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Feb 9, 2024

[Photography] 12 Tips for Stunning Night Street Photography (+ FAQ)

The post 12 Tips for Stunning Night Street Photography (+ FAQ) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by James Maher.

This article was updated in February 2024 with contributions from James Maher and Jaymes Dempsey.

I love to do street photography at night. The city is lit with a myriad of interesting and colorful light sources, such as lampposts, neon signs, store windows, car lights, and bare bulbs. People walk around in their favorite outfits. Scenes that seem bland by day turn ominous and fascinating after dark.

But capturing beautiful night street photography can be hard. You have to choose the right settings, contend with camera shake, find the perfect subjects, and more. It’s enough to give anyone a headache!

Fortunately, I’ve been doing street photography at night for many years. And over time, I’ve picked up plenty of tips, tricks, and nuggets of wisdom that’ll improve anyone’s street night shooting. I’ve tested different settings, I’ve determined how to handle nighttime lighting, and I’ve learned how to stay safe.

So to discover my top street night photography tips – and to learn how to capture gorgeous images even in the darkness – read on!

The best camera settings for night street photos

street night photography person in the snow — 1/125s | f/2.5 | ISO 6400

Capturing sharp street photos at night (or at any time, really!) is mostly about the shutter speed, so that’s where I’d like to start.

To freeze motion during the day, I prefer to use a shutter speed of 1/320s (with 1/160s as my lower threshold). But at night, this changes. In the brightest areas – lit by streetlights or car headlights – you can comfortably photograph at 1/250s, but most of the time, you’ll need to use a shutter speed between 1/60s and 1/160s. Otherwise, you’ll be forced to boost your ISO to ridiculous heights, and you’ll risk ruining your images with noise.

Note that when your shutter speed is set to 1/60s, you’ll need steady hands. (A lens or camera with image stabilization can help; fortunately, most decent mirrorless cameras these days do come with in-body image stabilization, and most lenses have it, too!) Note that, to photograph handheld at 1/60s, you need to stop your own motion completely. Fortunately, with some practice, this can be done – just make sure you’re always paying attention to your hand movements as you press the shutter button.

As for the best aperture setting for night street photography: The wider the aperture, the faster you can make your shutter speed (or the lower you can drop your ISO). It’s possible to shoot at f/4 in brighter areas at night, but if you can shoot at f/2.8, f/2, or even f/1.8, you’ll have a much easier time. In other words, the wider your aperture for night street photography, the better. (That said, wider apertures come with a major drawback: extremely shallow depth of field. Therefore, as I explain below, you’ll need to focus very carefully to avoid producing a slew of out-of-focus shots.)

Finally, you’ll need to raise your ISO to 1600, 3200, or even 6400. With modern digital cameras, you can photograph at high ISOs and come away with decent images, and while it’s always best to keep the ISO as low as possible, you just won’t manage to get well-exposed shots at night otherwise. (I personally shoot at ISO 3200, and I sometimes go to ISO 6400 in especially dark areas or when I’m photographing fast-moving subjects.) Plus, grainy shots at night can look surprisingly good; the grit adds to the aesthetic, especially if you convert to black and white.

What camera mode should you use? If you’re doing fast-paced shooting in a variety of different lighting scenarios (i.e., moving in and out of the street lights), Aperture Priority can work well – just set your camera to your widest aperture and highest tolerable ISO, then let it choose the shutter speed for you. (If the shutter speed drops below 1/60s, then you’ll either need to accept some blurriness, boost that ISO further, or shoot in an area with more light.)

And as for your method of focusing: Normally, zone focusing is a great method for street photography, but when using an ultra-wide aperture at night, you’ll end up missing a lot of images. You can try using manual focus to prefocus in a certain area if you can anticipate a shot in advance, but working with continuous AF and one of your camera’s tracking modes might be the better option, depending on your camera’s capability. (If you’re not sure what will work best, try to do some experimentation!)

Essential gear for nighttime street photography

The best nighttime street photography gear is broadly similar to daytime street photography gear in that you want your equipment to be lightweight, compact, and inconspicuous. That said, there are a few things to keep in mind when purchasing new equipment for those nighttime adventures:

Pick a camera with good high-ISO capabilities

Since you’ll often be shooting at ISO 3200, ISO 6400, and even beyond, it’s essential that you use a street photography camera that won’t ruin your shots with an explosion of noise. Consider investing in a compact full-frame camera or a top-notch APS-C model, and try to keep the megapixel count on the lower side, as ultra-high MP cameras tend to actually perform worse when shooting at high ISOs compared to the lower MP siblings (assuming the technology is from the same generation).

Low-light focusing capabilities are also very handy – many cameras struggle to acquire focus in the dark, while others are high performers in this area. If your camera can’t focus in near darkness, that’s not an absolute dealbreaker – you can focus manually or shoot in the streetlights – but it’ll certainly limit your flexibility.

Pick a lens with a wide maximum aperture

As I mentioned above, you’ll want to make sure you pick a compact lens for shooting the streets at night. But while most daytime street photography is shot at an aperture of around f/8, nighttime is a whole different ball game. You’ll need to widen your lens’s aperture to its maximum, which means that the wider the maximum aperture that’s offered by the lens, the better.

Therefore, I’d recommend grabbing a lens with a maximum aperture of at least f/2.8 (and f/1.8 or f/1.4 can be even better, assuming the models are still relatively compact).

It can also help to grab a slightly wider prime than you might be inclined to use otherwise, such as a 35mm, 28mm, or – if you’re interested in a more unique look – 24mm. Wider lenses are less prone to camera shake, and they’re also easier to use at night since the darkness and lack of activity results in fewer distractions throughout a broader scene.

Of course, you can still use a standard 50mm lens for nighttime street photography – a 50mm f/1.8, for instance, is great in nearly every street-photography scenario – but if you have the opportunity to go wide, I’d recommend at least testing it out!

10 tips for night street photography

Now that you understand the best settings and equipment for photographing the streets at night, let’s take a look at a few tips – for both beginners and advanced street shooters – to enhance your results.

1. Seek out light sources

Always pay attention to the main light sources in a scene. This is true no matter where or when you are photographing, but it becomes even more important at night. So instead of hunting for subjects, start by finding a beautiful light source or an area with good lighting, then wait around for something to happen.

Note that night street photography lighting can be anything: car headlights, streetlights, neon signs, window lighting, or even smartphone light. Simply look for noticeable illumination, then pay careful attention to how these light sources hit potential subjects. Adjust your angle until you get the lighting effect you want, then shoot away!

When I was photographing the streets of New York City, I found a beautiful restaurant with bright windows. I used the restaurant lighting to bring out detail in the passersby:

people outside NYC restaurant at night — 1/60s | f/2.8 | ISO 3200

2. Take plenty of shots

Sometimes, street photographers like to use a more deliberate approach, capturing only a couple of images of each subject. This works fine during the day, especially if you can confidently nail the focus and exposure – but at night, it’s a recipe for a lot of failed images.

So instead of just taking one or two images of each subject or scene, when you’re out at night, push things a bit. Don’t be afraid to capture 5-10 shots of the same subject, and if you’re willing to sort through all the shots later, you might even consider using your camera’s burst mode to fire off dozens of shots in a few seconds.

The idea here is to simply maximize your chances of success. The more you shoot, the more likely you are to hit on that moment when your subject is moving slowly enough to stay sharp, even at 1/60s – and the more likely are you to nail the focus even with a razor-thin depth of field.

3. Photograph nightlife

Certain parts of the city – such as the business district – can empty out at night; they’ll make for a poor night street photography experience. Other areas, however, will get busier after sunset, and they’ll offer plenty of opportunities.

So seek out the nightlife and shoot it! You might consider doing some internet searches for bars and clubs in your area, then make sure you head on over as the night begins. Alternatively, if you’re after more formal-looking subjects, go for a walk near some upscale restaurants and see what you can find!

photographing the nightlife — 1/125s | f/2 | ISO 6400

And don’t feel like you’re restricted to photographing people on the street outside clubs and restaurants. You can capture all sorts of stunning effects by shooting through windows (plus, if you’re feeling a bit nervous about photographing people, the window can act as a barrier and reduce your anxiety).

4. Alternate between getting close and stepping back

I’m a big proponent of Robert Capa’s advice that “if your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” However, I often violate this rule at night.

You see, while I do try to get close to many of my subjects – and I encourage you to do the same – I also try to create compositions where the subjects are small aspects of the overall scene. At night, backgrounds can be much more beautiful than during the day, so it often pays to have people become the secondary element in the scene, rather than the primary focus.

This approach comes with a technical advantage: When your subjects are off in the distance, you won’t need to use a fast shutter speed to capture their motion. A nearby subject can be frozen at 1/125s or faster; a distant subject can often be photographed at 1/60s and turn out sharp, even if it’s on the move.

5. Experiment with a tripod for creative effects

When doing street night photography, it’s usually best to go handheld. After all, you never know what interesting things are about to happen, and you want to be able to react fast.

That said, it can be useful to bring along a tripod, especially if you’re interested in capturing some long-exposure street photography.

The idea here is to find a busy area, mount your camera on a tripod, then use a slow shutter speed to capture people in motion. You’ll need to experiment with different shutter speeds (1/8s is a good starting point), and you’ll need to shoot a lot of photos, but you’ll eventually end up with some gorgeous motion blur effects:

motion blur night street photography — 1/8s | f/4 | ISO 800 | Tripod

It took me a long time to capture the image displayed above; I wanted the people spread throughout the entire scene, and I also wanted an interesting foreground subject (in the end, I was satisfied by the pose of the woman in the street and the man looking at her).

6. Try working with a flash

Some street photographers love using a flash, while others hate it. Whether you decide to try flash at night is up to you; on the one hand, it’ll provide extra illumination so you can use a faster shutter speed, a narrower aperture, and a lower ISO. On the other hand, it’ll give a very intense deer-in-the-headlights look, plus it can lead to confrontation (people don’t like being flashed, especially in the dark!).

Personally, I prefer to work with the constraints of natural light, and I also get uncomfortable flashing strangers in dark settings. But if you feel confident enough to shoot with flash, then by all means, try it and see what you think. It can give a fantastic look when done well.

Note that you can have the flash do all the work lighting the scene (so that the foreground area turns out lit and the background is completely dark). But you can also set your camera to slightly underexpose the scene, then use the flash to add some fill light to your main subjects in the foreground.

7. Be careful when boosting the exposure

people sitting on bench at night — 1/250s | f/2 | ISO 3200

When photographing with a high ISO, it’s important to nail the exposure; that way, you’re not forced to increase the brightness when editing, which will exaggerate unpleasant noise effects.

That being said, you’ll occasionally run into situations where you accidentally underexpose a shot. And when this happens, you’ll have no choice but to raise the exposure when editing. Just make sure you do it carefully.

Here’s my recommendation: First, ignore the noise and get the exposure and look correct. If you have to raise the exposure a significant amount, the noise will be terrible, so you’ll need to apply some noise reduction.

There are many excellent noise reduction programs, but I like Lightroom’s built-in noise reduction. If the noise is still bad after applying the noise reduction algorithm, try bringing the image into Photoshop to add a very slight Gaussian blur.

At that point, I often use Lightroom’s grain settings to add texture back into the photo. The result looks much more pleasing to the eye than extreme digital noise, and it can hide some of the technical deficiencies of underexposed images. The photo will not look perfectly sharp, but it can still be beautiful.

8. Don’t be afraid of blur and imperfection

Most street photographers aim to get their photos as sharp as possible. Sharpness certainly isn’t a bad thing – but know that a photo can still look fantastic even if it isn’t incredibly crisp.

You see, when photographing at night, you don’t need to freeze motion perfectly to get a stunning result. Personally, I hold my day images to a higher standard than my night images. My day images need to look sharp, while my night photos simply need to be interesting and look good, even if they’re a little blurry in places.

Also, at shutter speeds from around 1/60s to 1/30s, it can be fun to shoot handheld. Your subjects will turn out somewhat sharp, yet there will be a little motion, too. It’s a great way to add a sense of energy to your compositions.

9. Let your night street photos look dark

a dark shot at night — 1/250s | f/2 | ISO 3200

In my view, night shots should look like they were taken at night. They should be dark, with deep shadows and areas that are hard to see. When you look at the histogram of a night image, it should be skewed toward the far left, especially relative to your day images.

But when you point your camera toward a street scene at night, it’ll often overexpose the photo. The resulting file will look bright and you’ll be able to see plenty of detail, but the scene just won’t feel real. (You’ll also end up with blown-out streetlights and store windows.) In such cases, you’ll want to lower the exposure compensation on your camera slightly or – if you’re shooting in Manual mode – boost the shutter speed, narrow the aperture, or widen the ISO.

I do think that bright night images can look good. But dark, realistic night images are generally better, so carefully monitor the histogram and don’t be afraid to drop that exposure compensation as needed.

10. Shoot in bad weather

Venturing out into the night when the weather turns sour can be daunting. (I know this from personal experience!) Yet it’s precisely those conditions – snow, rain, fog, and sleet – that can transform an ordinary street scene into a photo brimming with atmosphere and emotion. Think snowflakes swirling under the glow of street lamps, or a foggy evening with dark figures moving in and out of buildings. These elements introduce a layer of complexity and mood that’s hard to replicate under clear skies.

That said, embracing bad weather does mean facing some challenges. Temperatures generally drop at night, and precipitation amplifies the risk of hypothermia; therefore, even street photography in the summer can be uncomfortable or even dangerous when the rain starts to pour. Plus, keeping your camera dry can be a hassle, and in worst-case scenarios, you may even damage your equipment.

Fortunately, with the proper preparation, you can (generally) prevent these problems. Dress warmly – think coats, hats, gloves – and use lots of layers to keep yourself comfortable. For your camera, a simple rain cover can be a lifesaver. I also recommend bringing a rocket blower (so you can rid your front lens element of water droplets) and a small towel (so you can wipe off your camera and lens barrel regularly). And whatever you do, don’t forget that lens hood; otherwise, the precipitation will quickly cover your lens and ruin your images.

One more thing: Shooting in bad weather at night is hard, and accepting that not every shot will be a masterpiece is part of the process. Night and adverse weather conditions can be unpredictable, but they also open the door to unique photographic opportunities. If you’re willing to take a lot of pictures, chances are you’ll snag at least a couple of keepers. It’s all about patience, perseverance, and a bit of an adventurous spirit!

11. Be careful

This tip is absolutely necessary, but it’s also very difficult to write about. You see, depending on where you’re shooting, heading out at night with a camera is not always the safest idea. On the other hand, many areas are safer than you might think at night, especially in the earlier evening.

Therefore, don’t be so afraid to shoot at night that you never head out, but also make sure that you stay safe. Travel light, keep your equipment to a minimum, and be careful about where you go. Make sure you pay attention to your surroundings, and if you start to feel uncomfortable, head in the other direction.

If you’re not sure whether you can safely photograph on the streets at night, do some research. I’d recommend messaging veteran street shooters in the area, though you can also look at general articles and statistics covering city crime rates.

Use your best judgment regarding who to photograph, and think about bringing a friend along. Don’t stay in one place for too long, and avoid putting down your gear to change lenses. Finally, if you desire greater peace of mind, insure your gear before you head out!

12. Focus on your editing skills

The challenging lighting conditions of night street photography often mean that your images will require a touch of post-processing to really shine – and that’s where your editing skills come into play. I highly recommend purchasing (or subscribing to) a dedicated photo-editing program; it’ll give you the tools you need to create pro-level images, and while the learning curve can be a bit significant at first, it won’t take you long to master the essential techniques.

When you’re just starting out, pay special attention to the white balance and the exposure. Tweak these elements until you get a natural, nice-looking result. Initially, you might find yourself sliding controls back and forth, experimenting until something clicks. That’s totally okay; in my experience, this trial-and-error phase is how you develop an eye for what works.

As you grow more comfortable with the tools at your disposal, you’ll begin to appreciate the power of subtle adjustments. You might even start to develop certain editing preferences, which you can bake into your own presets. (As an aside, creating presets can streamline the editing process, plus they can make it easier to achieve consistent results across your portfolio!)

But the journey doesn’t end there. Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to play with more advanced techniques like color grading. This can add a stylistic flair to your images and really set your work apart. With practice, you’ll find that editing becomes a natural extension of your photography, and you can use it to express your unique perspective on the nighttime cityscape!

The benefits and drawbacks of photographing the streets at night

street night photography diner — 1/80s | f/2.8 | ISO 1600

Nighttime street photography comes with several major benefits – in other words, there’s a reason for its popularity!

For one, the streets tend to be emptier at night, allowing you to isolate a subject or two without difficulty – this can make for more powerful minimalistic shots.

Photographing at nighttime with streetlights also adds a different mood to images, giving a sense of mystery, nostalgia, drama, and even horror, depending on how you approach your shots.

And budding street photographers – and even more accomplished shooters – sometimes struggle with fear or discomfort when photographing strangers. Working at night, however, lends a sense of distance and anonymity that makes for less anxiety.

Of course, night street photography comes with several significant challenges. Cameras rely on light to capture sharp, well-exposed images, and nighttime – as you are undoubtedly aware! – doesn’t offer much light. To address this, it’s important to have a real technical mastery of the camera; otherwise, you’ll end up with images that are blurry, grainy, or dark (or a combination of the three).

And as I emphasized above, photographing at night in certain areas can be genuinely dangerous. Obviously, this depends on the location, and it also depends on the approach you take. Below, I offer tips for taking proper safety precautions at night, but it really is important to keep this in mind so you don’t go in unprepared.

Tips for night street photography: final words

Well, there you have it:

Everything you need to know for stunning night street shots.

Getting beautiful street photos at night isn’t always easy. But if you remember these tips and you practice frequently, you’re bound to get some great images!

Do you have any street night photography tips you’d like to add? Which tip do you plan to follow first? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Nighttime street photography FAQ

Is it safe to photograph streets at night?

That really depends on the location and your approach. Nighttime street photography can be relatively safe, but there’s always a risk, so it pays to be cautious and take proper precautions.

Is it worth photographing on the streets at night?

I think so! The streets can look pretty magical at night and allow for a whole new type of image.

What is the best ISO for night street photos?

I’d recommend pushing your ISO as high as it can go without causing a ridiculous level of noise. You need a high ISO to achieve a reasonably fast shutter speed, plus noise doesn’t look that bad in nighttime shots.

What camera should I use for night street photos?

Compact, lightweight cameras with larger sensors tend to work well for street shots at night.

What’s the best focal length for night street photography?

The 50mm focal length is a street photography classic, but because the streets tend to be emptier at night, it’s often easy to shoot at 35mm or wider to achieve more unusual shots.

Street Photography

The post 12 Tips for Stunning Night Street Photography (+ FAQ) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by James Maher.

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Feb 8, 2024

[Photography] 11 Expert Tips for Beautiful Interior Architectural Photography

The post 11 Expert Tips for Beautiful Interior Architectural Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeb Buchman.

This article was updated in February 2024 with contributions from Jeb Buchman, Natalia Robert, and Lily Sawyer.

Interior architectural photography is a sought-after skill; you can use it to create eye-catching real-estate shots, images of businesses, breathtaking shots of cathedrals, and even historical documentary photos. But shooting interiors isn’t exactly a walk in the park. It comes with plenty of challenges, including cramped spaces, low light, and difficult camera techniques.

Fortunately, I’ve spent years honing my interior architectural shooting skills, and in this article, I share my top tips to ensure success. I discuss:

The best focal lengths for interior architecture
The equipment item that you absolutely must own
Easy ways to improve your compositions
Simple editing steps for refined results
Much more!

So if you’re ready to level up your interior shots, then let’s dive right in.

1. If possible, prepare the space

If you’re photographing the interior of a house or a business, I highly recommend you set the stage by taking the time to de-clutter and open up the space. Clear all flat surfaces and floor areas. Open all blinds and curtains. Clean any dirty dishes in the sink and put them away. Be sure to clean the space much more so than you would for yourself. We get used to clutter and become blind to it, but a bit of clutter in a photo will be instantly obvious.

Once you’re done, the space should feel inviting, like the kind of place you can imagine yourself living or working. But if you’ve finished cleaning and you’re still not impressed, you can create those feelings in your photos by adding personal touches.

If there’s a dinner table, set it for two and place a vase of fresh flowers in the center. Transform an empty breakfast nook into a great spot to lounge by adding a newspaper, coffee cup, and a plate or bowl of light (and pretty) snacks. Hang a fluffy bathrobe on a hook next to the bathtub.

If there’s a desk, consider adding a work laptop and a book (or three). When it comes to decorations or color palettes, you want to either fill the space with personality to play up its uniqueness or keep everything neutral with pops of bright color.

2. Always use a tripod

Whenever you shoot architectural interiors, you absolutely must use a tripod. This is for a few main reasons:

First, a tripod will stabilize your camera/lens setup, which dramatically reduces the possibility of camera shake. Since interior shots tend to be taken at narrow apertures and slow shutter speeds, keeping your camera on rock-solid support is essential.

Second, if you use a tripod, it’s much easier to make sure your camera is level. (While I discuss the importance of a level camera later on in this article, it’s a fundamental part of pretty much all architectural photography.)

Additionally, there’s no good reason not to use a tripod when photographing interiors. Sure, if you were tracking subjects or needing to constantly change your position on the fly, a tripod would be a hindrance. But architectural photography is slow and deliberate; since your subject matter is buildings, you can always count on it to sit nice and still while you set up your camera, dial in various settings, and fine-tune your composition.

Note that interior photoshoots tend to involve very little wind, rushing water, or rain, so you can often get away with using a cheaper tripod (though there are also reasons to invest in a good sturdy model, including gear safety, so make sure you choose your model very carefully!).

3. Start with natural light

One of the advantages of architectural photography, especially interior architectural photography, is that nothing moves. You can leverage this by playing with your settings, especially the shutter speed.

With the camera rested on a tripod, you can dial in very slow shutter speeds to capture all the ambient light, even in very dark corners. If some lamps and lights add to the overall ambiance of the room, include them and take advantage of slow shutter speeds and long exposures.

It is important to remember that for interiors, you should aim for balanced lighting; in other words, there should be no overly dark shadows or overly bright highlights. You want to see the detail in dark areas but not blow out the light areas altogether. And think about which times of the day best feature the interior space. Early morning and late afternoon light are very soft, though overcast days also produce soft light.

On the other hand, bright super sunny days produce harsher light, especially around midday. Therefore you may want to take into consideration shadows produced in the interior from harsh outside light. If you’re creating fine-art images, you can use these shadows as artistic elements, but if you’re doing commercial photography, this may not be appropriate.

4. Whenever possible, use a flash

In the previous tip, I emphasized the value of natural light. But while you should aim to get as much natural lighting is possible, if you shoot a room without a flash, you’ll typically get shadows scattered around the room (caused by artificial lighting positioned along walls and at various places across the ceiling). This often doesn’t look great and can be difficult to handle from an exposure perspective, so I encourage you to use a bit of flash. You only need one or two speedlights or strobes, and they’ll help balance the exposure across the entire frame.

Here’s what I recommend:

Make sure your flashes are mounted on separate tripods or stands (they shouldn’t be on your camera!), and place them a few feet off to the side and a foot or so behind your camera. (If you’re using two flashes, make sure they’re on opposite sides.) Aim the flashes so they point toward the ceiling and slightly away from the room you’re shooting.

Set the flashes manually at half power (a stop below full power) and fire away. Given the angle, the light from the flashes will illuminate the room indirectly (i.e., bouncing off the ceilings and walls), and you’ll get a soft, even fill light for the room you’re shooting.

I always encourage you to review the resulting image on your camera’s LCD and make changes accordingly. Watch for strange shadows, too-bright walls, dark corners, and reflections from the flash in windows and other glass objects.

5. When shooting whole rooms, don’t go too wide

When I first started taking architectural interior shots, I used the widest-angle lens I could get my hands on. I thought that with an ultra-wide lens, I could get more of the room in the frame – but while I was technically correct, more isn’t always better. I soon noticed a high level of distortion toward the edges of the frame, especially in smaller rooms, and I determined that ultra-wide focal lengths (i.e., 14mm) make the sides of the frame look oddly stretched and off the horizontal plane, even when corrected in post-production.

So I experimented with different focal lengths and found that an effective focal length between 21mm and 28mm gives you a very nice balance; at 25mm, you get limited distortion and a wide-enough frame to capture the character and presence of the scene.

One option is to grab a 24mm prime, which can be very cost-effective when you’re just starting out (most manufacturers offer a high-quality 24mm lens for cheap). Alternatively, you might invest in a 24-70mm zoom – yes, it will cost a lot more, but it’ll offer extra flexibility and even allow you to capture some nice detail shots in the 50-70mm range. If you do prefer a wider perspective, you could look into a 16-35mm zoom instead.

By the way, if you’re in a situation where 21mm won’t capture enough of the scene, a panorama is always an option. Speaking of which:

6. Try panoramas for ultra-wide shots

Panoramas are a great way to capture an entire room, especially if you’re using a longer lens or you’re dealing with a cramped interior. But how can you create one?

Start by setting up your camera vertically on the tripod. Many photographers think it’s best to do panoramas horizontally, but the vertical orientation will give you a taller image.

Then do your best to pivot your camera while taking a series of images. Determine your start and end point in advance, and make sure that you have plenty of overlap between compositions. Using a tripod is essential, and it’s important that you rotate your camera on a perfectly level horizontal plane – with the pivot point being roughly where the lens meets the camera). Note that, if the pivot point is too far forward (i.e., somewhere on the lens) or too far backward (i.e., on the body of the camera), the panorama will appear distorted.

For the picture below, the pivot point was on the body of the camera, which is behind the ideal spot. As a result, the shot has a weird sort of convex distortion:

7. Whenever possible, try to shoot only one or two walls

Beginner interior architectural photographers sometimes try to squeeze too much into the frame by including three or even four walls – but when you use this approach, the shot will often appear rather awkward-looking (if you aren’t extremely careful with the composition, that is).

Instead, go for a one- or two-wall shot, which will give the viewer the most geometrically pleasant image to view:

The shot displayed above is a generic two-wall scene with the walls meeting at a standard 90-degree angle. Looks nice, right? Well, I also took a second shot, where I backed up several feet to deliberately include the third wall on the left edge of the frame:

I don’t know about you, but to me, the third wall makes the photo look compositionally awkward and disorienting. I much prefer the two-wall version, and I recommend you pay careful attention to the number of walls you incorporate into your photos.

That said, including three walls in a shot is sometimes okay, provided that everything is geometrically aligned:

8. Strike a balance

When composing your shot, focus the viewer’s attention on where you want it to go. If you can, consider using staged items to add depth and interest in the foreground. Avoid flat-looking photos by contrasting different elements in the foreground, midground, and background. Remember to aim for balance, not distraction.

Using the background to show a connecting room is also a great way to give the viewer a sense of space. This will add interest and make the viewer feel like they can visualize walking through the building.

9. Make sure your camera is perfectly level

When shooting any form of architecture, and especially interiors, this is a big deal:

You should work as hard as possible to ensure your camera isn’t tilted up, down, left, or right when shooting. Even the slightest tilt will require post-production cleanup, and you’ll lose pixels in the process.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:

See how slanted the windows are? They lean outward, which is a sign of perspective distortion. Clearly, this is not an accurate depiction of the room; instead, it’s the result of the camera being tilted ever-so-slightly downward.

But once we get the camera nice and level, here’s the result:

As you can see, keeping your camera level makes a huge difference. Happily, there are a couple of ways to help you get your camera perfectly straight when you compose your photos. Most cameras have a built-in level (with the built-in level activated, when you look into the viewfinder, you’ll see lines across the focusing screen that tilt when the camera tilts). If you’re not sure whether your camera has this option, take a peek at the manual or do a bit of Googling.

You can also use a bubble level that slides onto the camera’s hot shoe. (When the little bubble is centered, it means your camera is level.) You can buy one of these levels at just about any photography store for just a few bucks, and it’s my preferred solution because it tends to be more accurate than built-in camera levels).

10. Get the white balance right

This is tricky and the nemesis of many photographers. Most non-photographers are oblivious to white balance. (This is especially obvious in wedding photos where the bride’s dress looks blue and people’s faces register as magenta, yet hardly anyone notices!)

When I sold my house a few years back, the real estate agents who boasted of great property photography sent a photographer to my house to take some professional pictures. She arrived with a camera on the tripod and a flash head pointed slightly upward. The lens used was very wide – I’d guess around 10mm or 14mm. When the photos were uploaded, I was dismayed to find that the images were all very blue. My home felt so cold, and one of the reasons for that was the incorrect white balance.

Personally, I prefer to add a warm feel to all my photos, so I tend to add that during editing. You can go for a neutral look – and it can help to use a gray card when on site – or you can emphasize warmth, but if you try the latter approach, do be careful that the whites still look white and not yellow or cream.

Bottom line: Always remember that what often draws people to an image is a feeling or emotion. Your image becomes all the more powerful if it reminds the viewer of a sentiment, experience, or something that resonates with them. White balance is key in helping achieve this kind of engagement with your viewer.

11. Carefully edit your interior images

Without editing your architectural photos, the results will be lackluster. Therefore, I encourage you to edit each and every image that you plan to share!

Start by importing your photos to your favorite editing program and follow these basic editing steps to create more refined results. (Note that I reference Lightroom Classic, but you can achieve the same effects in pretty much any editor.)

Straighten out the lines

Doing this will instantly polish up your photos. If you shot at a height of roughly five feet from the floor and kept the camera level, the amount of straightening you have to correct should be minimal. In Lightroom, you can find straightening options in the Lens Corrections panel.

Fill in and even out the light

Before making any adjustments to the brightness or exposure, be sure to correct any lens vignetting. (This is when the corners of the image are a bit darker and is especially common with wide-angle lenses.) Lightroom offers lens profiles that will automatically take into account your lens’s optics and make automatic corrections; just make sure that Enable Profile Corrections is checked in the Lens Corrections panel.

And if you don’t like Lightroom’s automatic adjustments, you can always head into the Manual tab and use the sliders to achieve the effect you envisioned.

Once your corners are corrected, use a Brush to correct the exposure in bright or dark areas. This is your time to dodge and burn. I find that erring on the side of overexposure lends a more natural feel to the space. I recommend pushing the overall exposure up slowly, and when it feels too bright, start pulling back.

You can also lighten dark areas slightly with the Shadows slider in the Basic panel. However, be careful not to lighten the shadows so much that you bring out grain (noise) or that the image looks fake.

Perform color corrections

Adjust the overall color temperature as needed. If you like a warmer effect, as I do, aim for warmth, not obvious yellow.

Also, bump up the Vibrance slider a bit instead of messing with the Saturation slider. Added Saturation can quickly make a photo look too fake, while Vibrance is a more subtle tool that helps give the color a little extra kick. Again, play with the sliders on these settings; seeing what your eye is comfortable with will go a long way toward honing your color-correcting skills.

Adjust the clarity and sharpness

Boost the Clarity slider, but do it slowly. Clarity is a great way to polish up a photo without going overboard on contrast, plus it gives the photo an overall crisp look. Depending on the image, you may want to simultaneously play with decreasing the Blacks slider a bit, too.

You may also want to add a bit of sharpening (in the Details panel). Be careful not to push the Amount slider too far, however; you want an image that looks detailed, not an image that’s full of unpleasant haloing.

Clean up the scene with cloning and healing

Use your editing program’s healing tools to remove any dust spots or other anomalies that may have gotten onto the photo.

Lightroom offers a few options: Clone, Heal, and Content-Aware REmove. Healing is a great option when correcting small spots, as it will have a softer blend to it, but I like to use the Clone tool to remove any glares or reflections. You can also use it to remove address numbers if needed.

By the way, while I typically use Lightroom for editing photos, my personal preference for cloning is Photoshop’s Stamp tool. It seems to allow for more control over the brush itself, therefore making it easier to clone in a way that looks natural.

Interior architectural photography tips: final words

Shooting interiors often comes with difficulties, and getting good at interior photography isn’t always easy.

However, with the tips I shared above plus some practice, you’ll be capturing stunning photos in no time at all! Just remember that you should never rush your images. One of the great things about architectural photography is that your subject will never move, so you have time to really slow down and deliberately refine each shot.

Now over to you:

Which tips do you plan to use first? Do you have any additional advice for capturing stunning interior images? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Architectural Photography