Courtland Vesta + One Point = Strong Architectural Photography in Birmingham

Why A One Point?

A one point composition accomplishes many things if done right. It highlights the strongest parts of a design, but it can also reveal the weaknesses. One points are suited towards balance. The simplicity of seeing a balanced photo lets your brain spend calories on other parts of the photo. You get to take in the colors, the shape, the materials and the context of the scene. As an architectural photographer in Birmingham, I have noticed that most of the buildings here are either boring, intricate, or nearing modern.

Birmingham is growing. The city needs to be able to attract young professionals and keep them living here. There has been an onslaught of luxury apartment buildings constructed downtown. Most of them have felt stale. Courtland Vesta felt different somehow. With the Courtland Vesta luxury apartment building, it felt like a perfect candidate for the one point treatment.

So Why Does This Work?

Well, I am not really supposed to use words to explain my photos. It feels like explaining a punchline - it makes it worse. Despite this, I want to show why one points are one of my favorite compositions, and how they work in architectural photography. So let's get into it

• The shape
  • A square building isn't very common in Birmingham, and as an architectural photographer here, I can confidently say this is my only photo that highlights a building shaped like this. I wanted to show it off. It is a powerful shape. In real life, it is the first thing I notice about the building. The one point places the square inside of a square. At any other angle, the shape changes. I wanted the photo to mirror the reality of seeing this building in the distance.
• The forms
  • The concrete columns and rows, as well as the awning atop the building, are the second thing I notice. A square can be boring. After all, I am one. Architectural photography should call attention to details. By giving your brain a break from analyzing complicated scenes, you can find these forms much more easily. It is my job as an architectural photographer to highlight the details that my clients work so hard to implement into a design. Take notice at the column that splits the building in two. I used it to split my image in two. Architectural photography has to work with the architecture. You shouldn't force an image.
• The context
  • Because digesting the image is made easier, you can more comfortably examine its context. To the right, you can see the Vulcan, a landmark in Birmingham. An architectural photographer benefits from context. Referencing my subject with a landmark brings it closer to reality for a lot of viewers. Aside from that, the trees frame the building perfectly.

Should All Photos Be One Points?

If they are possible, yes. The one thing to be aware of is that it can bring attention to asymmetries. In an interior design context, sometimes concessions need to be made.  The hood, kitchen island, light fixtures and island should be centered, but that is very often not the case. With architectural photography, your main shot is the exterior. Architects have more latitude to play around with. Interior design needs to take the functionality, available space, and budget into consideration. Architects do as well, but they set the groundwork for the interior designers.

I plan on doing a series on one points. I'll name it something dumb like "Head On". The point is, I love one points, and if you hire me as your architectural photographer in Birmingham, you can count on me looking for a ton of them. They are bold, simple, and strong. To me, that makes it the perfect composition.