Architectural Photography – An Informal Approach

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Architectural Photography – An Informal Approach
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The High Line


A lot of people think architectural photography is about wide angle lenses and large cameras setup on tripods. For my commissioned work this is often true but I find this to be a formal approach with everything highly polished. There is an informal approach that I feel is often overlooked because we don’t always realize these structures are about people. It’s rare to be commissioned to photograph a building 20+ years after it was built. In the commercial photography world this may not be practical because the design is priority for portfolio and marketing needs. If you think about it, having images of a structure while it’s new is something rather special because it won’t be new for long.  However, the effects of mankind over the years develops a character that is unique and worthy as fine art all in itself and this is what I’d like to explore much more with my personal work.

Two of my favorite photographers are Eugene Atget and Henri Cartier-Bresson. Atget used large format cameras on tripods but he involved people and activity in his well composed views of Paris during modernization. He accomplished something very important, a real look at everyday life during his time. Buildings may stand for hundreds of years but the people and culture that inhabit these structures will change with time and will often be forgotten.

Cartier-Bresson was more interested in capturing people during the “decisive moment” but you will see that his images involve the surrounding environment. Once again we have context and a view of real life but people are the primary subject. Cartier-Bresson took photography to another level by being invisible with a Leica rangefinder so the subject matter wouldn’t react to being photographed. His intent was to capture an authentic moment in time, no posing and no acting.

We can approach this from two directions based on if the structures are the primary subject or the people are. This gives plenty to think on but is the main reason I updated my Leica system. I want to capture structures as my primary subject matter much like Atget but I want to be invisible showing a spontaneous element much like Cartier-Bresson. Having a small rangefinder camera allows me to look like a tourist, not a photographer. People don’t react the same way and this alone changes everything for me.

Below are images from the High Line in New York. I was interviewed by Leica Camera about my use of the M9 for architectural photography and you can see the video here. I kind of lost the element of being invisible with someone following me around with a video camera but I think it went well because I moved around lot. See more High Line photos at www.psbphotography.com.

The High Line

The High Line

The High Line

The High Line

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