Nikon tutorial for photographing architecture

This video provides some tips for photographing architecture.
1. Be aware of perspective distortion or converging verticals
2. Use a wide angle lens or fisheye for a more unusual view
3. Use a high ISO in low light
4. If you need a shutter speed slower than 1/30 sec use a tripod to avoid camera shake
5. Consider position wisely to decide if you need to include the surroundings
6. Look out for eye catching patterns and shapes
7. Use fill in flash where necessary

David Noton - Chasing the Light DVD Extracts

Here is an extract from his DVD 'Chasing the Light' showing the key aspects he thinks are most important when he is working.
1. Location finding and visualisation
2. Choosing time of day to get the best light
3. Shape, composition and perspective
4. Colour, contrast and tone
5. Post Production

Built Environment Research

The next person i am going to research is Ashley Franklin. I found his work in a magazine called Derbyshire Life. I chose this photographer as his images seemed similar in content to what i would be covering.

These photos are very much about the buildings in your local area. His compositions seem quite simple, but often combined with the other factors of the image give them professional status.

This is one of my favourites as i really like the perspective with the 'huge' creature by the 'tiny' building. This illusion is helped by having less depth of field so the background has less detail.

The time of day that this was taken was pivotal to the success. Due to both this and the weather conditions the photographer has managed to exploit the properties of the glass window panes and get lovely reflections.

This is another example of quite unusual perspective. The structure appears to be leaning to one side, possibly due to the position this was taken from and the type of lens used.

The light is very atmospheric here. It really adds to the photograph as it makes it look more historical.

The position of the camera was chosen so that the pews could act as lead in lines pointing the viewer towards the window where the most light and colour is in the image.

The colour of the sky is very important in shots like this. It really changes the mood of the image. Also the main focal point of the chimney is positioned along the first third in from the left conforming to the rule of thirds. The chosen content made the image a little different as well as the shape of the building adds more variety to the collection.

Here a tree is used to effectively frame the church, adding interest along with the cloud detail.

Aspects i aim to include in my work are interesting perspective, framing and sky interest.

Built Environment Research

The next photographer i would like to look at is Nick Meers. He is another photographer that i noticed in the National Trust magazine. I chose him as his work has a lot of atmosphere and is very varied in content.

The colour is quite striking in this photo and makes it more interesting than it would have been otherwise.

The composition of this image is what makes it work. Getting the patterned circle on the top third with the light pouring in below it and the two alcoves either side was down to careful positioning.

The image below is made up of the pattern created by the roof timbers and also the texture of the wood itself.

This photograph in particular stood out to me as it seems to have a story to tell. The building is clearly very interesting and the places the light is falling give just enough away to the viewer. The staircases are positioned so that they seem to flow through the image.

I also really like this image. The shape of the staircase appears quite unusual and the position of the camera really accentuates the perspective.

This image is an example of a natural frame for a building.  Also it conforms to the rule of thirds as the building is positioned approximately a third down from the top and the pillar is roughly a third in from the right.

As with the other research the depth of field is far reaching to cover a large area of focus.

Here the rows of bushes are used as a lead in line to point the way to the door of the building.

This is another example of framing. This time the use of a gate makes it more of an invitation to the viewer.

Aspects i would aim to include are perspective and use of light to create atmosphere.

Built Environment Research

The next photographer i have researched is Nadia Mackenzie. I noticed her work in the National Trust magazine. I chose her to look at as her images are very different to the others i have seen! The images i have picked out are all from the same set. They all share the same lack of colour instead allowing the viewer to concentrate on the shapes and textures of the buildings.

This image includes the use of a lead in line (some kind of walkway i think) which takes the eye across the scene.

This is an example of using a frame within an image. The open door leaves the viewer imagining what is just out of shot.

With no people or other details included these buildings seem to have no sense of scale. They could be huge castles or small models in a studio.

As with the other architectural photographers the depth of field is large; keeping most of the background detail in focus so nothing is lost.

I really like the simple compositions of these photographs. The shapes are intriguing and the chosen crop makes it balanced to the eye.

The position this was taken from creates an interesting perspective. Looking up at the towers makes them loom larger and the solitary tree in the centre of the gates is dwarfed in comparison.

The window in this image is positioned on the bottom third, allowing the light to cover the archway above.

As there is no colour the shadows and highlights play an important role. They are used to add depth to the images and emphasize the shapes of the structures. They also add atmosphere especially in this sort of photograph where the viewer feels they are peering round a corner.

The aspect i intend to include in my work is the simple, graphic shapes and compositions.

Built Environment Research

The next photographer i would like to research is Mark Fiennes I chose to look at his work because it included various types of building and both indoor and outdoor images. I found his name in a National Trust magazine.

This first image is a good example of the use of perspective. This is very important with this type of photography as it gives a sense of scale. The columns are used as lead in lines, which point the way to the window. Also the columns closest to the viewer are used to create a frame for the lighter part of the picture. The light is used to great effect here as it pours in at the main point of interest and covers enough of the image to highlight lots of details but not so much that there are no shadow areas.

As with the landscape photography it is common to use quite a large depth of field to allow front to back sharpness. This shows lots of detail throughout the image.

The composition of this photo is what caught my attention. It is very simple but effective. The point at which the stairs are cropped is the important decision.

I really like the shapes in this photo. According to his website the building is a church. I like the material that has been used as it really adds to the shape of the smooth blocks. 

This image illustrates the use of reflections in architectural photography. This works well because of the arches in particular and also the colour of the building stands out against the water.

This castle photograph is an example of the rule of thirds. The main point of interest (the closest tower) is positioned on the first third across.

Aspects i would like to include in my images are the use of perspective, light and shape.

Built Environment Research

The other theme i would like to research is architectural photography. The first photographer i am going to look at is Antony Weller. I found him through an internet search. I chose this photographer because he seemed to have some eye catching compositions. As with the nature photography, the focus tends to be far reaching, ie a large depth of field. This is likely because this means they can include the most detail and illustrate the perspective of the large buildings.

For example, the image below is taken from a very intriguing position creating a new perspective. The viewer can be confused by what they are seeing - at first glance it isn't that obvious which way is up. The stairs form a wonderful spiral which is a very popular topic for this type of photography. It is possible that this image would work in black and white as the shape and perspective is most important and the colour doesn't add to it as much.

This photo is all about texture. As far as i can tell it appears to be a wooden structure with a concrete wall leading up to it. All the different planks of wood are visible, including enough detail to see how grainy the surfaces are.

The composition of this image was the reason i chose it. The lines of the structure are positioned so that they form a natural frame for the intricate glass design and the sky beyond.

I chose this image for the strong line of columns which create a graphic photograph.

This image shows that you don't need to include the whole building to get an impressive photo. By using a closer shot of the column detail it provides both an interesting image and one that hints at the rest of the imposing building out of shot.

The colour of the sky is very important in this photograph. If it had been grey and boring the structure would have blended into the background. The bright blue contrasts well and the clouds are used to add further interest.

The photo below uses the rule of thirds to some extent. The place where the lines cross to form the x (over the top of another line) is along the top third of the image.

Aspects i would like to try and include in my images are: strong lead in lines, interesting shapes and unusual viewpoints.