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Architectural photography is one of my biggest passions, but it presents several challenges. Different textures can look strange on smartphones, and taking unique shots around popular locations is also difficult. Nonetheless, I use several tricks to capture better architectural images; here are some of my tried-and-tested favorites.
1Taking Wide-Angle Photos of Multiple Buildings
When you think of architectural photography, do you mainly think of capturing one building? If so, I’d challenge you to rethink this approach. I often include multiple buildings in my shots, and when doing this on a smartphone, it makes complete sense to take wide-angle shots.
Smartphone camera lenses are often wide-angle by default, but if you’re able to, I recommend zooming out even further than the default. For example, when taking photos on my iPhone, the detail often looks much better at 0.5 x than it does normally. This is a game-changer when capturing skyline shots in particular.
I also encourage you to think about how the buildings work with each other. For example, if there is architecture on two sides of a street, look for symmetry. I’ve alsoused numerous photography rules to level up my smartphone photography(including architectural photography), such as leading lines.
2Including Water in the Image When Possible
I’m lucky to live in a city with beautiful architecture and lots of water because it makes smartphone photography much easier. I love including canals and rivers in my shots, especially when the buildings reflect off the water. I also enjoy taking pictures of harbor areas along the coast for this exact reason; the sea often balances everything out nicely.
You can approach this in numerous ways. While some people might want to adopt more of a Wes Anderson-style minimalist frame, others may go the complete opposite way and include as much as possible. The only thing I would say is to stop and think about your scene before photographing it; you have the luxury of getting everything right when shooting inanimate objects.
3Taking Photos of Colorful Buildings
Having grown up in a city with largely gray architecture, I can’t begin to tell you how much of a difference some color makes. When traveling, I always try to find scenic views with colorful buildings. Another benefit is that these colors often complement each other, meaning that you can automatically implement color theories.
Sometimes, I’ll capture photos of colorful buildings from a wide-angle perspective. However, I also like including many of them next to each other, getting closer, and pointing my camera upwards. Another of my favorite compositions is when all of the roofs are an identical color—where I live, for example, many of the older buildings have orange roofs.
4Looking for Unique Perspectives and Patterns
Sticking to one vantage point is one ofthe biggest urban photography mistakes to avoid, and this is especially true with architectural photography. I’ve been guilty in the past of snapping one picture and then leaving, but now, I make a conscious effort to explore all possibilities. Even if you see the same building multiple times, you’ll probably find a unique angle that you otherwise wouldn’t have noticed.
Besides looking upwards, I also like photographing buildings from their corners. Another alternative to consider is only capturing part of the building—for example, you could photograph just a church spire or skyscraper antenna. Some buildings also have tiles and other textures worth capturing.
5Turning On My Camera Grid
I suggest turning on your camera grid for all types of smartphone photography, but it’s particularly essential when taking pictures of architecture. Trying to guess how a building should look on your phone is quite challenging, and all too often, I’ve ended up with suboptimal results because of this.
Turning on the grid takes just a few seconds, but it’ll have a huge return on investment. If you plan to use different compositions, switching on your grid will also make things infinitely easier. Knowingthe best type of smartphone camera gridwill also help you take your photography game to the next level.
6Analyzing Shapes
Even the dullest of buildings have interesting shapes worth analyzing. I like looking at different window patterns; many modern structures have experimental layouts, while older buildings often have a charm that can’t be replicated. Balconies are also quite fun to photograph.
Closer to the ground, I recommend looking for different doorway shapes and considering how you’re able to make these look more interesting. Roof shapes can also be interesting, and you should also look for flamboyant exteriors like stacked cubes.
7Including People in My Architectural Photos
While architectural photography is very different from street photography, it’s still sometimes fun to include people in photos where buildings are the main focus. Whereas I would make the person bigger in street-style photos, I often decrease their scale in architectural photography. Doing so makes it easier for me to show how small they are compared to the structure.
I also like including people in architectural shots because they help tell the story better. This is especially true in busy cities like New York City, where it’s practically impossible to avoid people anyway.
I’ll also include people in my skyline photos, especially whentaking pictures in popular spots with lots of tourists. Doing so automatically provides a unique perspective.
8Changing My Phone Filter Depending on the Type of Architecture
Your smartphone’s photo filters make a huge difference depending on the lighting situation, but they’re also good for capturing different types of architecture. For example, if I want to take photos of colorful buildings, I often use Vivid to make them look more colorful. Meanwhile, architectural photos taken on rainy days will benefit from a more dramatic filter.
I love moody-style photography, and these filters make it easier to achieve my desired results.
On the other hand, I often experiment with warmer and cooler tones for modern buildings. It depends on the lighting already in the picture, along with the color of the building itself. Besides using your camera filters, you can also use multiplemobile apps that offer creative photo effects.
While architectural smartphone photography is quite challenging, you may do several things to take better pictures. Turning on your camera grid is an easy solution, but you should also think about the different filters available on your phone. And looking for unique perspectives will go a long way to ensure that you take more interesting pictures than others.
