5:42 I don't agree on this, blurry people help us to do something other people can't do with their smartphones for exemple. A lot of clients pick up the pictures with blurry people because it tells a story.
A beautiful eloquent masterclass in compositional elements in architectural photography. Using people thoughtfully as you did and explained, framing the composition first and waiting for the ideal moment based on people dynamics, elevates the art of architectural photography enormously. You highlight and explain each element just like a really professional and inspired 'History of Art' professor might do, explaining the geometric compositional elements in well known paintings. Your work and examples are brilliant, your explanations and examples (both artwork and your images) express your vision with clarity and inspiration. Thank you for recalibrating my way of seeing and adding to the layering of thoughts I go through as I compose my architectural interiors imagery. I use a Canon 24mm TS&E for all the reasons you advocate and I find myself shifting left and right, sometimes up and down to include more of the important architectural elements in the ultimate frame. This approach (discipline) produces more powerful images for the architects and designers to work with later. When I need to include people as some clients wish, I will thanks to you have a far more thoughtful approach to their positioning based on what you have just outlined. Just as Armin Hirmer put it so succinctly in his comment below… (simply magnificent Steven, amazing)!
Erik: Thank you very much for your kind and generous comments. It has always been my goal in these videos to share with as much clarity as possible, with photographers of all skill levels, what I have learned and found effective for my own work. To know that I have been successful at all in meeting this goal is immeasurably gratifying.
Steven, this is a timely video. I'm seeing images right now from the historic center of Salvador, Bahia _finally_ empty of tourists--my big dream. But, without the disorganized crowds and street vendors, the cityscape and architecture look creepy and post-apocalyptic. Beyond composition, I'm thinking about the sociological/cultural element in all this.
Thank you for your note, Paul. I take your point about the post-apocalyptical feeling that can be elicited by a street view absent any people. I struggled with this dilemma when photographing my “Views of Rome” and “Views of Jerusalem and the Holy Land.” When they were present, the people were less intrusive in black-and-white than in color. (Those books were in black-and-white.) In color, the clothing etc would have been much more distracting. What I tried to avoid was having people in prominent positions so as not to detract from the overall scene I was photographing. Unlike painters, I couldn’t place them exactly where I would have wanted. If you look carefully at my Rome and Jerusalem photographs, many do have people, but they are in the background, often in shadow. In general, I planned most of my views at times of day when the streets would be empty, trying to create a 'timeless' image, and hoping that my viewer would then place themselves in the photographs. This approach has not been free from criticism for the very sociological considerations you suggest.
Amazing sutff , Thank you ! I'm interested on education on photographing of people and on the architecture / landsapce with somewhat equal emphasis - ( i.e. neither portraits nor architecture/ landscape ) Could you suggest good resources on how to compose such photos ? Thanks !!!
I apologize for such a late response. The Reformation- and Post-Reformation- era genre painters deemphasized people and focused more on architecture and interiors (Saenredam, de Hooch and their contemporaries). Painters prior to that period often had the Church, popes and cardinals as their patrons. Thus, people (both real or from Biblical events) were more important and were often painted within an architectural framework. Annunciation paintings, in particular, were vehicles for painters to show off their mastery of perspective while also depicting a significant moment. (See painters such as Lorenzetti, Botticelli, Fra Angelico, Leonardo, Hans Memling.) Although they have fallen out of favor with contemporary eyes, the work of the Pre-Raphaelites and Late Victorian painters are worth studying for how they place people in the landscape. John Millais, Holman Hunt, J. D. Waterhouse, Gabriel Dante Rosetti, Lawrence Alma-Tadema are all masterful painters whose work is exemplary.
simply magnificent Steven, amazing
Tks a lot Steven, this video really helped me !
What a great TH-cam channel 😀 great for inspiration in my photography
Thank you , Thomas.
Always appreciate sharing the right contents Steven. Learn lots every time. 🙏
Well said, sir... great learning
Another excellent lesson! Thank you!
5:42 I don't agree on this, blurry people help us to do something other people can't do with their smartphones for exemple. A lot of clients pick up the pictures with blurry people because it tells a story.
A choice for any photographer to make.
A beautiful eloquent masterclass in compositional elements in architectural photography. Using people thoughtfully as you did and explained, framing the composition first and waiting for the ideal moment based on people dynamics, elevates the art of architectural photography enormously. You highlight and explain each element just like a really professional and inspired 'History of Art' professor might do, explaining the geometric compositional elements in well known paintings. Your work and examples are brilliant, your explanations and examples (both artwork and your images) express your vision with clarity and inspiration. Thank you for recalibrating my way of seeing and adding to the layering of thoughts I go through as I compose my architectural interiors imagery. I use a Canon 24mm TS&E for all the reasons you advocate and I find myself shifting left and right, sometimes up and down to include more of the important architectural elements in the ultimate frame. This approach (discipline) produces more powerful images for the architects and designers to work with later. When I need to include people as some clients wish, I will thanks to you have a far more thoughtful approach to their positioning based on what you have just outlined. Just as Armin Hirmer put it so succinctly in his comment below… (simply magnificent Steven, amazing)!
Erik: Thank you very much for your kind and generous comments. It has always been my goal in these videos to share with as much clarity as possible, with photographers of all skill levels, what I have learned and found effective for my own work. To know that I have been successful at all in meeting this goal is immeasurably gratifying.
Thanks for this very helpful video!
You’re welcome, Cedric.
amazing detail explanation...
Thank you, Pier.
S
thank you sir. was thinking of selling my camera because it seems i will never be good at it. but watching your tutorials gives me hope.
By all means, please do NOT sell your camera.
@@stevenbrookephotography thanks Maestro
Steve, thank you so much for your great content, here on your channel and your e-book also.
You're very welcome!
Steven, this is a timely video. I'm seeing images right now from the historic center of Salvador, Bahia _finally_ empty of tourists--my big dream. But, without the disorganized crowds and street vendors, the cityscape and architecture look creepy and post-apocalyptic. Beyond composition, I'm thinking about the sociological/cultural element in all this.
Thank you for your note, Paul. I take your point about the post-apocalyptical feeling that can be elicited by a street view absent any people. I struggled with this dilemma when photographing my “Views of Rome” and “Views of Jerusalem and the Holy Land.” When they were present, the people were less intrusive in black-and-white than in color. (Those books were in black-and-white.) In color, the clothing etc would have been much more distracting. What I tried to avoid was having people in prominent positions so as not to detract from the overall scene I was photographing. Unlike painters, I couldn’t place them exactly where I would have wanted. If you look carefully at my Rome and Jerusalem photographs, many do have people, but they are in the background, often in shadow. In general, I planned most of my views at times of day when the streets would be empty, trying to create a 'timeless' image, and hoping that my viewer would then place themselves in the photographs. This approach has not been free from criticism for the very sociological considerations you suggest.
Amazing sutff , Thank you !
I'm interested on education on photographing of people and on the architecture / landsapce with somewhat equal emphasis - ( i.e. neither portraits nor architecture/ landscape )
Could you suggest good resources on how to compose such photos ?
Thanks !!!
Thanks for your note, Shimon. I will give this some thought and get back to you.
@@stevenbrookephotography Thanks a lot for the quick response !
I apologize for such a late response.
The Reformation- and Post-Reformation- era genre painters deemphasized people and focused more on architecture and interiors (Saenredam, de Hooch and their contemporaries). Painters prior to that period often had the Church, popes and cardinals as their patrons. Thus, people (both real or from Biblical events) were more important and were often painted within an architectural framework. Annunciation paintings, in particular, were vehicles for painters to show off their mastery of perspective while also depicting a significant moment. (See painters such as Lorenzetti, Botticelli, Fra Angelico, Leonardo, Hans Memling.) Although they have fallen out of favor with contemporary eyes, the work of the Pre-Raphaelites and Late Victorian painters are worth studying for how they place people in the landscape. John Millais, Holman Hunt, J. D. Waterhouse, Gabriel Dante Rosetti, Lawrence Alma-Tadema are all masterful painters whose work is exemplary.