What is Architectural Photography?

Architecture and interiors photography is a whole different genre with its very own specialised pieces of equipment, shooting style and post-processing workflow. 

To be perfectly honest, six years ago I had no idea either that architecture photography was a genre at all. Like most other photographers, I thought when you shoot a building you just attach the widest lens you own to your camera body and off you go. Tripod is optional - it just slows you down, doesn't it?

Then one day, in my previous life as a marketing manager I put my hand up to do the company's project photography, I quickly realised that shooting spaces is not nearly as simple as shooting headshots or personal branding.

I went out and put my hands on any kind of architectural photography education I could find. 

I was obsessed with the topic.

I was learning, practising, developing an eye and understanding for excellent photography every single night and in every single lunch break.

For years.

Thousands of dollars and two outstanding mentors later I am still in love with this genre, admire what architects, interior designers and builders can achieve, and seeing their exceptional work documented on a flawless photograph makes my soul smile.

Understanding what real architecture photography looks like, what purpose it serves and why it's such an elaborate process will make you appreciate the work architectural photographers do.

What Is NOT Architectural Photography?

Summarising several years worth of knowledge and experience in one article is rather impossible, but there are a few certain rules real architecture photography follows.

How do you know you're not looking at an architectural photograph?

Dead giveaway No. 1: Verticals are not vertical

Natural History Museum - taken on a recent trip to London, without a tilt-shift lens

Verticals are not 90 degrees to the ground and are not parallel to each other. 

This means the photographer tilted up or down their camera, (usually up), making the building look like it's falling backwards. 

How to eliminate it: architecture photography is always taken with a tilt-shift lens. 

Dead giveaway No. 2: Horizontals are not straight. 

Image: Layers Magazine

Now, any good photographer will pay attention to the horizon and will try to keep the composition horizontal, but the dead giveaway is when the horizontal lines are curved. 

This means the photographer used an ultra-wide angle lens that distorted the straight lines, giving it a barrel effect. 

How to eliminate it: on a full-frame camera don't go wider than 17mm and use a high-quality lens (ideally tilt-shift lens) and correct the distortion in post-production. 

Dead giveaway No. 3: Distorted furniture

Image: realestate.com.au - sorry guys…

When the photographer didn't pay attention to how close he was to the furniture or apparel. You've seen those real estate photos where the fridge looks so huge, you think it's at least 90 cm wide...

How to eliminate it: know your composition, pay attention to furniture staging and styling.

Dead giveaway No. 4: No deliberate angle

Image: realestate.com.au

The photo is not a one-point perspective or not a deliberate 45-degree two-point perspective.

This is when the horizontals are slightly off even though the intention was to capture them horizontally, or the angle is not deliberate, more like accidental or rushed.

Hot to eliminate it: again, know your composition, take time to find the best angle and to level your camera on a sturdy tripod. 

Dead giveaway No. 5: Highlights are blown out, shadows are crushed

Bank Of China - snap taken at a recent trip to Hong Kong. No details in the sky or in the shadows in this single exposure.

Very rarely can you capture details in the highlights and in the shadows in one single frame. Even the best cameras struggle with really high dynamic ranges.

How to eliminate it: bracket your photos and expose for the lightest and the darkest areas as well and bring the image together in post-production. 

The Purpose of Architectural Photography

Architects, interior designers and builders have designed and built that wall straight. Have built that balcony horizontal. Interior designers have spent countless hours working on the details, harmonising the colours. 

As an architectural photographer it's your job to document the space as truthfully as possible. 

That takes practice, skills and expensive gear to achieve. 

No wonder most national and international architecture firms insist on using their own, life-long architectural photographer partner to photograph their new project, no matter where in the world it is. Skills and consistency are imperative to produce photographs that faithfully reflects the firm's vision, level and quality of design. 

That's why architectural photography is a genre in its own right.