How To Photograph Beautiful Quiet Moments in Architecture

 

Quiet architectural moments include delights like this statue found in a niche.

 

I've long enjoyed photographing statues and have devoted considerable time and effort over the years documenting statues, both religious and secular, in many countries around the world.

Statues often depict royalty, military leaders and other important figures in history, religion and mythology. My favorites are often those that explore the Human Condition: what it is to be human, the nature of joy, suffering, etc., and our search for meaning.

A Study in Composition

The above photo was made in Paris one of the world's most beautiful cities. I was just wandering around, on the look for images, when I found this lovely scene. On one hand it's a statue, partly enclosed within a niche, carved into the side of a building. But, from my point of view it's a study, at least in part, in composition.

As the scene was full of lines, shape and texture it was a clear candidate for rendering into black and white. It's useful to understand such things prior to making your exposure as the way the image is to be rendered will often effect the way you compose the scene in camera.

Set Your Photos Apart By Exploring Quiet Moments

Next time you're out and about, whether at home or traveling the world, be on the look out for such moments. They may not stand out or be as monumental as some of that city's more iconic locations, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve attention.

It's often these quieter, more intimate moments that will set your images apart from those made by folks who are constantly searching for the grand and the iconic.

Glenn Guy, Travel Photography Guru