Photographing Architecture

In my mind photographing architecture use to be shooting buildings.  Period.  I didn't think in terms of the full definition of the word and how architecture applies to landscapes, design of light and shadow, physical structures of all types, ambiance of space, materials, technology, social consideration and environment.

Condominiums in Downtown Seattle, Wa
The features of this condo seem appealing at first glance and
geometrically speaking it looks nice.  But with the proximity
of the office building hovering immediately over each balcony
it feels intimidating.  Then the terraces or balcony of each
of the units have a very clear view of the balcony just to one
side of them.

Structurally speaking I really like the look of the condo and
the office building right behind it.  But socially it seems
awkward.

Once I started thinking in terms of something other than just a geometric structure I began to look at how I wanted to photograph architectural structures and how they fit into the space they occupy.  In fact once I began thinking differently, I began to see differently.  I still look for geometric shapes as one of the first things that catch my eye, but now I look a little closer. Walking around the subject, going in it, looking closely at the texture of the materials and looking at how it sits in relationship to other buildings. In the urban landscape the social factor is important as well.  As a cultural symbol of city dwellers do these condos/apartments offer a feeling of being socially connected or separated?  Do the towering office buildings fit comfortably in the whole landscape and offer a welcoming presence or a foreboding one?

Some structures are true works of art, others appear to have been built with efficiency only in mind.

When traveling I used to get up in the morning grab my camera, batteries, extra cards and take a walk around the city looking for interesting building to photograph.  Now I prep my walk the same way but know that my time out will be much more interesting and a great deal more enlightening and maybe a bit more challenging. Photographing the way I do now I'm more likely to meet people because I'm getting in closer.  I'm learning a little more about the area I'm in and the history of the building(s) I'm shooting.

Office building downtown Seattle, Wa
This rather featureless structure only offers a static geometric design and
a textured veneer of some interest.  The fact that it's sitting alone (there are other building just outside
the frame of this shot) gives it this monolithic feel, which I kind of liked.

The artistic design work and thought that goes into the interior of urban buildings is also important to how the structure fits into an area.  That foreboding feeling you can get from a building that doesn't have any inviting features or a welcoming presence can feel intimidating.

The Convention Center in downtown Tacoma, Washington is a
perfect example of a welcoming building.  It's all glass, metal
and wood.  Standing outside you can see right through
it and standing inside you still feel like you're right in the
heart of downtown.

Fitting into the area and asking people to come in is important. It can give a kind of personality to the place.  I've walked past buildings that I thought I wanted to go into only to find an unwelcoming feeling at the lobby door.  I suppose that could be on purpose in some situations but I prefer a personality that's a bit more inviting.

Getting into some of these buildings may seem like a daunting task in itself but I've found that, like most things, a smile and a sincere approach can get you in to most places. The day I photographed the inside of the Tacoma, Washington Convention Center it was closed and locked.  I walked around the building and saw the convention center office, went in and told the front desk that I was an amateur photographer and was interested in architectural photography, loved this building and would love to have a little tour.  In just a couple of minutes they were kind enough to find someone to take me around.  You just have to ask.

As far as camera gear goes it's a matter of what's important to you with regard to image quality.  But the one thing that is important is having a little bit of a wide angle lens.  I find at least a 28mm wide lens is good and most cameras can achieve that easily.

For any interior photos a tripod would be helpful but you can always look for a ledge of some kind to rest the camera on and put your 2 second timer to work.  I like plenty of depth of field so a larger f stop, say f5.6 to f11, works best for what I like but remember that the bigger the f number the slower your shutter speed so you'll definitely need a solid purchase for your camera.  I like to keep my ISO number relatively low also, say around 200 to 400, so I can avoid the digital noise issue. Again, low ISO, high f stop equals slower shutter speeds, so you'll need support for your camera.

Seattle, Washington, office building

Seattle, Washington, condominium

The Westin Hotel, Seattle, Washington (one of the two towers)

So for me the whole idea of shooting buildings has become a more encompassing process.  Look up, look down, walk around and look in, when you can.  Meet some folks and ask some questions.  You'll find out something about the building, meet some new people and maybe get access to places you might not have otherwise.

I go light too.  One camera, one lens and the usual extras; batteries, cards, cell phone and business cards if you have them. You may meet someone who might like to see your photos.

A few more photos can be seen here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomcollinsphoto/sets/72157623792319688/


Thanks for following along.

Tom