Buildings can be a great inspiration for their design, size and detail. Historical, modern, abandoned, tall, small: they all tell a story about a place and about the people who lived or live there. Taking sensational and artistic photos of buildings can help you share your impressions of architecture with others.
Steps
Part 1 of 7: Choosing the Building
Step 1. Find a building with a unique story to tell
Old and new buildings each have a different story and can make great photo subjects equally. Likewise, both large and small buildings can provide sensational material for architectural photos. You may decide to take shots of the most photographed buildings in the world, such as the Louvre or the Empire State Building, but there are also many other types of buildings that make excellent subjects. Take photos of the smallest houses in your city or buildings with a bold and unusual architectural design.
Step 2. Make sure you know your rights and applicable laws
Be aware of any restrictions that may exist in taking photos of the buildings you have chosen. Usually taking photos in public places (from the sidewalk for example) does not involve any restrictions. However, entering someone's home or private property may not be possible. You may need a permit to take pictures if you are on private property, while if it is a private space open to the public, technically it could be considered a public place, so where you can take pictures. Keep in mind that these regulations may vary in different countries, so you will need to be aware of the regulations in force where you are.
- In some countries, such as the U. S., if you take photos of federal buildings you may attract the attention of security officers, who may tell you not to take photos. In fact, you have the right to photograph federal buildings from public places, including sidewalks, squares, parks, and streets.
- If you take photos in places of worship, such as churches, synagogues, or mosques, respect their customs and procedures.
Step 3. Learn the history of the building
If a building is a historical or cultural point of interest, there should be staff who can give you more information about it. They may also point you to fascinating and meaningful features for the property's value. If the building is abandoned, use the photos to capture its spirit and to help the public understand its past glory.
In the case of abandoned buildings, be careful to both preserve their conservation and your safety. There may be groups involved in safeguarding the building, so it's important to leave everything in place. Likewise, if there are peeling walls, exposed cables, or rotting or crumbling floors, the place can be dangerous. Pay attention to these safety aspects
Part 2 of 7: Assembling the equipment
Step 1. Choose your camera
- Use a compact camera or a mobile phone camera. Using a compact camera or cell phone camera can be convenient, but also limiting in terms of versatility. Compact cameras are certainly less expensive (although prices for SLRs are becoming more and more reasonable). These cameras are lighter and easier to take with you. They have a fixed goal, so you don't have to decide which goal to use, or carry around a set of goals. Every point of the photo taken with one of these cameras will be in focus. It is difficult, however, to capture light, particularly if you are taking night photos.
- Use a high-end SLR. A DSLR will give you more flexibility and adaptability when taking pictures of buildings. You can change the lighting and focus settings, interchangeable lenses and a faster shot are available. They last longer and are designed to operate even in difficult atmospheric conditions, such as cold, heat, massive presence of dust, etc. These cameras vary a lot in terms of price: a budget SLR can start from 200-500 euros, while the top models can cost as much as 10,000 euros or more.
- Try a 35mm film camera. Although traditional 35mm film cameras are not very popular today, enthusiasts can still use them. Film cameras have more control over lighting and combine color and light better. In addition, 35mm photographs give a slightly grainier feel, which gives a more natural feel to the photos. One of the drawbacks of 35mm film is the extra expense required to work with such films: you will have to buy rolls, typically 24 or 36 shots, and develop them.
Step 2. Choose your goals
- Use a wide angle lens. A wide angle lens has a shorter focal length and a large width of view, more like how the human eye sees. A wide angle lens can capture great panoramas and buildings in one shot. Often, however, photos are distorted, so that the entire image "fits" into the size of the photo.
- Use a fish eye lens. A fish eye lens provides a very wide view, from 180 to 220 degrees. The result is extreme image distortion. This type of lens cannot represent a building with great accuracy, but it does provide an artistic effect, especially with buildings with many symmetrical lines (half of the image mirrored in the other half).
- Use a telephoto lens. Telephoto lenses allow you to take a photo from far away. They can be useful for photographing buildings, as you may have to travel a long way to be able to frame the entire structure. This type of lens also helps to minimize the distortion of straight lines. However, telephoto lenses are very sensitive to movement, so it is necessary to use a tripod or, in any case, to stabilize the camera.
- Try a tilt-shift lens. Tilt-shift lenses allow the photographer to manipulate depth of field and perspective. These lenses shift the center of the lens perspective relative to the true center. They can therefore create photos that are larger, such as panoramas, and with straight vertical lines when these are often distorted by other lenses in the presence of tall objects such as buildings. Tilt-shift lenses can create interesting miniaturization effects. These lenses can be very expensive (2,000-3,000 euros) and similar effects can be reproduced with photo editing software.
Step 3. Attach the camera to a tripod
This will ensure that your image is not blurry or moved. This is especially useful when taking a photograph in low ambient light or at night. If you don't have a tripod available, you can lean against a tree or lamppost, or lean the camera against another object to hold it steady.
Step 4. Bring the necessary equipment with you
You need to have the rest of the equipment on hand that you might need. Depending on where you take your photos, additional equipment may be required to take good photographs. For example, if you take pictures of an abandoned building, bring a flash along. A good backpack or camera bag can help you keep your gear organized and keep your hands free while holding your camera.
Part 3 of 7: Deciding When to Take Photos
Step 1. Consider the time of day
The direction of the sun will have an impact on the quality of the photos. For example, the blinding midday sun does little to illuminate niches and crevices that make photos interesting. It is much better to take pictures in the early morning, when the natural light is clear and clear, or in the late afternoon, when it is warm and full. In both cases, moreover, the light comes from the side, highlighting the buildings in the best way. Also, early in the morning is ideal, as there tend to be fewer people around. Consult a floor plan of the building to determine when the sun might hit it. Will the sun cast shadows from other buildings onto the one you want to photograph?
Step 2. Take night photos
Quite frequently, interesting looking buildings are lit up like Christmas trees at night and you may be able to take great photos. Be careful not to leave the camera settings automatic, as low lighting and high contrast levels could ruin the photo. Strong lights will become halos, while dark parts will be black at night. Rather, adjust the ISO settings for night mode shots. Set an exposure time long enough to get more light to the camera (you can use the camera's internal timer or a shutter release cable to minimize jitter and blur). All lights will appear more vivid and strong with a longer exposure time, so practice to get the best result.
Step 3. Consider the time of year
Taking pictures at different times of the year will lead to portraying buildings in a different way. The building could be covered in snow in the winter or surrounded by leafy trees in the summer. Likewise, it can be difficult to see the top of the building on a foggy or very rainy day, but this could also be the kind of effect you want to capture.
Step 4. Find out what is happening to the building
Is it under construction or are they renovating it? Will it host an important event the day you take the photos? These could be disturbing elements, but they could also give a special aspect to your photos: they would allow you to capture a unique aspect of the building's history, which may not be communicated by typical photos.
Part 4 of 7: Choosing the Composition
Step 1. Explore the interior and exterior of the building
Take some time to find good angles and unique details before starting to focus.
Step 2. Determine the perspective
When photographing tall buildings, you may find yourself tilting the camera upward to try to frame the entire building. This can create a distorted image in which the building appears to disappear. You can correct this by taking the photo from further away, using a different lens, such as a wide angle lens, or by adjusting the distortion with photo editing software. Alternatively, focus the photo on another aspect of the building; a sensational and creative photo does not necessarily imply that you see the whole structure.
Step 3. Decide what else you want to include
Observe what surrounds the building - it could be the sky, other buildings, trees or water. There could be parked cars, garbage cans, dirt, birds or passersby. Decide if these elements add or take away from the overall meaning you want to convey. Be patient and wait until passersby have left to shoot if you don't want to include them in the photo.
Step 4. Decide how to frame the building
It uses the elements around it to create a 'frame' that focuses attention on the main subject of the photo: the building. Framing can add depth and context to the photo. Some elements that can be used to frame include windows, front doors, the center of a stairway, tree branches, or people.
Step 5. Decide on the depth of field
Depth of field is the part of the photo that will be in focus. A shallow depth of field means that objects in the foreground will be in focus, while the background will be blurred. Greater depth of field means that both the foreground and the background will be in focus. Depth of field is controlled by the camera shutter aperture. Set the camera to AV mode (aperture priority); this will allow you to control the shutter aperture (how much light can enter the lens) while the camera automatically adjusts other controls. A greater depth of field can enhance a photograph of an architectural structure. Set a smaller aperture (f / 16 or larger) to make sure the background and subject are in sharp focus.
Step 6. Focus on the details
Take close-ups of details like gargoyles, interesting wall decorations, or other unique features of the building - they can communicate the building's character in a way that isn't possible with larger shots.
Step 7. Focus on the elements of symmetry
Highlighting corners or lines that mirror each other can emphasize the design and architectural uniqueness of the building.
Step 8. Use water for reflections
If you take pictures near the water, you can photograph the building reflected in it. Still water will give sharp reflections.
Part 5 of 7: Ensure Good Lighting
Step 1. Take outdoor photos
Use natural light to illuminate buildings. Taking pictures in the early morning or late afternoon avoids the harshness of the midday sun and provides more subtle lighting for detail.
Step 2. Check the white balance
This is one way to prevent unwanted color contrasts. Cameras often reproduce white with shades of green, blue or orange. SLRs usually have a white balance function between controls; look at the instruction manual to identify and use it. Often the white balance can also be corrected with photo editing software.
Step 3. Adjust the exposure
The length of the exposure will determine how light or dark the photo will be. Adjusting the lighting can solve problems of excessive exposure (too much light in the photo, resulting in a washed out appearance) or insufficient exposure (insufficient light, resulting in a photo that is too dark). DSLRs typically have a feature that can correct exposure. Point the camera at the main subject of the image and make sure the reading of this meter is zero. If it is to the left of zero, it will be underexposed. If the reading is to the right of zero, it will be overexposed.
Step 4. Check your camera's histogram
The histogram is a DSLR feature that displays a mathematical graph of the photograph's exposure. It is capable of depicting the brightness of each pixel and is useful for determining whether certain areas of the photo are too bright or dark. This is especially useful when taking photographs of white buildings. [6]
Part 6 of 7: Taking Photos
Step 1. Be patient and double check your subject and settings
Wait for the birds and pedestrians to exit the frame before shooting. Check that the shutter aperture, focus and exposure are correct. Take a deep breath and snap.
Step 2. Review your photos
Take a look at the camera's LCD display to review the photos. You can make small adjustments to settings, lighting and framing and take more photos, adjusting them one at a time.
Step 3. Keep track of the settings used
Write down your camera settings and lighting conditions in a notebook, so you can see how different settings produce different effects.
Step 4. Don't be afraid to experiment
Some of the most fascinating photos are fortuitous events.
Part 7 of 7: Editing the Photos
Step 1. Choose your best photos
Be ruthless in choosing your best photos and put the others in another folder on your computer. Choose photos that tell the most interesting stories, have better composition and lighting, and communicate something important about the building.
Step 2. Retouch the photos
Using photo editing software, you can correct minor image imperfections, such as eliminating a passerby who sneaked into the shot or a crane in the background that couldn't be avoided framing. With editing software it is also possible to fix unwanted distortions, up to a certain degree. This can help straighten some lines that appear bent, making horizontal and vertical lines straighter. Even though PhotoShop is the best known photo editing program, it can be very expensive. There are cheaper or even free alternatives to retouch images. Search the internet for "free photo editing software" and take a look at the results.
Step 3. Ask for the opinion of others
Ask other photographers to rate your photos. Even asking inexperienced people can give you good ideas about the standout or most exciting elements of a photo.
