Image GuidelinesGuidelines for 35mm and Digital Architectural Photography
The following are recommendations for photographers planning to document a building for inclusion in SAHARA. These are based on ideal conditions (a free standing, freely accessible building) and will have to be modified in most cases.
SAHARA image requirements:
- Members' Collection: minimum of 1024 pixels on the long side
- Editor's Choice: minimum of 2,000 pixels on the long side.
Camera specifications:
- Most digital cameras manufactured since 1999, and all digital SLRs, can meet the requirements for the Members' Collection.
- Any 3-Megapixel camera, which generates images roughly 2,000 pixels long by 1,500 pixels high, will create files large enough for both collections. A 1-Megapixel image will only be large enough for the Members' Collection.
Use a camera that allows you to control the aperture and shutter settings. All DSLRs provide this flexibility.
Use an aperture between f/8 and f/11. Lenses perform their best near the middle of their aperture range and very wide apertures lack the depth of field that architectural photography requires.
Try to avoid parallax.
Take time to frame views so that vertical lines are parallel. Often, for exteriors, this will mean orienting the camera vertically and placing the top of the building near the top of the image. The excessive foreground area that may result is easily cropped.
Avoid back-lit views. If you must shoot toward a light source, set the exposure manually or use exposure compensation, because in-camera light meters will almost never expose the subject properly in these situations. Take full advantage of overcast days, when the natural light is even and diffuse, perfect for capturing north elevations and details that would otherwise be obscured in deep shadow.
Avoid using the on-camera flash, except as a last resort for fill flash. It always flattens out the subject and throws the background into darkness. When you need an additional light source, use a separate, dedicated flash unit and bounce it off walls and ceilings to avoid the harsh light of a straight-on flash.
Use a tripod when shooting interiors. Interior lighting is almost always challenging, even for the best photographers. The best results come from using a tripod, allowing a long shutter speed and a narrow aperture, with a dedicated flash to fill in dark areas. If you must shoot hand-held, use the widest aperture and adjust the camera's ISO setting upward until you can shoot without shaking the camera. An old rule of thumb recommends a speed of 1 over the focal length of the lens, so a 50mm lens can generally be hand-held at 1/60 sec.
To reduce the influx of bright light from the windows, shoot at dusk when the outside brightness is diminished or at night with longer exposures. An alternative solution is to bracket your exposure and use a HDR program to eliminate the glare from windows.
An ideal image set would include the following views...
Exteriors:
- A long distance view, a view of the street with the structure in it, or a QTVR of the environment to establish context.
- Frontal views of each side and corner views that show two sides at once. (for a free-standing building)
- Shoot at different times of day in order to record various impact angles of sunlight. Also nocturnal shots (use a tripod for these.)
- Details that demonstrate the structural system, particular ornaments etc.
- Document patterns of use (images with and without figures, if possible).
Interiors:
- Show interior views and details of all significant rooms (shots of all four sides and central, perspectival views)
Other information:
- Historic photographs in the public domain
- Old maps showing the building in place
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