[Smartphone OK] Tips for Architectural Photography to Make City Walks More Enjoyable

"If I'm going to walk around the city, I want to enjoy and photograph architecture more!"
Have you ever thought that?
Today, I will share some tips on how to do that, even with a smartphone.

Nice to meet you if we haven't met before!
Hello or good evening to those who read my posts regularly!
I'm Fujikawa, an architectural photographer.
On X, I am active under the account "Architectural Photo Cat🐈".
I usually make a living by taking completion photos of houses and shops, as well as real estate property photos.

This article is intended for those who want to "casually take photos of architecture while walking around the city."
For those who already have professional camera equipment or work in architectural photography... you are of course welcome to read it, but you might find yourself thinking, "I already know this" (laughs).

Conclusion: It changes just by being conscious of light and perspective.

The tips for dramatically improving architectural photos taken with a smartphone are simple.
How the light hits and your standing position (perspective).
Just by being a little conscious of these two things, the final result will change significantly.

Make light your ally.

Architecture shows a completely different face depending on the time of day.
In the morning and evening, the light is soft, and the texture of the walls and the shapes of the shadows come out beautifully.
Shooting with backlighting makes it dramatic, while shooting with front lighting makes the colors and details vivid.

Try changing your perspective.

Instead of just shooting from the front, changing your perspective—such as from an angle or a low position—will change the impression.
If you use the grid lines on your smartphone to be conscious of horizontal and vertical lines, the building will look straight and have a sense of stability.

Crop out parts.

It is also recommended to photograph not just the whole building, but also details like doors, windows, and patterns on the exterior walls.
This captures the unique personality of that architecture.

Utilize the weather too.

Not only on sunny days, but cloudy days have soft shadows, and after the rain, reflections on the road surface add a unique atmosphere.
It's a waste to say, "It's not sunny, so I won't take photos."

Summary

Even with just a smartphone, by being a little more conscious of light, perspective, details, and weather, city walks become much more fun.
Even the same building should result in different photos every time you shoot it.

When shooting architectural photos for work, there are various ironclad rules, but photos taken for personal use are free!!

Don't be bound by stereotypes; shoot freely and enjoy architecture!!

Thank you for reading until the end!

I will continue to share a wide range of content, from columns for beginners to professional architectural photography articles and posts on SNS management, so I would be happy if you could follow and like.

See you in the next article!

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[What you get by joining]
・Photos that you just took and left as they were will turn into photos that convey a message.
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