Think back to the last really cool building that you’ve seen. What was it? Did you simply just look up at it, point your camera and shoot? Most people do this when they’re so caught in the moment, and don’t think about how they can get a better photo.
The next time that you’re captivated by beautiful architecture, consider how you can make the building look even better. To quickly get this out of the way, expose for the highlights because you can easily bring back the shadows in post-production.
Before you even start to think about an interesting composition we’re going to implore you to get down low to the ground maybe even with a tripod. Most people tend to photograph a building from eye level, and to that end everyone’s images look the same. Assuming that you can’t afford a helicopter to fly you right above the building for you to get a much more breathtaking photo, get down even lower to the ground. What this does is get much more of the building in the field of view. If you’re not using a tripod, Fujifilm’s cameras like the X-T1 also have a tilting LCD screen that can help you get the shot in a tricky position.
Shooting from a much lower perspective can help you get even more details like doors on the ground floor, logos and so much more. It also allows you to get more interesting compositions not necessarily using the rule of thirds but also through a balance of positive and negative space.
When shooting lower, always use a wide angle lens. Amongst Fujifilm’s lineup, the 10-24mm f4 R OIS, 14mm f2.8 and 16mm f1.4 are great options that give the Fujifilm APS-C sensor a very wide field of view.
Xpert Advice is a monthly collaboration between the Phoblographer and Fujifilm designed to teach you photography tips and tricks in a bite-sized package.
