November 2024 Creative Challenge
For November’s Creative Challenge, we are inspired by the creativity and artistry of Randy Wilson who is a member of our photo team here at JKPW.
For 25 years he’s been a prominent architecture and interiors photographer for companies and firms in the South East United States (and beyond) - he’s been featured many times in Architectural Digest and other publications.
Architectural photography consists of buildings, bridges, cities and room scenes, with the most prominent element being the lines, followed by lighting.
When we photograph the exteriors of buildings, we are dependent on natural light and sky, just as we would be in any landscape session.
Interiors are also dependent on light, but you have a little more control over what type of light you’re utilizing - natural light, artificial light, or studio lighting. If you plan to use lamps, an aperture of F16 or F22 will crisp the starburst from the light, creating a sunburst effect. You may also need to color correct for your light temperature if you have multiple light sources.
A couple of things to note when photographing architecture:
Vertical lines need to be vertical - often, our lenses distort the lines we are photographing, so we need to know how to correct for that in the field if possible, and definitely utilize processing tools afterwards
Lighting changes mood - some buildings may require that lights are turned on inside, and often this can give a building a warmer or more ‘lived in’ look
Obstacles abound - get creative - When photographing interiors or exteriors, you may run into obstacles like traffic, people, and lighting issues. These are things you can address while shooting or during processing.
Architectural photography will be more visually interesting with a hero element - this may be something like lighting, color, lines that lead your eye, or even a piece of furniture or setting. (Think Christmas decorations that bring your eye to a mantel, etc.)
Jennifer also photographs architecture, but often on location at workshops. She’s found that these principles and things to keep in mind apply even to more interesting settings, and help her create great images!
