Buildings, whether these are skyscrapers, churches, schools, museums, or local malls, are some of the most popular objects that the majority of people tend to photograph. In some sense, all of them are architecture photographers, as they crave to make them look as aesthetically pleasing as possible so that their shots will remain in their memory for life. The difference between ordinary smartphone owners and specialists is that the latter are qualified in representing objects accurately, which becomes possible if you know specialized techniques and have the necessary equipment. What is the nature of architectural photography?

Basic Principles of Architectural Photography

For a photo to become a work of fine art photography, artists need to understand and implement several principles that make architectural photography so unique and unprecedented.

First and foremost, you need a camera with a decent DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) to control the perspective color and produce high-quality images. Besides, the secret to better photos lies in lenses, and there is no one type of lens suitable for such type of photography. For example, prime lenses make photos sharper, tilt-shirt lenses allow you to avoid perspective distortion, and wide-angle lenses often help you fit several objects in a frame.

The next part of creating architectural photography is the process of shooting and editing. By choosing the right time and location, which means the amount of shadow in the image and perspective, professional photographers basically run a photoshoot with a sculpture being the main model of it. Trying to get the perfect shot, they usually deal with distortion and lighting, which overall make the whole procedure rather tiresome. Thankfully, a lot of flaws are eliminated through an editing process.

Quick Tips to Make Your Architecture Photography Look Better

Even if you don’t have specialized equipment and necessary skills, some tips can make your “amateur smartphone practices” more effective and pleasant. What can you do?

Don’t be afraid of the people in the photos. Of course, people are often removed from photos, but that doesn’t mean it is a must. Waiting for the right time might be very time-consuming, so instead, make people part of the structure.

Don’t look for the perfect angle. You will lose a lot if you don’t try photographing a building from all the physically possible angles. Don’t stick to the “popular” ones, especially if it is a famous tourist destination.

Visit the place several times. It is probably the biggest secret of architectural photography. You never know how the shadow and light, accompanied by the weather, will change the appearance of a construction. Make sure to visit the place several times at different periods.