44 12 October 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Technique TIPS AND TRICKS
1 2 7
Tell a story
Tell the story of the building.
As well as your safe wide shots, capture
details or interesting elements either up
close on a wide lens, or far away and zoom
in to flatten them out. Janie Airey,
http://www.janie-airey.com
1 2 8
Stay level
Switch on the electronic
level or attach a spirit/bubble level to the
accessory shoe of your camera to keep the
lines of buildings nice and straight. It’s
also worth familiarising yourself with the
post-production techniques for correcting
lens distortion. AP
12 9
Know your rights
When you’re photographing
private property you might be approached
by a security guard or other official
questioning your motives. Make sure you’re
aware of your rights, and keep abreast of
any changes to the law. AP
130
Think like an architect
Study the way the space is
being used, notice where the shadows fall,
and observe the balance between positive
and negative space. AP
131
Shoot doorways
and details
Look at the entrance to a building: is it
ornate or plain? Is there a step that has
been worn down by hundreds of feet? Is
there a doorknob shiny from years of use?
Once you’ve explored the doorway, turn
your attention to any windows. AP
132
Record repairs
If you hear about a famous
building (such as the clock tower housing
Big Ben) undergoing repairs, take the
opportunity to record the workmen and
women going about their business. It’s
all part of the building’s history. AP
133
Explore every angle
Explore a building from every
angle: lay down on the ground and look up,
climb on a wall to get a higher vantage
point, go inside and ask if you can climb
the bell tower etc. When you think you’ve
exhausted every photo opportunity, take a
break, and then start all over again. AP
134
Record growth
and demise
If a landmark building is planned for your
town or city make a point of recording its
progress. On the flipside, if a building is
about to be demolished see if you can find
out when and then document its demise. AP
135
Use lead-in lines
Use stairways, escalators,
walls and fences as lead-in lines, but make
sure the viewer has something interesting
to look at once they get there. AP
Architecture
Explore buildings and man-made
landscapes from different angles
and perspectives, with our final
set of expert top tips120
Switch
on
During the blue hour the
city lights come to life,
adding a new dimension
to the scene (reverse the
above for the pre-sunrise
blue hour). Any clouds in
the sky add texture and
provide options for varying
shutter speeds. Increase
the ISO and deal with the
noise later to freeze an
image, or increase the
shutter and get creative.
Dave Fieldhouse,
http://www.davefi eldhouse
photography.com1 1 8
Try HDR
Interior photography is one area
that always looks good when given the HDR
treatment, as these locations often feature
high-contrast light – bright windows set against
the darker interior corners will always be a
diffi cult exposure to contend with. It can also be
a challenge owing to mixed lighting. Areas lit by
different light sources can make post-processing
diffi cult, so converting an image to black & white
can help because mono naturally removes
colour inconsistencies. James Abbott,
http://www.jamesaphoto.co.uk119
Expose
for
stained glass
To record the light
transmitted through
stained glass at the
correct exposure it is
necessary to ignore the
surrounding frame or
tracery and base the
exposure on the light
coming through. The
required exposure will be
less than that indicated
by the metering system.
Reducing the exposure
suffi ciently will allow
detail to be retained in
the highlight areas of the
glass. The shadow will
lose some detail, but this
is often easier to recover
in post-production.
Steve Cole© DAVE FIELDHOUSE
© JAMES ABBOTT
© STEVE COLE
© VERIT Y MILLIGAN