After we saw how to photograph a cityscapemany of you have asked us to delve into a more specific topic: how to photograph monuments.
The request is understandable, Italy is full of wonderful monuments and being able to photograph them effectively can make all the difference.
In the urban landscape article I showed you, in general, what kind of precautions you need to take to get the most out of this photographic genre.
The focus on monument photography, however, is even more specific. To take great shots you need to pay attention to several factors. In fact, when photographing monuments, the ultimate star should be the monument itself.
That doesn’t mean you can’t be creative, but you have to be careful Do not lose sight of the main subject of the photo. Which is actually the monument.
In this article I will explain the best techniques for photographing monuments. Specifically, I will talk to you about the following topics:
- Photograph the monuments at the right time
- Experiment with alternative perspectives
- Be creative with light
- Check the depth of field
- Avoid people
- Convert to black and white
- Don’t overdo it in post production
Photo Mikhail | luxkstn on Unsplash
1. Photograph the monuments at the right time
Even in the photography of monuments and churches, the right light is essential. Monuments are always full of details and to capture them as best as possible you should avoid bright light.
Harsh light (for example midday) causes very harsh shadows. Details will be distorted, because they will be surrounded by unsightly black shadows. This will be especially evident when photographing historic churches and buildings, with their walls rich in artistic work.
For this reason you should plan your photography outings at dawn or dusk. In these time slots the light is lower and the shadows softer.
Another favorable situation for photographing churches and monuments is the cloudy sky. Clouds, in fact, act as a natural light diffuser. Cloudy skies will also give you more time to get your shots.
Photo by Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash
2. Experiment with alternative perspectives
As I already explained to you in the article dedicated to urban photography, in this photographic genre the danger is… take shared shots.
In monument photography this risk is even greater, because you will often find yourself photographing statues and historic buildings, where it is more difficult to be creative.
In this case the key word is to experiment. You can try lowering the trigger point to widen the sense of scale. Or you can explore side perspectives to capture unusual details.
Also use telephoto instead of wide can give very creative results. A telephoto lens actually flattens planes, creating unusual perspectives.
Photo by Axville on Unsplash
3. Be creative with light
In point 1 I explained to you that it’s best to have soft light so you don’t have sharp shadows and capture every little detail. In some cases, however, the opposite may be more interesting.
Sometimes a clean shadow can help give character to the shot. Imagine a colonnade or a statue projecting its figure onto the floor or a wall. Or the light that enters a church through the windows.
There can be countless interesting situations. The best time is the complex after noon and before sunset. In fact, you must avoid the direct sun, because you will not have shadows.
Likewise, a shadow that is too long (such as during sunset) may also be unsuitable for “painting” on surfaces such as floors or walls.
Photo by mostafa meraji on Unsplash
4. Check the depth of field
When photographing monuments, it is essential they have maximum detail. This way you can really show the monument effectively, without losing any detail. This is why you need it a very large depth of field.
What can you do to increase depth of field? You can close the diaphragmuse short focal length the get off topic.
When photographing monuments, you usually use a wide-angle lens (so focal length below 35mm). Distance is not an issue, the monuments are large and often untouched, so very often they will be far from the firing point.
Consequently, it is not necessary to close the diaphragm too much. Even apertures of f/8 or even f/5.6 can be sufficient to achieve good depth of field.
Photo by mostafa meraji on Unsplash
5. Avoid people
One of the main problems when you have to photograph monuments is the presence of people. It’s a variable you have to deal with, because the major monuments are also very popular with tourists.
The result is that, very often, shots destroyed by the presence of the world. This can be particularly frustrating, especially when you’re short on time or traveling, so you may not get a second chance.
In this case you can do something very simple: choose times of the day that are less frequented by tourists. For example dawn or night.
Dawn is undoubtedly the best time, because you also have favorable light. If you are on vacation, however, it is not convenient to wake up early in the morning. If, like me, you are quite lazy, then waking up at the crack of dawn can become a herculean task.
Alternatively you can try in the evening. In this case the difficulties are due to the lack of light or to a monument that is not sufficiently lit. To avoid raising your ISO too much, shoot with a tripod and use faster shutter speeds.
The tripod, in fact, can be a useful accessory for the most exciting solution to avoid including people in the photo: long exposures during the day.
If you set very fast shutter speeds (for example 10 seconds or more), people magically “disappear” because they are moving faster than the shutter speed.
In this case you will need it an ND filter (in neutral density), otherwise too much light will overexpose your photos. The most suitable filter is an ND 1000, thanks to which you can recover 10 stops of exposure.
Photo by Andres Garcia on Unsplash
6. Convert to black and white
In monument photography, the most interesting aspects are textures and textures. Some church facades, for example, have incredible artistic construction. They themselves become the subject of the photograph, without having to photograph the frame as well.
Convert a shot to black and white it can enhance these details, because it will make the observer concentrate on the artistic “design”. Any dirt or grime on the surfaces will also become less noticeable.
Also there photographing the statues could benefit greatly from a black and white conversion. In this case the lights and shadows will give a more three-dimensional image to the subject.
Finally, with black and white you can also reduce the visual intrusiveness of tourists or cars, which inevitably draw attention with their colors.
Photo by Gerard Pijoan on Unsplash
7. Don’t overdo it after production
Once you’ve finished your photo outing and taken your great photos of monuments and churches, all that’s left is do post-production to enhance your shots.
This moment is fundamental, because you can improve your results or destroy them irreparably.
Post-production is a critical phase of the photographic process. This is true in general, but especially in monument photography.
In monument photography, the absolute protagonist is… the monument. A successful photograph highlights the beauty of the monument, reproducing it as faithfully as possible. Too much post-production inevitably distorts the aesthetic characteristics, ending up weakening the final result.
We often see completely distorted photos of famous monuments on social media, with amazing HDR and saturated colored skies that only attract attention.
Here are some post-production operations that need to be done:
- straighten the horizon
- eliminate distortions (hence shooting in RAW format)
- lighten the shadows
- darken the highlights
- improve contrast
- possibly converted to black and white
This, however, is what you should NOT do:
- overdo it with HDR
- oversaturation of photos
- I clearly exaggerate
Photo by MEMORIES ARE US on Unsplash
conclusions
Photographing monuments and churches is a very interesting variation of the urban landscape. Focusing on these kinds of shots is not easy because there is a risk of getting the shared “postcard effect” he is very tall. Many photographers even avoid this type of subject altogether, precisely because it is obvious.
The danger, however, is that you have a nice trip, take lots of pictures, but struggle to make people understand where you’ve been. It’s happened to me more than once, so you shouldn’t be surprised.
These 7 tips can help you get the most out of your photos of monuments, churches and historic buildings. Once you master the best technique, it won’t be difficult for you to be more creative even in this photographic genre. The secret, as always, is to try and try again.
Article by Marco Morelli
Cover photo: Luiza Giannelli on Unsplash