Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

Dramatic Architectural Photography Lighting Techniques

Architectural photography may look like one of the easiest forms of photography; we have all taken photos of city landmarks and marveled ̵1; or been disappointed ̵1; at the results. But, contrary to appearances, it takes a lot of application to get a strikingly impressive architectural image. Some of this is owing to experience, technique and talent, but a little bit of luck with respect to dramatic lighting goes a long way.

Wide Angle
- Most dramatic architectural photos are taken with a wide-angle lens, with an ideal focal range of 10-22mm, which accentuates the prevailing light conditions. Using the extreme range of the lens (10mm) will appear to stretch the sky; even a dull, cloudy sky will take on a different perspective as the detail in the clouds will be accentuated. In other light conditions, such as when clouds form unusual shapes against a clear blue sky, or dark thunderclouds hang ominously over the building, this effect takes on a truly dramatic appearance.
Chase The Shadows
- Under direct or harsh sunlight, the lighting on a building will be flat and dull, which is unappealing and appears amateurish. The best lighting technique is to observe the subject, and wait until it's lit from the side, rather than from above or behind. The reason for this is the shadows created by side-lighting give a building depth and emphasizes its details. This looks particularly dramatic when the subject has interesting architectural features.
Airy Compositions
- Although some architectural shots benefit from tight compositions, if you want to use lighting to its most dramatic effect, it's best to leave plenty of open space in your image. Use this technique if you're photographing buildings in a natural setting where you can leave two-thirds of your photo open for sky. However, for particularly dramatic lighting, this works best when there are interesting features in the sky such as clouds or if there's color resulting from an imminent sunrise or sunset.
Night Shots
- Nothing accentuates a building as much as nighttime lighting, particularly in a city. Different structures are lit up at night, such as bridges, monuments and other landmarks. To get the most dramatic effect, wait for ideal lighting conditions, which usually appear soon after the sun has set but before the sky turns black. Mount your camera on a tripod to avoid blurry images, and use your widest lens. Be aware of exposure problems ̵1; the darker the sky becomes, the bigger the risk the lights on the building will be overexposed.

Other Hobbies