by: Murrye Bernard Assoc. AIA LEED AP
Event: Architectural Photography: Professional Techniques for Shooting Interior and Exterior Spaces Book Launch and Talk with Norman McGrath
Location: Center for Architecture, 09.03.09
Speaker: Norman McGrath
Organizer: AIANY Historic Buildings Committee
Architectural Photography: Professional Techniques for Shooting Interior and Exterior Spaces.
©Norman McGrath, Courtesy AIANY
Throughout his career, Norman McGrath’s photographs have appeared in publications including Architectural Digest, Architectural Record, Progressive Architecture, Domus, Interior Design, Interiors, and New York. He has published several books, and his most recent explains how he has achieved his success. Architectural Photography: Professional Techniques for Shooting Interior and Exterior Spaces serves as a guide to the architectural photography industry, covering the evolution of modern photography techniques and technologies.
One of the biggest changes in photography in recent years has been the switch from film to digital. McGrath took his first digital photo in 1995, which required over 30 seconds of exposure due to all the filters necessary to correct for fluorescent light and other obstacles, as well as hours of computer manipulation afterward. These days, McGrath believes the future of architectural photography is with Photomatix Pro, a program that creates and processes HDR (High Dynamic Range) images and allows seamless integration of images without introducing light. The simplicity of this program eliminates the need to use “casefulls of equipment to light interiors,” McGrath explained.
McGrath is a loyal Canon user — typically the 5D Mark II and IDS Mark III models — and believes it is the best choice among camera manufactures. He is featured as one of the Explorers of Light, a prestigious panel of 78 Canon photographers. As far as favorite places to shoot, McGrath believes that Chicago is one of the most “architecturally rich cities” in the U.S. Millennium Park is “one of my favorite spots in the world,” he said, having recently photographed Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s addition to the Art Institute of Chicago. Foster + Partners’ Hearst Tower — the cover image for his new book — is one of his favorite newer NYC buildings.
How does an aspiring architectural photographer make the transition into the profession? McGrath’s advice is to take workshops, such as those offered by the International Center for Photography (ICP), read up on the subject, and get “suitable” equipment. He also suggests persuading an established architectural photographer to take you on as an assistant. However, “it is not a good field if you have a large ego,” he warned. He believes that an architectural photographer should make you think “what a terrific building” rather than “what an amazing photo.”
Murrye Bernard, LEED AP, is a freelance architectural writer and a contributing editor to e-Oculus.