Interior Photography.

(a) When shooting exteriors of buildings, your light source is

that which mother nature provides. It is constantly changing, shifting its

position, changing the shadows, and appearance of texture as it filters

through clouds.

(b) There is only one way to select the best lighting for a

building. You must study the building from different angles and viewpoints

at different times of the day and on sunny and overcast days. Make notes on

the effects you observe and choose the combination that best suits the

subject.

(2) A building should always

be

depicted

so

that

the

viewer

experiences its volume and materials.

(a) Bright, sunny cloudless days create shadows that emphasize

strong lines rendering some buildings in a majestic pose.

(b) If you wait for a slightly overcast sky, the contrast will be

less and may provide the right light for depicting the building material

texture. The light's direction governs the building's form and may help you

bring out it's characteristic features.

(c) Generally, a building photographs better in direct, angled

sunlight from a cloudless sky.

This slightly overcast sky diffuses the

light reducing the contrast in the materials just enough to create a good

balance of highlights and shadow detail.

(d) The worst kind of lighting is extremely overcast weather.

It

destroys the building's form by reducing the contrast ratio too much.

2.

Interior Photography.

a. Types of Interiors.

There is another aspect to architectural

photography and that is photographs of building interiors. These pictures

are grouped under one of three headings: public interiors, residential

interiors, and details of interiors.

b. Obtaining Correct Lighting.

(1) Public interiors are often characterized by size, dominance,

scale, and measurements. The inclusion of people can illustrate the scale

and draw interest to unique features in the photograph.

Lighting such

interiors becomes a key element that needs your professional attention.

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