Architecture Photography Tips with Ales Vyslouzil

20 years ago, I started to study Civil Engineering and Architecture. Since that moment I always find myself mesmerized by architecture and buildings — whether I’m driving around Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or halfway around the world. It amazes me how something can be so functional, and so eye-pleasing at the same time.

I love capturing this beauty through photography, and I have learned tips and tricks over the years while doing it more, and more often every year.

In this article, I would like to share some of the most important creative architecture photography tips. Perhaps, you can take them and use them in your own creative output.

How to shoot architecture photography

What story do you want to tell?

I believe it all comes down to the story you want to tell and how you want to communicate it. Architecture can reveal details about a location, and often transforms how we engage with space. Architecture can represent growth and development, or demise. It represents changes through time. It can include iconic symbols or international landmarks. Importantly you want your viewer to feel and be a part of the space.

In Dubai, where I live and produce my work, there’s no shortage of fascinating buildings to photograph. When I’m trying to create an image, I am working to understand the space, feel it, be a part of it. I am trying to visualize how homeowners, tenants, people would use it. Architecture should have a positive impact on our feelings and lives.

When I’m creating an image that is talking about the structural qualities of modern architecture, I think about how to emphasize details such as the lines of a building, or the patterns often found in this style of architecture.

In many cases, architectural subjects are symmetrical, in this case, I work hard to ensure my images convey that same symmetry. It’s a simple — yet technical — approach, which can have a great impact.

This technique is all about attention to detail, so be sure to line yourself up with the precise center of the building you’re photographing.

Look for the light

Light, Light, and Light. I can not emphasize it more than enough. Photography is all about light, and sometimes the difference between a good and a great image comes down to scouting, planning, and timing. We do not always have that luxury, but where possible, I take my time to observe my subject and have a good look around before shooting. This allows me to identify interesting angles and features of the building and provides me the opportunity to look for the light.

When I’m scouting a location to shoot I avoid shooting buildings that are in flat light or the shadows of other buildings. To avoid flat light, look for subjects that are brightly lit, a bright subject against a dark background creates a strong sense of contrast and enhances the composition of your image by allowing your subject to stand out from the background.

If you’re presented with a high contrast lighting situation, look for any interesting shadows that may form. High contrast lighting situations often reveal new patterns or shapes that can uniquely enhance your composition.

When I’m looking for a light, I’m constantly observing how the light hits the facade of the subject, and if it reveals any new details.

I tend to revisit projects I am commissioned to shoot at different times of the day. Revisiting a site under different lighting conditions often reveals different details, making each shoot unique and gives the client an opportunity to select the best images.

Recommended gear for architecture photography

Architecture can be photographed with any lens and camera, just consider how you’ll use the gear you have, as it will impact your composition. Don’t forget, the camera is only a medium between your eye and subject. Don’t let your gear dictate or diminish your creativity.

Typically buildings are quite large subjects, and therefore require wider focal lengths in order to fit the whole subject in. While you may be tempted to tip the camera up to capture the height of the subject, try to keep the sensor parallel to the subject you are shooting to avoid converging vertical lines.

I love shooting architecture photography with Tilt-Shift lenses, specifically the Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift lens. It’s without a doubt my favorite lens — closely followed by the Canon TS-E 17mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift lens — for when I’m shooting slightly larger subjects, interiors or small spaces.

This type of lens allows you to control the convergence effect, which means you can control how the lines appear on tall buildings, for example — keeping them parallel, instead of converging to a vanishing point. By adjusting the shift function of the Tilt-Shift lens, I can better control perspective and distortion. This allows me to keep my camera’s sensor parallel to the subject I’m shooting, while still capturing the height of a building.

Use a tripod. This will help keep your camera parallel to the subject when you’re shooting your subject front on. Tripods are especially useful if you do shoot with the Tilt-Shift lenses — you’ll need your hands free to adjust the shift and tilt functions.

Camera settings for architecture photography

When it comes to photographing architecture, shoot in Aperture Priority (AV) or Manual modes. I prefer 100% Manual mode as it gives me full control of my camera. Your subject is stationary, so you can shoot with slower shutter speeds if needed.

Just remember, anything below 1/60th of a second requires a tripod! Or solid grip, my shaky hands can’t do it.

My preferred camera settings for architecture photography are:

• Manual exposure mode
• ISO: 100
• Aperture: f/8 to f/14
• Shutter Speed: Varies depending on the light, but you could start with 1/125th of a second and go from there.

And if you need an extra hand, bring your assistant along.