Interest in architectural photography is increasing day by day. I decided to share my experiences with you when the increase in the number of assistant applications added to those who recently called for my advice. There will certainly be points I missed, but I will try to briefly summarize the basic framework.
Education is important!
First of all, let me state that this article is for people who have basic photography knowledge and aim to do this job professionally. It requires having a good set of equipment to do this job professionally. Our must-haves: Full-frame camera, wide-angle lens(s), a good tripod, flash/paraflash, reflector and a computer to process your photos. It would be great if tilt-shift lens is added to these in the following stages!
Equipment is one of the most important stages of this business, but of course, another important issue is learning to use your equipment correctly. For this, it is necessary to work hard, practice a lot, read and watch training videos. We are very lucky compared to 10 years ago because now it is possible to reach many resources on the internet.
Becoming the Master of Light!
I know it sounds very ambitious, but no matter what area of photography you work in, you must first read and use natural light well. Especially if you are photographing an architectural project, you must capture the story that the architect tells through light.
Before photographing any project, I try to explore the place. Where does the sun rise, what time does it set, the location of the project, what time does it give the best results? I think about details like this and create a shooting plan.
Understanding Architecture
It should not be forgotten that a photograph cannot be taken without understanding the architectural project. Architectural photography is the interpretation you will add to that project. Otherwise, the photos you take cannot go beyond documenting the project. It is very important to understand the elements that make the project unique and to get information from the creative team. When working with architects/interior architects, always ask questions, try to understand what they do and why they do the design.
Creating the Right Frame
The right perspective is the most important factor in architectural photography. I would like to share with you the following phrase that I have adopted as a principle: " Everything that happens in photography happens before you press the shutter ".
The area, distribution and emphasis of the elements you have framed cause the project to be interpreted positively / negatively. Technical details such as the position of the camera, the focal length of the lens, the amount and quality of light are the variables that allow us to express the project.
It is a goal to try to cover as many elements as possible while shooting wide-angle, but it is our original interpretation to describe all the elements that will remain in the frame in a simple and plain language.
Understanding the Customer's Needs
Understanding your client's needs is one of the most important issues in professional photography, as it is in every business line. First of all, remember that the subject is not just photography! Not only a house, an office, a hotel room, but a dream will be sold with the photographs you take. Since the natural environment of photography is now the internet, you need to explain to your customer and convince him why the photo you took would be preferred among thousands of images. But you cannot do this without understanding the need. Listen carefully and patiently to your customer, give him suggestions. Before shooting, make sure to create a shooting plan and agree on it.
Don't Fight Problems, Be Solution-Oriented!
Everything in life does not go as planned, it rains suddenly on the day of the shooting, the hotel room you plan to shoot can be sold, your customers do not pay enough attention to the preparations before the shoot, etc.... Yes, these are the facts of life. Starting to work by accepting them increases the quality of your work. When faced with any negativity, first think of the solution, change your perspective, change the frame, composition, plan, but never lower your motivation!
For all architectural photographs : https://en.esinbarutcu.com/mimari-fotograf-cekimleri
Do not devalue your photo and yourself!
One of the most asked questions to me is how do you determine the budget of the business? First of all, let me state that I studied economics and worked in the financial sector for years. Then I took photography training and now I love doing this job. My economist side has a hard time calculating the monetary value of this work :) But I take into account the market, competitors and the budgets allocated for this work in our country. Then, I make a pricing for the project by taking into account the time, assistant and transportation costs I will spend during and after the shooting. If I'm going to work with a foreign customer, I also take into account copyright issues. But my most important piece of advice is: don't do free work! Creating a portfolio is a difficult process, but every effort must have a reward, more or less. The only exception is if you are doing a personal project or contributing to an academic study.
As in every business, there is constant development and change in architectural photography. It is important to follow trends and adapt quickly to technical developments. Being a technically good photographer is not enough on its own, it is necessary to understand and learn architecture in order to specialize in this field. Photography is one of the most important tools that synthesize the basic elements that make the architectural project unique through images. In order to develop your own interpretation, you should aim to make the photographs you take the main element of the project communication by being in dialogue with all the parties that make up the project.
