خلــــــــــــــــــق الجو .. العمارة .. كيف تلتقط أجمل الصور .. كتاب التصوير الضوئي

Creating the atmosphere .. Architecture .. How to take the most beautiful pictures .. The book of photography

Architecture

Creating the atmosphere

The appearance of a building changes according to the light, the weather, the time and the season. A medieval castle or the ruins of an old monastery photographed against a background of snow or under a stormy sky can more easily suggest the Middle Ages than if photographed under a blue sky in summer. When there is snow, the tones and colors melt into subtle gradations of white, gray and black, which often gives the buildings an almost unreal appearance. The special lighting that precedes the storm affects the surface of the stones, leaving them standing out against the bright sky. In the morning or evening, buildings sometimes appear surrounded by a light fog and weak rays of sunlight, while the surroundings and surroundings remain in shades of bluer than the fog. Even heavy rain brings something beautiful, for example, when the stone surfaces reflect the rays of the sun or the light of the sky. Buildings photographed through fog, rain or snow have less distinct lines and thus take on an eerie appearance or character.

Of course, light and shadow are inseparable in an architectural image since they reveal the material of the stone and the details of the decoration. Side sunlight is one of the best lights because it highlights some parts while others remain in shadow. Remember that the whiter the stone, the darker the shadow. The combination of illuminated and shaded sections creates thought-provoking abstract designs, especially if the sun is shining. Exposure must be carefully determined. As a general rule, a dark, weathered building requires a long exposure, about twice that of a normal subject. Increase the exposure by half for a gray building and decrease by half for snow. Most modern buildings, made of metal and glass, reflect light strongly and can take on brilliant scenes during the high hours of the day when they are colored by the sky. The shadows cast by the setting sun on a light surface are blue and contrast perfectly with the sparkle of the sunlit sections.

We have seen how we can reveal the character of a building through the effects of light, atmosphere and surroundings, these elements coordinated with the choice of the point of view: for example, monuments photographed from a distance appear more isolated and strange than when photographed from close up.

For many photographs of this type, it is necessary to show the topography or relief of the places - the building and its surroundings - especially if the impression you want to convey goes beyond the simple image. In other words, all buildings have their own character to which the photographer can add impact and mystery, by choosing the point of view, by choosing the lighting and by the general harmony of the lines. The most monotonous building takes on a new, hitherto unknown, scene. A building that has never interested anyone becomes brilliant when a new light reveals an unexpected scene, the silhouette of the roofs cutting a grooved line in a turbulent sky or the setting sun reflected by the windows brightens the entire building.

We have not yet spoken about the presence of man: knowing that this presence is what gives the public or private building all its emotional value, provided that it is in harmony with the nature of the places. Finally, we understand better the role of a modern dwelling if we can show the functional scene in everyday life.

The game of shadow and light

The first surface composed of trees focuses attention on the main subject (Ely Cathedral). The side light reveals all the skills and beauty of architectural drawing. A yellow filter darkens the sky and reduces the light of the solar corona.

Hasselblad 1/125 sec. Aperture 16 plus X

Choosing the focus point of the instrument:

The point of view is often as important as the subject itself to show the climate and atmosphere. Here in this picture I chose a point of view that leads the eye towards the house, passing by the graves and the road.
Hasselblad 1/125 f/32 Kodak Tri X

Atmosphere from the viewpoint

Choosing a first plane
Using a long focal length (400mm) allowed me to remove unnecessary details such as the roofs of the townhouses for these two images of Ely Cathedral. For the first view I chose a first plane that indicated the vegetation. At dawn the cathedral was covered in clouds: a typical East of England atmosphere. From a different viewpoint the second image was taken in the sun. The first plane, which represents wild flowers, gives a completely different atmosphere and a nice contrast between the colours. 1/100 sec f/32 Right 1/25 sec f/32 Ektachrom HS

A special atmosphere for the morning hour

The sun that lights up the palace gives a warm feeling to this winter image. The morning light creates a lively air and balances the mass of the illuminated building with the darker surroundings. Hasselblad 1/125 sec wide angle lens 8 aperture Acta Chrome HS

Composition gives atmosphere

This image was taken with a wide angle lens

through the twisting shapes of the trees. I studied

the exposure to give some detail to the shadows but especially to shade the palace.

Leicaflex 1/125 sec f/5.6 Ektachrom HS