Love photographing architecture? Whatever camera you’re shooting with, you might want to check out today’s cheat sheet to help you get better snaps.
With photographing towering skyscrapers, fascinating historic buildings, and fine examples of modern architecture becoming increasingly popular, you might want to up your game and get better snaps. Whether you’re shooting with your smartphone (for now) or with your new digital camera, today’s photography cheat sheet should be able to give you ideas for improving your composition.
The cheat sheet may be originally written by iPhone Photography School with smartphone photography in mind, but the 10 tips below will certainly work for whatever camera you’re shooting with. It’s more about improving your composition than anything else, as it’s fundamental to a great shot for all kinds of photography.
One of the most common problems about architectural photography, especially for popular locations, is that everyone takes photos of a spot the same way each time. To solve this, try switching things up and look for a different angle or perspective to make your photos stand out from the rest. Don’t forget to use leading lines to draw your viewers’ eyes around the photo. Symmetry, patterns, and shapes are also sure-fire ways to make eye-catching snaps.
There are a bunch of other techniques mentioned that you might also want to try. These include looking for interesting details, ornate features, fixtures, and windows to emphasize in your photos; including shadows, reflections, and dramatic lighting in the scene; adding a human element to give a sense of scale and tell a story. Also, don’t forget to use a wide-angle lens or shoot panorama if the scene calls for it, and correct perspectives or straighten lines in post-process if necessary.
Looking for more useful photography tips and tricks like these? We have loads more for you to check out in our growing collection of photography cheat sheets!