ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHYRobbie Hickman

GENRE

My chosen genre is architectural photography. Architectural photography primarily involves capturing images of

buildings, houses and other similar structures. Images in this style tend to be accurate and aesthetic representations of their subjects.

There are many reasons why the application is used e.g. to sell houses or advertise a place to stay in.

I chose this genre because it involves photographing buildings; there are lots different types of buildings around York to capture. Therefore, there is a wide range of options regarding the application.

THE CAMERA

I will need to change the following settings on the camera to ensure I can take my images successfully.

Focal Length: 10-34mm. Aperture: f/4 or f/5.6 Shutter Speed: ½ second (interior) and 1/500 seconds (exterior) ISO: 100 White Balance: Daylight/Cloudy (depending on the weather)

Adjusting these settings correctly will result in high-quality and professional-looking images.

COMPOSITIONAL TECHNIQUES

I can use the following compositional techniques to enhance the quality of my images, as well as to create meaning and evoke emotion in many ways.

Rule of Thirds: to create tension Repetition: create a rhythmic pattern Contrast: provide more to interact with Leading/Diagonal Lines: guide the customer’s eye Symmetry: create a sense of balance Tone/Atmosphere: to enhance the quality of the image

INSPIRATION

My ideas have been influenced by specific architectural photographers who have employed a wide range of styles and techniques to make their images look appealing.

Dennis Gilbert: a professional photographer who has travelled to many countries around the world to capture images of immense structures, as well as breath-taking views of city skylines.

Francis Frith: a British photographer who attempted to capture historical locations at every town and village in the U.K. and travelled to places like Egypt and the Middle East.

Finding information about photographers like these has been beneficial because I have been able to gain insight regarding the different techniques and settings to utilize when it comes to architectural photography. I have also found out that there is a wide range of options using the application.

IDEAS

Because architecture involves capturing buildings and similar structures, I will be capturing a wide range of different structures around York including:

Tall Structures: I could represent tall structures e.g. the ‘Morrisons Chimney’ as dominant and imposing structures. It would be a good idea to alter the colour of the image to black and white because I could provide a menacing feel to the image.

Churches: A good example of a church I could photograph is York Minister. The use of a low-angle shot could allow me to convey the size of such structures.

Historical Structures: I could capture images of these to create meaning. Good examples of structures of this type around York are Clifford’s Tower or the York City Wall. The wide-angle lens could enable me to capture an entire structure, as well as to represent how big the structure is.

Bridges: I could photograph the bridge over the River Ouse using a wide-angle lens. This would be ideal because I could represent the immense scale of structures around York. I could use a wide range of compositional techniques e.g. repetition in regard to the patterns on the bridge.

MOODBOARD