Why you should consider retaining an architectural photographer

Digital photography has been a boon to those without the highly technical knowledge of large format film photography, or the equipment it requires, to make good architectural photographs. Because of this many architects have found their projects can be photographed to a fair level of quality by themselves or someone “in house” at the firm – eliminating the need to hire an outside professional. At times this type of photography is entirely adequate, but don’t be too hasty in neglecting to retain the services of a professional when it is to your advantage to do so.

A good architectural photographer does much more than just record what the building looks like. Photography is all about light and form. Composition is critical. A photographer understands how the light, shadow, color, and design of various elements work together to create an artistic interpretation of an architectural space. A good architectural photographer can visualize the light on a building and understands at what time of day the light will be the most flattering to the building. Taking the photograph is easy – knowing when and where to take it from is the tricky part.

As stated in AIA’s document “Selecting a Professional Photographer”, “The applications that demand the utmost in image quality are Web sites, portfolios, client proposals, competitions, magazine articles, advertising, and display art. What these have in common is the factor of persuasion. You aren't merely documenting your work but actively trying to convince other people that yours is the best of its class. You hope that folks you've never met—competition judges, professional peers, potential clients—will be impressed.