‘Architectural photography is getting mainstream now’
When popular architectural and interior photographer BRS Sreenag started his career there were only one or two architecture photographers in Chennai. But now, architects and photography students are showing interest in learning architectural/interior photography. “A lot of architects in Chennai have been doing fabulous work but some are not always keen on publicising their works, and some house owners were not keen on photographing their houses. When those who weren’t looking to get published don’t need professional photos, they didn’t need a professional photographer. This was one of the main reasons why we have fewer architectural photographers here. Previously, most architecture firms would take pictures on their own for their records, so I had to demonstrate the difference between those pictures and professionally shot pictures. But with Instagram becoming a great tool in marketing, the trend is changing. Instagram has made
many architects and designers who never used to shoot their projects or are also just starting their practice approach me for professional shoots. It’s great to see that young architecture firms are now shooting their projects too,” says BRS Sreenag.
Contrary to popular belief, the budget for architecture shoots is much lesser than advertising or a fashion shoot. “Crores of rupees are involved in ad campaign budgets for big brands, and they allocate higher budgets for photographers. Architects don’t need to look to spend in this manner. So this makes new photographers prefer to shoot advertising or weddings. At the end of the day, it is their livelihood. Now, there is a lot of interest in architectural and interior photography. The unusual thing is most of the people who get in touch with me on Instagram to know about photography are either architecture students or architects. Many young architects or students seem to like to dabble in photography because they understand design and photography equipment is easily accessible,” he adds.
After completing his Bachelor in Architecture, Yash Jain has been working as a freelance architectural photographer. “More than designing spaces, I love to capture them through pictures and that’s the reason I got into architectural photography. Perspective, light, and shadow are important aspects of photography and one has to focus on that. If I am collaborating with an architect or interior designer, I spend time with them to understand the story behind the project. I also take suggestions from them. This helps me in capturing the best shots. Another aspect an architectural photographer should keep in mind is to compose and frame the shots properly -- this will help in highlighting the grandness of the structure and vividness of space,” says Yash Jain.
After seeing his works on social media, many started messaging Yash to know more about architectural photography. “Though I have been working for the past one and a half years, I am still learning the nuances in photography. But I am happy to share whatever I learned so far,” he concludes.
Instagram has made many architects and designers who never used to shoot their projects or are also just starting their practice approach me for professional shoots. It’s great to see that young architecture firms are now shooting their projects too - BRS Sreenag