Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
when taking any photograph you need to think about the light and the
composition of the shot
as a rule bright clear days are better than grey ones
and to get the best view it's worth spending some time to walk around and
look at your subject from as many angles as possible
ideally you also need to make sure the subjects sit straight and level on the horizon
that your uprights don't tilt
this helps to create a more realistic looking image with greater use possibilities
there are occasions however
when using the dynamics created from shooting the monument from below can
create impact and drama that will help an image sell
do what our clients do
ask yourself
what is the most interesting or recognizable element of the monument
you are taking a picture of and always remember if the monument in your picture
isn't immediately recognizable then it's probably not going to sell
to illustrate the main do's and don'ts i'm going to use images of the calgary tower
in canada
in this shot the grey day makes the tower look flat and dull
also the building in the foreground completely dominates the whole picture
making this image look more like a snap shot
that just happens to have the tower in the middle of the frame
you can also see that the name to the hotel is clearly visible
which is something to avoid
this is a real picture killer
this shot is too dark and the buildings creeping in from the sides of the frame
draw attention away from the tower
this viewpoint also means the recognizable top part of the tower
is just a small circle in the sky
here the tower is bigger in frame but it's still not a good shot
it's too dark the streetlight is very distracting and the tower appears to
be leaning way over to the left without reason
the light is better in this shot giving the tower an upbeat feel
the colors are vivid and the shape of the tower has more impact and good
contrast
creatively this is an interesting image but as you can't see the iconic shape at
the top of the tower
this shot is not very commercial
this shot ticks most of the boxes
the light is good giving the tower a three dimensional appearance the colors are vivid
and the tower how has a crisp outline against the sky
the iconic shape of the top of the tower is also a visible
making this the most commercial image so far
even so it's not the most interesting or creative image of the tower i've
ever seen
this shot works on every level
the viewpoint works really well
the light is good and the use of buildings in the foreground draws the
eye to the tower
which helps give it a sense of place and scale
what makes this shot really stand out is the light on the foreground buildings
given the position of the sun these buildings should be in dark shadow
but here
the photographer has cleverly used the reflection from the buildings that are out of frame
on the left to make the foreground buildings
one of the most interesting and creative aspects of the image
there's also great balance to this image
this combination of direct and reflected light doesn't happen all of the time
but the more time you take to plan your shots the more you will begin to notice
these sorts of opportunities and learn to make the most of them
this last shot is a real creative example which also stands out from the crowd
this may look totally different from the last two shots but it still has the crucial
elements present
being well lit and shot from an angle that means the tower is instantly recognizable
once you start factoring in these basic rules they become second nature
you will notice shots like this all of the time
and that in turn will greatly increase the creativity
and commercial potential
of your photography
to summarize
what you need to get right of you to get a great setting shot of a monument is
a building that people will recognize
shot when
the light is at it's best
from a good position
using the right composition
which helps create
the right balance