5 Essential Techniques to Create Depth in Architectural Photography

9/15/2024 ISO 1200 Magazine 0 Comments

Architectural photography is about more than capturing buildings; it’s about transforming a three-dimensional world into a two-dimensional medium. A challenge every photographer faces is how to convey the sense of depth lost in the process. Depth is crucial because it adds layers to the image, drawing viewers in and keeping their attention.

Photographer and educator Steven Brooke, known for his mastery of architectural photography, offers several techniques that help create this sense of depth. His insights, which include the use of border verticals, overlapping elements, foreground entrances, receding rhythm, and atmospheric perspective, are invaluable for photographers looking to elevate their work.

This video delves into these techniques, showing how they can transform your architectural photography.

1. Border Verticals: Framing the Image

One of the simplest ways to create depth in architectural photography is by using border verticals. These vertical elements, such as trees, columns, or buildings, serve as natural frames that guide the viewer’s eye deeper into the image. By setting up these boundaries, photographers can layer elements of the scene in a way that pulls the viewer further into the composition.

For example, in Edward Hopper’s interior paintings, he often uses verticals like window ledges or pieces of furniture to frame the scene. Similarly, in architectural photography, setting up vertical elements like door frames or pillars helps create visual layers. Brooke explains that these verticals prevent the viewer's eye from leaving the frame, encouraging them to explore the different layers within the image.

Tip: When composing your shot, look for natural vertical elements that can help frame the architecture and give depth to your composition.

2. Foreground Entrances: Creating a Path into the Image

A foreground entrance is another powerful way to add depth. This technique involves providing a path or a clear entry point into the photograph. By offering a way into the image, you naturally lead the viewer's eye from the foreground to the background, creating a deeper sense of space.

Brooke draws inspiration from the artist Cézanne, who often used this technique in his landscape paintings. By setting up a clear entrance in the foreground, the viewer is invited into the image, with each subsequent layer adding more interest and complexity.

In photography, creating a foreground entrance can be as simple as including a path, doorway, or open space that leads into the scene. This helps viewers engage more with the image and feel like they’re stepping into the space.

Example: Imagine a photo of a grand building where the viewer’s journey begins on a stone walkway leading to the entrance. This path serves as an inviting element, guiding the viewer through the photo and emphasizing the scale and depth of the architecture.

3. Overlapping Elements: Building Layers of Interest

Overlapping elements create a strong sense of depth in a photograph. When objects overlap, the viewer’s brain interprets that one object is in front of the other, establishing a clear sense of space and distance. This principle is used extensively in both painting and photography to suggest depth.

Vermeer’s paintings are a masterclass in overlapping elements. In his works, objects in the foreground often partially obscure objects in the middle ground and background, creating a layered and immersive experience. This concept translates beautifully to architectural photography. When arranging furniture or composing an image, overlapping objects like chairs, tables, or doorways help build layers and enhance the sense of depth.

Pro Tip: Avoid having elements that are merely tangential or just touching each other, as this can flatten the composition. Ensure that your elements clearly overlap to maintain that layered effect.

4. Receding Rhythm: Guiding the Viewer’s Eye

Receding rhythm refers to the use of repetitive elements that gradually decrease in size or intensity as they move deeper into the image. This technique is highly effective in leading the viewer’s eye through the photograph and creating a strong sense of depth.

An excellent example of receding rhythm is seen in the structural design of airports or train stations, where columns or beams appear smaller as they stretch further into the background. By capturing these repeating elements, photographers can guide the viewer’s eye deeper into the image, emphasizing the vastness of the space.

Brooke demonstrates this technique in his photos of Miami International Airport, where large columns recede into the background, pulling the viewer’s gaze deeper into the image. It’s a subtle but powerful way to suggest distance and scale.

5. Atmospheric Perspective: Using Light and Color to Suggest Depth

Finally, atmospheric perspective is a technique that involves using color and light to create a sense of distance. As objects recede into the distance, they appear lighter, softer, and more diffused due to the atmosphere. Additionally, cooler tones like blues and greens tend to recede, while warmer tones like reds and yellows advance.

Leonardo da Vinci employed atmospheric perspective masterfully in his paintings, using blues and greens in the background to create a feeling of vast space. In photography, this same principle can be used to separate the foreground from the background, adding depth.

Tip for Photographers: Look for ways to incorporate atmospheric perspective into your shots. If you’re shooting an outdoor scene, capture the soft blues and greens in the distance to enhance the sense of space.

Conclusion: Elevate Your Architectural Photography

Creating depth in architectural photography is key to producing images that captivate and engage viewers. By using techniques like border verticals, foreground entrances, overlapping elements, receding rhythm, and atmospheric perspective, photographers can add layers of interest and invite viewers to explore their images more deeply.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a beginner, these techniques are essential tools to elevate your architectural photography and make your compositions more dynamic.

You may also like: Six Artists To Study For Architectural Photography In Black-and-White

About Steven Brooke:

Steven Brooke is an award-winning, internationally recognized leader in the photography of architecture, landscape, and design. He is the recipient of the prestigious Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome and the AIA National Honor Award in Photography. He has photographed over 40 books on architecture and design for major publishers, nine of which he has also written. He has over three decades of experience working with an elite clientele that includes the world’s top architects and designers. Brooke is on the faculty of the University of Miami School of Architecture, where he offers a popular course on Architectural Photography and Composition. He is a frequent lecturer and also conducts workshops throughout the U.S for photographers of all skill levels. Let's Get Connected: www.stevenbrooke.com | Instagram

Image and video via Steven Brooke | Steven Brooke's Architectural Photography and Composition