Haymes Images

© 2009 Tom Haymes

I finally got back downtown to do some shooting on a decent day this weekend. I really like the Continental Airlines Building because it looks different from every angle. Other shots I’ve taken of it look like this:

©2008 Tom Haymes

And this:

©2009 Tom Haymes

One of the keys to successful architectural photography is finding unusual angles and this building has plenty of them. Architectural photography is both easy and hard this way. It’s possible to make any building look unusual if you think hard enough about it. At the same time, however, you have to maintain the balance of the picture (not necessarily symmetrical either) and still make a pleasing shot.

Also, it’s important to remember that buildings, generally speaking, don’t go anywhere and that, especially if it’s something like a skyscraper or other landmark, thousands (or even millions) of other people have already taken a picture of it. The trick there is to do something unusual while still making a good picture. It’s a challenging, but fun, intellectual exercise. I think the outcome, however, is well worth it.