Tim’s approach to photographing urban buildings
Justin Minns reveals his top tips for shooting in those cold winter months
Iconic buildings
If you’ve got a particular building or piece of architecture in mind for your next urban shoot, the first thing to do is work out where the subject is and which direction it faces, because there will be different opportunities depending on the time of day and year. You might also consider which aspects of the design you’d like to capture. Is there a bigger story hidden in the details of the architecture, or is there something about the building that draws you to it?
Same shot, different day
Smartphone apps are available that can tell you the exact position of the sun at a certain time of day, which can be very useful for planning where to be and when. Once you’ve got the shots based on your ideal scenario (or the weather has something different in mind on the actual day), remember that it can be good to shoot the same building in different conditions. How different might the same feature look in different weather?
Classic architecture
For these shots, you ideally want a sunny day with no clouds. Consider the movement of the sun when you plan which facades to shoot at what time of day, thinking about how you can use shadows to ‘sculpt’ the architectural detailing. Having the sun in the mid-part of the sky rather than directly above can help. Just after sunset, natural lighting often matches the lighting within a building, making twilight a good time to shoot interior spaces from outside.
Use clouds to good effect
Clouds can add a unique dimension to any type of urban photography, so it is worth knowing which ones to look out for. With a bit of thought (and luck), they can really add to a composition in the urban environment – softening hard lines, providing an abstract background to a silhouette and modifying the quality of the light. Here, the fluffy white clouds have been softened into a streaky haze by the use of a strong ND filter, which adds a great sense of contrast.
Landscape photographer Justin Minns is best-known for his atmospheric images of East Anglia. He has many clients, including the National Trust and English Heritage, and regularly contributes to photography magazines. Justin is also an experienced photography tutor who has been running landscape photography workshops in East Anglia and around the world for several years. For anyone who wants to read more of his advice, he’s also the author of Photographing East Anglia, a photographer’s guidebook to the region.
‘Last Light on Vestrahorn Mountains, Iceland’ was taken using his Canon EOS 5D Mk IV with a 16-35mm lens at 18mm. The exposure was 3.2sec at f/16, ISO 100. Here Justin shares his top five tips for shooting wonderful landscapes this winter… www.justinminns.co.uk
Take control
Snowy landscapes can play havoc with a camera’s metering system: it bases exposures on neutral grey, so all that bright snow will fool it into underexposing the image. The simplest way around this is to overexpose by one to two stops, keeping an eye on the histogram to ensure the highlights aren’t blown.
Keep it simple
When a covering of snow simplifies the landscape, it’s a great time to create high-key monochrome images. Try using minimalist compositions to isolate a subject such as a lone tree, stark against the snow. Overcast days with blank white skies, which most of us usually try and avoid, are actually perfect for this type of image.
Get out early
To catch pristine snow without footprints, or sparkling frost before it melts, get out early in the morning. With luck, you’ll also capture the beautiful pastel colours of a winter sunrise. The added bonus is that with short days, sunrise is at a more civilised hour!
Wrap up warm
It’s hard to concentrate on photography if you are cold, so wear clothes that will keep you warm and dry. Good boots, a hat and gloves that still allow you to operate the camera are essential. Pack a downinsulated jacket in your bag for when you are standing around waiting for the light.
Get out in all weathers
Winter isn’t just about snow: bad weather can make for brooding skies and dramatic bursts of light when the clouds part. At this time of year, the sun doesn’t get very high in the sky, so the light can be good for much of the day.