Darren Bradley
Well-Known Member
Good question, Hamish. You are correct that there are lots of different types of architectural photography, which ranges on a scale to the purely documentary photos (objective views) to the more interpretive variety (subjective). The shot here is clearly more on the documentary side of that scale.
As for which style to propose to potential clients, it will really depend on the client. Material suppliers are going to look for shots that highlight their materials. Real estate developers are going to look for shots that show them full of people using the space. Architects are going to want to show forms, and context within an environment or neighborhood, etc. They also like shots that mimic their renderings. I generally offer a combination of shots in a portfolio to the client, however, perhaps emphasizing one thing over another depending on the client. It's not a clear-cut issue.
But what is clear is that architectural photographers are a bit like the pastry chefs of the photography world. When cooking savory meals, you can usually wing it and come up with something interesting and good. But when cooking pastries, it demands precision in your preparation, temperature, ingredients, etc. Same with architectural photography. There are very precise rules that you need to respect when shooting buildings that don't apply for portraits, weddings, etc. These include how you resolve the lines (not just verticals, but also intersecting and overlapping planes in the image). And also exposure of light and shadows to pull out detail without looking unnatural, etc.
Ultimately, your client is looking for an image that depicts the building in the best possible way, that also explains its function and conveys the feeling of being there. And they want you to do it in a way that doesn't distort or deform the building at all.
Hope that helps!
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