Architecture Preview #2

When shooting architecture, you should consider the following:

Architectural considerations:

1. Details - Wide shots of the entire building often don't give you a full sense of the character of a structure. The best way is often to get close (either literally or with telephoto lens) and get nice shots of the little details that make a building special.

2. Light - The way that light interacts with and travels through a building is a big part of the mood of a building. By finding areas where natural and artificial light create dramatic scenes, and photographing these with a slow shutter speed (tripod is helpful) a photographer can capture the light as it defines the building.

3. Patterns - Repeated patterns often define the large interior and exterior spaces of a building. By framing a shot so as to maximize the effects of repeated lines, structures and shapes, a photographer can capture the visual rhythm of a building.

4. Angles and shapes- Anything other than a right angle or a rectangular shape is worth photographing, and right angles can even be interesting if photographed well. Buildings are a collection of shapes. Photographers should look at them that way and emphasize interesting geometry whenever possible.

5. Surroundings - Buildings exist in a setting, and that setting helps to define the story of the building. Is the building in harmony with its surroundings or does it stick out like a sore thumb. If your shooting a wide exterior shot of a building, try to show how it interacts with the surroundings. Consider framing the building with its surroundings.

You will need to turn in one photo for each prompt - for a total of 5 images. Be creative. Try to change your perspective. Expose the images properly please. You will be shooting these next class so if you want to bring your own camera, please do so. F

Here is your assignment for today:

Go back to Architecture preview #1. For the 5 buildings you picked out for that assignment, I want you to go find 1 photo for each of the prompts listed above. Find one image that shows details, one for light, one for patterns, one for angles and shapes and finally one image for surroundings for EACH of the five buildings. Post these images on your blog in a new post called Architecture preview #2. You should label each image and you should post a total of 25 images today. I know that it might be hard to find each of these for your selected building, but do the best you can. If you absolutely cannot find an image that works for one of the prompts, indicate that in your blog post. Do NOT turn in less than 20 images.