unnecessary. Doing an interior shoot is as important as doing an exterior shoot to show the budding’s importance, history, and beauty. And yes, using the proper equipment can result in the best shots.
Make it stable
One of the essential things about architecture is its details. Because of that, taking a sharp shot is very important. You can use a higher aperture like f/8 to avoid blur in the image and also use a higher f-stop.
If the situation arises where you might need to lower the aperture and shutter speed, problems appear. If you do so, your image will have a blur. That is where the tripods come in handy. You can use tripods to take a sharp object in even a lower aperture and shutter speed.
Likewise, you can also use a wide-angle lens for architecture photography, mainly if you capture tall buildings.
Invest in photography equipment
If you are seriously engaged in architectural photography, it is necessary to have a proper set of equipment. Make sure to invest in the only essential gear. One of the crucial pieces of equipment for architectural photography is a wide-angle lens. A wide-angle lens is best for shooting the interior space of the building. Likewise, it can also help capture low-light photos by combining tripods.
A polarizing filter can also help contrast the image and make it more vivid. Other necessary equipment are lights and drones. Lights are essential while doing an interior shoot of the building, and if you are willing to take a unique shot, the drone can also be helpful.
Editing architecture photos in post-processing
Editing image in post-processing is as much crucial as capturing pictures. Try taking photos in RAW format because it will give you more options to edit in post-processing. Transfer images to your computer and start editing with Lightroom, Adebo photoshop or the industry-standard tools.
Adobe has two post-processing software, Lightroom and Photoshop. Both of the software provides a wide range of tools to edit photos. Moreover, both of the software is available for the mobile version too.
Some of the best software that you can use in post-processing are:
Photoshop
Photoshop is best for retouching the small areas of the image, layering the image, and stitching and composing the image for making composite images like panoramas or triptychs.
Lightroom
Lightroom is one of the best software to use in post-processing because it will give complete control over the global adjustments and details of the image. Lightroom’s essential editing tools are fixing contrast, exposure, perspective, and cropping. Likewise, Lightroom is very popular for its presents. Presents are the fastest way to edit photos by applying the layers with a single click.
Photomatix
Photomatix is another software that can be used in post-processing. This software usually focuses on specific aspects like managing the over and underexpose and making a balanced image with perfect color.
Conclusion
Architectural photography is not easy as it is seen to be. You need to have better knowledge, skills, patience, equipment, and vision of observing things from different angles to master architectural photography. Once you start doing architectural photography, you need to give your 100%. Try taking images in RAW format because it will provide you with more options to edit in post-processing and use different software for editing. If you want to take inspiration from some pre-shot images of architectures, photoAC can be one of the best options to go with. photoAC has thousands of best photos you can look at and take ideas from, and also you can download the images for free.