Present Cary Photographic Artists Architecture A Mastering the Art of Photography Topic Developed by Sterling E. Stevens September 20, 2012 Note 1: All notes are on the final page
Agenda Useful equipment Camera settings Composition Post-processing Discussion 2
Useful equipment Camera: with adjustable aperture / shutter / ISO settings and filter screw-in thread Lens: wide to moderate in most situations sometimes a telephoto gets the good shot Tripod Cable release Circular or linear polarizer 3
Camera settings Shoot with as low an ISO as possible to reduce distracting noise. ISO100 typically works during the day. Achieve deep depth-of-field (DOF) hand-held between F8.0 and F11.0. Deeper DOF can be achieved with narrower apertures, longer exposures, and setting your camera on a tripod. Adjust white balance settings Automated AWB (auto-white balance), day, fluorescent, tungsten, day, cloudy, shade Custom You can set an individual photo s temperature with the help of a grey card or a white element such as a foam core board. Postproduction Shooting in RAW can be advantageous because you can correct your photo s white balance with an editing program. 4
Compositional tips Shallow depth of field can emphasize architectural elements. Juxtaposing old versus new architecture is a common theme. Buildings can be effectively captured in elevation as well as in perspective. 5
Rule of thirds 6
Framing With architectural elements Environmental framing (urban or natural) Interior framing with furniture 7
Foreground objects Elements of composition Leading lines Curves 8
Elements of composition Light Shadow Reflections. A polarizer can help emphasize or decrease the amount of reflection your lens detects. Silhouette 9
Elements of composition Symmetry Patterns & Repetition 10
Elements of composition Geometry Shape Tension Convergence 11
Context Though often considered as isolated objects, buildings are typically designed in context with their surroundings. Streetscapes, the natural landscape, traffic, and people all interact with architecture. Including these elements inform, provide scale and infuses live energy into a photograph. 12
Time of day On sunny days, the best times to photograph are early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Beginning at dusk, evening shots can be achieved at all times of night, however the blue hour is considered the most magical for both exterior and interior architectural photography. It is the period of twilight in which the sky has a blue hue, as neither full daylight or in complete darkness. 13
High-dynamic range (HDR) HDR imaging allows greater dynamic range between the light and dark areas of an image to more accurately represent the intensity levels we see with our eyes. This is accomplished by bracketing exposures and compressing the individual photos with editing software. -3 0 +3 14
High-dynamic range (HDR) Photomatix is free editing software that many photographers use to develop HDR. 15
Color vs. black and white As a photographer, you determine what is important to your viewer. Color can inform design in important ways, while black and white strips away color to reveal elements of shape, reflection, light/shadow, and texture that might otherwise not stand out. 16
Have fun! often requires observation, patience, and a combination of planning and luck. Look up, down, ahead, and behind you. Show no hesitation in stepping forward and backwards or zoom in and out with your lens as you shoot. Most importantly, have fun! 17
Notes and Reference Permission to freely copy, distribute and non-commercially use this material in its entirety is granted to everyone. Permission to modify, dissassemble or charge for this material is expressly denied. 9 Architectural Photography Tips: http://digital-photography-school.com/architectural-photography A Guide to Architecture Photography: http://www.photographymad.com/pages/view/guide-to-architecturalphotography All About Polarizers Circular and Linear: http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/technical/polarizers.html Introduction to White Balance: http://digital-photography-school.com/introduction-to-white-balance Rule of thirds: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/rule_of_thirds The Ultimate Guide to HDR photography: http://www.pixiq.com/article/hdr-photography-how-to 18