How does your architecture photography work, and what makes a great image? Ideally, the designer and I connect to discuss the ideas underpinning a project and how to maximise content generated about a budget. Together, we will discuss the project’ s key features, and I will overlay my understanding of the key concepts with my experience in the three-dimensional world and time. I make copious notes on how the form behaves under different conditions, where the budget allows for the time, and therefore do 75 % of the work in the last 25 % of the allotted time. My most successful commissions have been when I am allowed to roam free with key requirements in mind.
It’ s challenging to compress three dimensions and time into a two-dimensional plane with grace. To me, great architectural photographs transcend their intended purpose and become useful; they possess social and material dimensions that serve as documents of a time and a place.
Great images of architecture demonstrate the hallmarks of great photography, primarily because they happen to feature architecture. Take a look at the work of Guido Guidi.
Favourite building shot and why? I like this photo of Santiago Calatrava’ s‘ Swan’ in NYC( bottom right). It’ s an atomic bomb of great architecture, light, and urban energy.
Briefing a photographer Comprehensive discussions about architectural concepts, budget, deadlines, and a certain desired outcome make for great results. It helps to discuss existing architecture photographs to pinpoint a style and how that might relate to a practice’ s brand. Unfortunately, the sun’ s movement about the Earth is hard to alter, and as such, architecture photography, which incorporates natural light and time, is costly. A sound marketing strategy, including a specific type of image or video relevant to a practice’ s DNA, can go a long way to scoring work.
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Dave Southwood 17