tips for taking architectural photographs

Tips for taking architectural photographs

Here are some tips for taking architectural photographs. Taking stunning photos of buildings may seem challenging. But it doesn’t have to be! You just need to know a few creative shooting and editing tricks. In this tutorial, you’ll discover 10 secrets for jaw-dropping architecture photography even with your phone. 

1. Look for geometric shapes

   Buildings are full of geometric shapes. Notice the images here are all reflections from one building to another. And shapes are perfect for creating eye-catching compositions in your architecture photography.’When you look at a building, challenge yourself to find as many shapes as possible. How many squares, rectangles, triangles, or circles can you spot?
   The easiest place to find shapes is in the form of windows, doors, and archways. If you’re photographing the exterior of a building, look for different shapes on its facade. Once you’ve found a shape that interests you, you need to compose your shot.  Eliminate anything distracting from the frame. Move closer to crop out unwanted surroundings. Try shooting from directly in front of the shape to create a symmetrical composition. Then move to one side to see whether that creates a more interesting image. You could also experiment with shooting from high and low angles. Remember, you want the shape to be the main attraction. So take a few moments to find a shooting angle that makes the shape stand out. The results will definitely be worth it!

2. Look for strong elements. 

   How do you approach architecture photography more creatively? How do you capture awe-inspiring photos of buildings that really stand out? Make use of architecture design elements when composing your shot. Classic elements of design in architecture include lines, symmetry, geometric shapes, patterns, and colors. So a step to tips for taking architectural photographs is look carefully at the building. Which architecture design elements can you see? Do you see lines running horizontally, vertically, or diagonally? Can you see any repeating patterns in the design of the building? Modern buildings tend to work well for architecture photography. But once you start looking, you’ll see design elements in every building, whether it’s old and new. Once you’ve identified an interesting element, it’s time to compose your shot. And this is the most important part of the process. If you don’t compose carefully, your image won’t have any impact. Even the most impressive building will make a boring photo if you don’t use good composition. These are tips for taking architectural photographs

3. Look for Symmetry 

    

   Symmetry is one of the first things I check for in a building.  Why? Because symmetrical compositions are incredibly eye-catching. They grab the viewer’s attention. So where can you find symmetry in architecture? First, take a look at the building as a whole. Many buildings are designed to be symmetrical. For example, they might have a central entranceway with identical features on either side. Or the interior of the building might be laid out in a symmetrical format. You’ll also find symmetry in certain architectural features. For example, long corridors, tunnels, and archways are symmetrical by design. You can also look out for “near-symmetry.” This is where both sides of the image are very similar, but not an exact mirror image. The example below has a symmetrical composition. But the two sides have slightly different architectural features. When composing your photo, stand centrally in front of the building.  Then frame your shot with the line of symmetry down the middle of the frame. This was an additional tips for taking architectural photographs.