Architecture photography is a serious thing, and it’s more than just taking pictures of buildings! A lot of people seem to think that it’s the easiest form of photography, as your job is to take pictures of large, inanimate objects…but that’s the sole reason why it’s hard in the first place! It takes skill, patience, and talent to make such a seemingly boring matter look interesting on camera – and a lot of people fail in doing so! So here’s the ultimate beginner’s guide to architecture photography to become a pro in no time!
Where to Begin?
Jumping into a new thing is hard, regardless if you want to do it as a hobby or as a profession, it’s easy to get lost at the beginning! When it comes to architecture photography there is more to it than just taking pictures of random buildings and spaces, if you want to make it look good, you need to think about the thing you are taking a picture of beforehand! Buildings and interiors are quite complex even if they don’t seem like it – it’s all about learning to look at the subject matter and how it will translate on camera, so think about angles, lighting, textures, focus…basically know the ins and outs of photography before jumping into it!
Equipment
After you’ve taught about the theoretical side of things, you need to jump into getting the hardware! It’s true that the high quality of the camera doesn’t mean that the pictures will automatically be of high quality, especially if you are a beginner. When just starting out, it’s important to choose your equipment carefully, but you also don’t want to go all out and spend a fortune on professional gear. As mentioned, high-quality cameras are great, but your skills and talent are more important especially for this kind of photography! It’s also good to mention that having multiple lenses is a great thing for architecture photography, so you can switch it up to suit whatever structure you are taking a picture of!
Building a Portfolio
Regardless if you are doing this out of fun, or for professional reasons, you never know when having a portfolio might come in handy! There are multiple ways you can approach this, depending on what type of architecture you are planning on capturing. It’s important to understand that having a good portfolio that highlights your work will certainly expose you to business deals. The professionals behind https://chadchenierphotography.com/houston-architectural-photographer/ say that putting your work out there the right way, makes all the difference. if you are interested in pursuing this as a career, it’s good to see what others are doing, but don’t try to copy them, just take inspiration!
Practice Makes Perfect
You probably won’t be perfect at architecture photography, no matter how easy you think it is, it takes practice! Professionals always suggest how practicing can truly sharpen your eye when it comes to photography, especially architecture – it’s all about making every detail count and bringing the inanimate object to life! A lot of photographers suggest just putting yourself out there and taking as many pictures as you possibly can, try to change the subject of your photos, different buildings, and versatile settings, just to practice taking pictures of a variety of things! Doesn’t matter if they end up good or not, but taking pictures on a daily basis will sharpen your senses and so you’re naturally going to get better at it!
Feel Free to Experiment
Just like with any other creative field, you are more than welcomed to experiment and take a totally fresh way of doing things! Architecture photography is not set in stone, you can still have your own style of photography while appealing to the market. And who knows, maybe you can even become a famous photographer while doing so! As long as you stay open and inspired to try new things, the possibilities are endless – even if you are taking pictures of buildings or interiors, you can still make it your own and use it as a way to express both yourself and the space you are photographing!
At the end of the day, it’s all about being able to capture a certain space the right way, that’s why every photographer is different! You don’t have to copy someone in order to be good, as long as you keep practicing and evolving, there is no way your progress will be stagnant! So go out and take as many pictures as you possibly can, and feel free to explore all your options, take pictures of skyscrapers, tiny houses, back alleys, office spaces, or anything that might seem interesting to you!
