When it comes to shooting house, there are many things that we need to bear in mind. Fortunately, it’s not an endless list. Following are some basic notes for photographers:
Shoot close to home
You should choose shoot places that you know, check out what you might have access to, and don’t be afraid to ask neighbors if they have a fantastic view or interesting home.
Go graphic
Look for patterns and strong shapes in the architecture. These are the elements that hold a picture together. Think about the windows and doors of homes on a street or the repeat pattern in roofs and brickwork.
Time of day
Think about the time of day you take your pictures. When the sun is high in the sky it can create strong shadows and contrast. If you photograph early in the morning or later on in the day you’ll get a softer cross-lit feel.
Details
When people name their homes they give them personality. What makes houses homes? A door knocker, the objects placed in the windows, the flowers planted outside – think details.
People
Don’t forget that this isn’t necessarily a purely architectural project. Sometimes it helps to have figures to give a sense of scale and context.
Plan your assignment
Think about how you want your pictures to hang together: do you want to set yourself an assignment exploring your own home with a variety of shots (general views, details, portraits) or create a set of pictures about housing as a wider subject (terraces, blocks of flats etc)?
Geometry in photo
Different viewpoints
Look for dynamic compositions, extreme (from above or below) viewpoints will stop the pictures becoming monotonous and give you a varied array of viewpoints, creating diversity within your pictures.
Equipment
Use different lenses: wide for views, telephotos for compressed patterns, for instance. Also, think about using a tripod which will allow you to think more about the individual shot.
Camera settings
Play with the depth of field to isolate details.
All types of housing
Think about extremes: palaces, caravans, tree houses, houseboats, dog kennels!
