The Beauty and Challenge of Architectural Photography (with Tips for Gear and Composition)
Article by Faraz Razzagh (@farazrazz)
Edited by Mike Simpson (@mikesimpson.ms)
In a beautiful and bustling city like Toronto, there is no shortage of inspiration to draw from for your camera to capture. Luckily in a metropolis that is home to the iconic CN tower, one such source of inspiration is, of course, architectural photography.
The beauty of architecture is inherent in itself. It’s beautiful, because artists design these buildings. As a photographer, not only do you want to show this, you want to also incorporate your own creative elements to showcase your skills and talent.
Gear and Picking Your Vantage Spot
Just a quick note on gear, usually for many scenes you will want to use a wide angle. The wider the better for architecture photography. Maybe a telephoto lens is something you want to bring along for building details. Don’t limit yourself with just wide angle however. Play around!
When identifying a building as a subject, you want to check out the vantage and surroundings. Do a little survey, walk around the block, check it out from across the street. Check it out low. Check it from a higher vantage.
Choosing Unique Perspectives
In the first photo, Old City Hall can be seen from a hidden perspective with the use of other structural elements. The architecture here stands out with the help of framing and leading lines that help to highlight our subject. Something that might look mundane on the street can look absolutely phenomenal when taking this approach.
The iconic Gooderham building, is a flatiron building in historic downtown east St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood.
Thank you to our author for sharing the article and photos!
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