Lenses for Architectural Photography

[Mark_Se]

As per cameras.......actually I am not talking MF or LF Digital. I make 95% of my living with a Canon 5D and T/S lenses (just bought a 5D MII) .

ah okay, I heard that from other architectural photographers too. I also thought about buying a 5d & t/s instead of a LF. I`m happy that I didn`t do it. Like you said- I want to make sure that I understand the LF basics before I buy a digi.

[mccormickstudio]

Hi Mark -

I am an architect and a photographer, and I think you should learn with the 4x5, even if it's just a tool for learning. I shoot digital with shift lenses, MF, 4x5 and 8x10, so I know them all very well. I would recommend an older 65mm f8 Schneider super-angulon (with the chrome barrel - it's a little dark, but you can see through it and great glass for low $$), and inexpensive 90mm and 150mm lenses - these could be Ilex, Caltar, old or new, whatever you can find for less than $150-200usd each.

Shoot inexpensive black & white 4x5 film (don't use a roll film back - you won't get the most from your lenses) and process them yourself, in a tray in a bag if necessary. Occasionally try transparency and print film as your budget allows. Diligently study the photographs of Ezra Stoller, Julius Schulman, Richard Barnes, or others that you admire. Think about light and time during the day.

Eventually you will do some or most of your work in digital, but I find that I don't take the same time or care to make quality shots with digital as I do when I work with film in 4x5. Most architects really only need about 5-10 excellent photographs of a project. The rest will be for their own reference. Personally, when shooting for architect friend or on my own best projects, I usually shoot about 20 sheets of 4x5 film yielding about 6 shots and about 20-30 digital reference pictures. If there is a fantastic shot that turns out in the digitals, I usually re-shoot 4x5.

Almost everything you will learn about architectural photography will come from struggling with the view camera, and you will learn the necessary patience that doesn't come naturally when young.

And I completely agree with all here who say work as an assistant - for free if necessary. Do whatever it takes to work with those who's work you admire. What city are you in? Perhaps someone here can help with a hook-up?

Good luck!

[Mark_Se]

thank you very much, lots of useful information.
Problem is that I`m from Austria/ Europe. But maybe someone is from here (Salzburg, Vienna, Linz....). I think I`ll post that in a local forum too.

[paul08]

Craig's advice on the 65mm is good, although I find I use 90 & 135 the most (300mm for exteriors from a distance - flattens nicely). The real key is to get the most out of your camera's movement capacities. I occasionally get near the almost 250mm (combined) rise and fall on my Cambo, and lately I use 100mm+ pretty often, so it helps a lot to have lenses with greater than 200mm ICs. There are a lot of great 4x5 lenses out there for good prices used (ie, the Rodenstock Sironar N 135 & 150 AKA Caltar II-N) that simply won't give enough coverage for full movements. It's worth it to do the research and get lenses with larger ICs (ie, the Fujinon CMW 135mm, Rodenstock Grandagon 90mm 4.5, etc)

[Kirk Gittings]

Others will be fast to contradict this, but: A rule of thumb for interiors and architectural work is a lens as short as the short side of the film. That means 60mm and 90mm in your case.
More: It's impossible to see through an f.8 s.angulon or similar. The short SuperSymmars cover a lot of shift - my favorite on 4x5 is the 100mm. If you shoot with parsimony, 4x5 works out cheaper.

I will contradict that. If I understand it right. I have heard a plethora of complaints over the years from architects and magazines about photographers who overuse very wide angle lenses. The plain fact is that shooting an interior with a 65mm introduces so much distortion/exageration that the image will no longer resemble the space being photographed. Such an approach assumes that inclusion is more important than composition. Look at the work of such, masters as Nick Merrick or Peter Aaron. They step back and use the longest lens they can in a space. Everyone uses super wide lenses sometimes, you have to, but the best use them rarely. I didn't own one for like the first ten years I was in business and did a ton of national magazine work with nothing wider than a 90mm or longer than a 210mm. For a very long time I only owned a 90, 120 and 210. The only rule of thumb I ever heard was "you will use your 90mm lens 90% of the time", which I found to be true.

[Merg Ross]

Others will be fast to contradict this, but: A rule of thumb for interiors and architectural work is a lens as short as the short side of the film. That means 60mm and 90mm in your case.
More: It's impossible to see through an f.8 s.angulon or similar. The short SuperSymmars cover a lot of shift - my favorite on 4x5 is the 100mm. If you shoot with parsimony, 4x5 works out cheaper.

I will contradict that. If I understand it right. I have heard a plethora of complaints over the years from architects and magazines about photographers who overuse very wide angle lenses. The plain fact is that shooting an interior with a 65mm introduces so much distortion/exageration that the image will no longer resemble the space being photographed. Such an approach assumes that inclusion is more important than composition. Look at the work of such, masters as Nick Merrick or Peter Aaron. They step back and use the longest lens they can in a space. Everyone uses super wide lenses sometimes, you have to, but the best use them rarely. I didn't own one for like the first ten years I was in business and did a ton of national magazine work with nothing wider than a 90mm or longer than a 210mm. For a very long time I only owned a 90, 120 and 210. The only rule of thumb I ever heard was "you will use your 90mm lens 90% of the time", which I found to be true.

I agree with Kirk. One of my first assignments as an architectural photographer was to re-photograph two houses that another photographer had done on 4x5 with a 65mm. The architect was dismayed by the distortion from the 65mm, and had every right to be. I re-photographed the houses with an f:8 90mm Super Angulon on 4x5. This was my bread and butter lens, followed by a 150mm and a 250mm for the long shots. I concluded after a short time, that it was best to use the longest lens for the space. The architects I worked for agreed, and they are not the easiest clients to please. From this initial re-shoot I did a dozen more jobs for the architect, some winning national awards.

[John T]

I also agree with Kirk. My most commonly used lens for exteriors was a Fuji 125 SWD. Moderate wide without looking distorted. The 90 or occasionally the 75 was used in a a lot of interiors.

That said, the above lenses were used when the client was an architect or publication. If I was shooting for a developer, I sometimes used wider lenses to create more drama. They seemed to be more concerned about selling the space rather than depicting the building accurately. If you want to really upset an architect, try shooting the exterior with an extreme wide angle lens when he/she is trying to submit for AIA considerations!

[Kirk Gittings]

try shooting the exterior with an extreme wide angle lens when he/she is trying to submit for AIA considerations!

Bang on! I brought this up because just today I had a meeting with some client architects who I had not worked for in awhile. No big deal. Clients need a break sometimes to appreciate what you do. They had been using a young guy who is kind of a protege of mine. He is a very decent photographer but he loves super wide lenses for everything. They brought me back in because my "images look great and look like the building too". I couldn't be more pleased and it happened just in time. The next project they need is one they joint ventured with one of the top architects in the world that will be submitted for every AIA award in the country.

[cjbroadbent]

Well, Kirk didn't actually contradict me. Mark's question was "I think i will shoot a lot with a 6x7 back and 4x5 only for special works." My reply was "A rule of thumb for interiors and architectural work is a lens as short as the short side of the film. That means 60mm and 90mm in your case."
I would happily qualify that with "... a lens no shorter than the short side of the film."

[Frank Petronio]

Reading comprehension issues aside ;-)

That's why I suggested just getting the 90/4.5 as your primary purchase. You can find good deals on longer lenses but spend the most money on the 90mm.