Architectural Photographers – Maverick Shutterbugs from India

Curated by: Pulkit Soni | www.pulkitsoni.com

This time around we are featuring a relatively less talked about field of architectural photography. Architecture and photography have a great relation and the fact that many architects are photography enthusiasts themselves, stands as a testimony. This might come from the fact that both in architecture as well as photography the study of light is very important. On one hand photography is entirely based on the study of light, the response of different surfaces to the incident light and on the other hand the study of light is an important consideration in architectural design. Other areas where the two fields meet are creative visualization, perspective, scale and composition. Apart from these one more thing that gets photographers and architects crazy, is an obsession for detail. Sometimes it so happens that the perspective and composition that a photographer may capture be beyond the imagination of the designer. This creates the space in which the genre of architectural photography thrives.

Why architectural photography?

Photography is crucial to architecture as it helps dealing with significant issues such as pre design analysis of the problem, site and case studies of similar projects. In the next stage it is a very important documentation tool for monitoring projects specially restoration works. The most significant use of photography is as a presentation tool. Architecture is one of those professions where packaging is as important as the package itself. With the rise of social media this trend has only moved forward. Day in day out, professionals are coming up with new ways to present their work on various media platforms such as print and electronic media, websites, social networking spaces etc. One of the primary tool used for the purpose is photography. Though rendered views, 3D presentations, models are widely used to advertise products in the industry but nothing beats photography because it presents the most realistic side of the product. Advancement of technology has led to incredible concepts in the market such as aerial photography using specialized equipment including remote controlled helicopters, 360 degrees interactive walk through panorama imaging amongst others. These specialized services are increasingly being used by a vast clientele ranging from architects, hoteliers, educational institutions, tourism ventures, real estate developers, magazines and journals etc.

Challenges?

Architectural photography as a profession just like other professions is filled with many hardships. Some of the major challenges that photographers face are:

1. Professional equipments comes with a hefty price tag.

2. Lighting and sky conditions are critical to architectural photography.

3. Creating artificial lighting isn’t as easy in this case as in product or model photography.

4. Post processing and final outcome to client’s satisfaction is a cumbersome task.

5. Lack of awareness in the market.

6. It is virtually impossible to take up architectural photography as a standalone profession without delving into wedding, products, fashion or other genre of photography.

Despite the challenges, many photographers are contributing towards architectural photography in India, we present some of the noted professionals here: