Architectural Photography, 3rd Edition: Composition, Capture, and Digital Image Processing

295 Pages·2015·48.84 MB·English

by  Adrian Schulz

Adrian Schulz
Architectural
Photography
Composition, Capture, and Digital Image Processing
Third Edition
With Comments by Marcus Bredt
Adrian Schulz
[e-mail]
www.adrianschulz.com
Editor: Gerhard Rossbach
Copyeditor: Joan Dixon
Layout and type: Adrian Schulz
Cover design: Helmut Kraus, www.exclam.de
Printer: WeSP through Four Colour Print Group
Printed in Korea
ISBN: 978-1-937538-76-7
3rd Edition 2015
© Adrian Schulz
Rocky Nook Inc.
802 E. Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
USA
Distributed by Ingram Publisher Services
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015939104
All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form,
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without written permission of the publisher.
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While reasonable care has been exercised in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assumes no
responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein or from
the use of the discs or programs that may accompany it.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
This book is dedicated to
my wife and son
Table of Contents
1 Introduction 1
1.1 What Is Architectural Photography? 2
1.2 The History of Architectural Photography 2
1.2.1 Early History .................................................................................................2
1.2.2 The Invention of Photography .....................................................................4
1.2.3 The Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries ..................................................4
1.3 Authenticity in Architectural Photos 7
1.4 Forms of Architectural Photography 8
2 Camera Technology 11
2.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Cameras 12
2.1.1 The Number and Availability of Images.....................................................12
2.1.2 Resolution and Tonal Range ......................................................................12
2.1.3 Image Noise and the “Look” of an Image ...................................................14
2.1.4 Image Artifacts ..........................................................................................15
2.1.5 Lens Quality ................................................................................................16
2.1.6 Digital Image Processing............................................................................18
2.1.7 Image Authenticity ....................................................................................19
2.1.8 Archiving Images .......................................................................................19
2.2 The Camera 20
2.2.1 Types of Digital Cameras ............................................................................20
– Digital Compacts and Bridge Cameras ..................................................20
– Four Thirds, APS-C, and DX DSLRs ..........................................................21
– Analog and Digital Full-Frame Cameras ................................................23
– Mirrorless Cameras .................................................................................25
– Analog and Digital Medium Format Cameras........................................26
– Large Format Cameras ..........................................................................28
2.2.2 Conclusions Regarding Cameras ...............................................................30
2.3 Lenses 31
2.3.1 Reproduction Characteristics .....................................................................31
2.3.2 Focal Length ...............................................................................................32
2.3.3 Tilt/Shift Lenses ..........................................................................................34
2.4 The Perfect Camera/Lens Combination for Every Budget 35
VI
2.5 Accessories 35
2.5.1 Tripod .........................................................................................................36
2.5.2 Tripod Head ................................................................................................36
2.5.3 L-Bracket and Panorama Head ...................................................................37
2.5.4 Remote Release ..........................................................................................37
2.5.5 Lens Hoods .................................................................................................39
2.5.6 Filters ..........................................................................................................40
2.5.7 Lens Adapters .............................................................................................40
2.5.8 Grid Focusing Screens ................................................................................42
2.5.9 Memory Cards ............................................................................................42
2.5.10 Batteries......................................................................................................42
2.5.11 Flash ...........................................................................................................45
2.5.12 Other Accessories .......................................................................................45
2.6 Creative Tips and Tricks 46
2.6.1 Lensbaby Lenses ........................................................................................46
2.6.2 Black-and-White Film .................................................................................46
2.6.3 Fixed Focal Length Lenses .........................................................................47
3 Shooting Techniques 49
3.1 What Makes a Great Architectural Photo? 50
3.2 The Role of Architecture as a Photographic Subject 55
3.2.1 What Types of Architecture Make Suitable Subjects? ...............................59
3.2.2 Learning to See ..........................................................................................62
3.3 Perspective 66
3.3.1 The Importance of Vanishing Points ..........................................................68
3.4 Converging Verticals 70
3.4.1 How to Avoid Converging Verticals in Your Photos ...................................72
3.4.2 How Do Tilt/Shift Lenses Work? .................................................................78
3.5 Camera Standpoint 82
3.5.1 The Ideal Subject Distance .........................................................................82
3.5.2 The Effects of Viewpoint on Perspective ....................................................84
3.5.3 Standpoint and Surroundings ...................................................................88
3.5.4 Standpoint and Symmetry .........................................................................90
3.5.5 Spatial Depth ..............................................................................................92
3.6 The Effects of Focal Length 96
3.6.1 Long Focal Length Lenses ..........................................................................96
3.6.2 Short Focal Length Lenses .......................................................................100
3.6.3 Increasing the Angle of View Using Panorama Techniques ....................104
Table of Contents VII
3.7 Image Formats 107
3.7.1 Extreme Formats and Panorama Images .................................................108
3.7.2 Image Orientation ....................................................................................110
3.8 Composition and Framing 112
3.8.1 Composition .............................................................................................112
3.8.2 Composition and a Subject’s Surroundings ............................................117
– Stationary Image Elements ..................................................................119
– People and Other Moving Objects ......................................................120
3.8.3 Selective Framing .....................................................................................126
3.9 Camera Settings 128
3.9.1 Shutter Speed ...........................................................................................128
3.9.2 Aperture ...................................................................................................128
3.9.3 ISO Sensitivity ...........................................................................................131
3.9.4 Exposure ...................................................................................................132
3.9.5 Using Bracketing Sequences to Create HDR or DRI Images ....................135
3.10 Using Filters 136
3.11 Interior Architectural Photography 141
3.11.1 Interior Subjects .......................................................................................141
3.11.2 Perspective and Standpoint .....................................................................146
3.11.3 Focal Length .............................................................................................151
3.11.4 Image Formats .........................................................................................154
3.11.5 Framing and Composition .......................................................................158
3.11.6 Camera Settings and Lighting .................................................................162
3.12 External Factors That Influence a Shoot 168
3.12.1 The Perfect Moment ................................................................................168
3.12.2 Shadows and Reflections ........................................................................171
3.12.3 The Effects of Weather .............................................................................175
3.12.4 The Sky and Clouds ..................................................................................177
3.12.5 Choosing the Right Time of Day ..............................................................185
3.12.6 The Effects of the Seasons........................................................................188
3.13 Creative Tips and Tricks 190
3.13.1 Extreme Framing ......................................................................................190
3.13.2 Shooting Upwards ...................................................................................193
3.13.3 Image Sequences .....................................................................................194
3.13.4 Extreme Use of Reflections ......................................................................195
3.13.5 Selective Over- and Underexposure ........................................................196
3.13.6 “Before and After” Views ..........................................................................196
3.13.7 Fake Miniatures ........................................................................................196
VIII Table of Contents
3.14 Solutions to Common Problems 199
Comments by Marcus Bredt 202
4 Image Processing 213
4.1 Digital Image Formats 214
4.1.1 What Is RAW? ............................................................................................214
4.1.2 The Differences Between JPEG and RAW .................................................214
4.1.3 The Advantages of Shooting in RAW Format ..........................................214
4.1.4 Disadvantages of Shooting in RAW Format .............................................217
4.1.5 Conclusions ..............................................................................................217
4.2 RAW Conversion 219
4.2.1 A Typical RAW Processing Workflow ........................................................219
4.3 Post-processing 231
4.3.1 Image Adjustments ..................................................................................231
– Workflow: Image Adjustments.............................................................231
4.3.2 In-depth Processing: Selective Adjustments to Contrast & Brightness .....247
– Workflow: Selective Contrast and Brightness Correction ....................247
4.4 Panoramas 252
4.4.1 Creating a Planar Panorama ....................................................................252
– Workflow: Creating a Planar Panorama Using Hugin ...........................252
– Workflow: Creating a Planar Panorama Using Photoshop ...................258
4.4.2 Shift Panoramas .......................................................................................260
– Workflow: Creating a Shift Panorama Using Photoshop .....................260
4.5 HDR and DRI Images 264
4.5.1 Workflow: Creating an HDR Image Using Photomatix Pro ......................264
4.5.2 Workflow: DRI Processing in Photomatix Pro .........................................268
4.5.3 Workflow: Creating an HDR Image Using Photoshop .............................269
4.5.4 Workflow: DRI Processing in Photoshop ..................................................272
4.6 Creative Tips and Tricks 274
4.6.1 Digital Graduated Filters ..........................................................................274
4.6.2 Creating HDR Effects Using a Single RAW Source Image ........................276
4.6.3 Converting Images to Black-and-White Using Photoshop .....................277
4.6.4 Creating Fake Miniatures Using Photoshop ............................................278
Acknowledgements 281
Index 283
Table of Contents IX
X
1 Introduction
The digital photographic medium is currently on an unprecedented roll, and
ever-increasing numbers of people are beginning to experiment with the chal-
lenges and rewards of this most modern medium. Thanks to the digital revolu-
tion, architectural photography, with its endless variety of exciting subjects, has
won many new fans among beginners and experienced photographers. Architec-
tural photographers today are blessed with endless creative ways to capture and
display their subjects.
It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and this is particularly
true in the field of architectural photography. There is no better medium than
a balanced, well-taken photograph for capturing and displaying the look and
feel of a building. This book uses numerous pictures to illustrate the concepts
described in the text, and it provides answers to many theoretical and practical
questions regarding equipment, technique, and the reasons buildings sometimes
look so different in a photo than they do in reality. There are also comprehensive
sections on ways to improve your images and the opportunities presented by the
magic of digital image processing.
You will quickly find that architectural photography is a unique and fasci-
nating photographic genre.
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