Architectural photography tips: light, lines and perspective
Architecture photography shows how a building relates to light and space. Techniques for facades, details and modern design.
Architectural photography differs from real estate photography. Instead of selling rooms, it interprets a building’s design, materials and relationship with light.
Study the building
Walk around it at different times of day. Note how sunlight moves across the facade and where shadows fall. Some designs look best in hard side light that emphasizes texture and geometry.
Lenses
- Wide (14mm to 24mm) for full facades and interiors
- Normal (35mm to 50mm) for natural perspective
- Telephoto for details, patterns and compressed views from a distance
Perspective
Keep verticals straight for a formal look. Break the rule deliberately: shooting straight up a tower creates a dramatic abstract image.
Details and abstraction
Look for repeating patterns, textures of stone and concrete, shadows from lattices and the meeting of materials.
Include people sparingly
A person walking through a space shows scale and life. Use a long exposure to blur them into a ghost.
Mérida’s architecture
From colonial facades and pastel houses in Santiago to modernist homes in the north, Mérida offers a huge architectural range.