It's All In The Details: Photographing the Built Environment
Awareness of Space
On a recent trip to Vista California I was thinking about my approach to photographing the built environment. Usually, I spend most my time planning for the big, awe-inspiring shots that showcase the location and the presence of a building. It struck me that there’s a parallel between this approach and the concept of an “Establishing Shot” in filmmaking. While in architectural photography the sweeping shots provide context and a sense of place, focusing on smaller intricate details adds value by defining the character of a space, inviting viewers to experience how the enviornment feels.
These extra elements can add depth and life to the story of a building and its purpose. So much thought and effort goes into the architectural design, inside and out, spending too much time on one image does an injustice to the built environment as a whole. It could be argued that there is a concern of objectification of space with such tight shots, removing themselves from the context of the project as a whole. However, much like a movie, it takes more than one frame to tell the entirety of a story.
Beyond the Obvious
In keeping with a storytelling-in-architectural-photography mindset, I figured I’d go out and spend a day leisurely capturing interior and exterior details of a home in Vista, California. Searching for small intimate vignettes, proved to be a remarkably immersive experience. Honestly, this way of working reminded me of my early days going on photo adventures, just taking a camera and exploring a space I’ve never been to. The similarity being I was trying to find something special that is hidden from plain view.
While in the end that is not far off from what I normally do. The exercise served as a small proof of concept, by demonstrating the value of storytelling in architectural photography through emphasizing that search. By embracing this cinematic approach and slowing down, I was able to capture a string of images that provide a pretty accurate vibe of the home. It’s an approach I’m excited to continue exploring, as it opens up opportunities to connect the narrative of my clients work with their audience.
To me these images tease the viewer by never going beyond the details. In the end, the beauty of architectural photography lies in its versatility—the ability to switch between the grand, establishing shots and the intimate, narrative-driven details. By weaving these elements together, I hope to craft a more comprehensive and engaging visual narrative of the spaces I have the privilege to shoot. I’m excited to see where this cinematic approach takes me in my architectural photography pursuits.
Hi! I'm Bradley Phillips
