Tim’s approach to photographing urban buildings
1
Iconic buildings
If you’ve got a particular building or piece of
architecture in mind for your next urban shoot,
the first thing to do is work out where the
subject is and which direction it faces, because
there will be different opportunities depending
on the time of day and year. You might also
consider which aspects of the design you’d like
to capture. Is there a bigger story hidden in the
details of the architecture, or is there something
about the building that draws you to it?2
Same shot, different day
Smartphone apps are available that can tell
you the exact position of the sun at a certain
time of day, which can be very useful for
planning where to be and when. Once you’ve
got the shots based on your ideal scenario (or
the weather has something different in mind
on the actual day), remember that it can be
good to shoot the same building in different
conditions. How different might the same
feature look in different weather?3
Classic architecture
For these shots, you ideally want a sunny
day with no clouds. Consider the movement of
the sun when you plan which facades to shoot
at what time of day, thinking about how you
can use shadows to ‘sculpt’ the architectural
detailing. Having the sun in the mid-part of the
sky rather than directly above can help. Just
after sunset, natural lighting often matches the
lighting within a building, making twilight a good
time to shoot interior spaces from outside.4
Use clouds to good effect
Clouds can add a unique dimension to any type
of urban photography, so it is worth knowing
which ones to look out for. With a bit of thought
(and luck), they can really add to a composition
in the urban environment – softening hard
lines, providing an abstract background to a
silhouette and modifying the quality of the light.
Here, the fluffy white clouds have been softened
into a streaky haze by the use of a strong ND
filter, which adds a great sense of contrast.http://www.digitalcameraworld.com DECEMBER 2019 DIGITAL CAMERA^35
location beforehand can allow you
to plan out a shot list, if efficiency is
required. If you’re unable to physically
visit in advance, do your research
on the internet and using social
media. A certain neighbourhood or
building might catch your eye; there
could be some architecture that you
want to check out; or perhaps there’s
an event – be it protest or party – that
could yield photographic fruit.
http://www.timcornbillphotography.com
TimCornbillPhoto Active
Urban Photography
by Tim Cornbill
is published by Ilex
http://www.ilex.press