THE EVOLUTION OF ARCHITECTURE By Andrew Burnett

CONTENTS

3 – Proposal

4- Logistics

5 – Equipment

6 – Locations

8 – Mind Map

9- Inspiration

10- Timeline

11- Photographer One: Berenice Abbott

15- Photographer Two: Ezra Stoller

Proposal The project I am deciding to undertake is called “The Evolution of Architecture”. I plan to travel to and explore both Glasgow and Edinburgh in search for twelve buildings which reflect their age, in order to create a timeline displaying the change in design of architecture over time. My main inspiration for this project is Berenice Abbott who bases their work on architecture throughout New York. She explores the city whilst taking photos of buildings with unique compositions which emphasise the scale of the buildings hanging above. It is these perspectives that interest me and have encouraged me to try this myself. My other inspiration is Ezra Stoller who particularly likes to use leading lines in his architecture photography. Stoller was known for being the first receiver for a gold medal from the American Institute of Architects for his photography.

I intend to implement a variety of different styles and techniques within my work. For example, using a tripod to stabilise my shots and accurately apply the rule of thirds to my shots. I also plan to shoot in monochrome as I find the harsh contrast with white skies and darker tones buildings creates an atmosphere to a photo; I also find the range of tones shown in monochrome appealing to look at which makes me want to shoot in monochrome more. I have researched into low key photography in order to gain an understanding of different ways to emphasise my subject. I also plan on experimenting with composition as I want to convey a sense of scale and the idea of buildings towering over us.

The theme I have picked is Low Key Architecture. I believe low key photography eliminates the distraction of colour thus forcing the viewer to inspect the fine details of my subject. I’m particularly concentrating on the time periods of the buildings I take pictures of as I want to convey the sense of time passing – from older to modern. The planning of these shoots is crucial as I have to ensure I visit the right buildings so they fit into my timeline.

Whilst studying the work of Berenice Abbott and Ezra Stoller I have formed a different frame of mind when composing images through the lens. The varying perspectives Abbott uses are powerful and give buildings a sense of drama as they appear bigger than they are in reality. It is this technique I want to portray in my own work as a slight change in composition can alter the image and this fuels my interest for both architecture and compositional techniques. Stoller’s use of leading lines is also inspirational as he directs the viewer towards what he wants them to see. They also give a structure to an image which leads to several architectural design elements which can form powerful images. I will implement these techniques into my work in hope of making images which convey a sense of the lifeless buildings appearing alive and overpowering to the viewer.

Throughout this course I have studied a variety of photographers and the more I explore the possibilities of my project the more inspired I become to capture the beauty of architecture within my home country. I feel as if this project will allow me to reflect the ambitious photographer within me and help me further develop my interest of the architecture within Scotland.

Logistics

My shoots will take place in mainly Glasgow but Edinburgh also. On each shoot I plan to photograph each building at different angles and perspectives with a minimum of 30 pictures to ensure I have bracketed and explored several compositions. I will take my photos in the RAW file format rather than JPEG as a RAW file allows for all valuable metadata to be kept so editing can occur later if necessary. However, shooting in RAW requires more data as the image file size is larger so I will carry spare SD cards to be safe.

The editing software I will be using is Photoshop CC. This is currently the most up-to-date editing software meaning it will include all the recent tools for editing if required. I will create my contact sheets on this software which will allow me to clearly organise and mark-up my pictures in an efficient and easy way. This will increase my productivity and assist the smoothness of my workflow. I will aim to make as few changes as possible as it is good practice to get the elements correct through the camera.

For each of my shoots I will have to plan the time of day I am shooting at as cloudy days may mean my lighting will not be as good as it would be on a sunny day. The weather could also affect my shoots: sunny, cloudy, rainy, stormy, clear could all have different impacts on my photographs so I will have to improvise on the day. I will also have to check if there is any legal issues concerning trespassing and if photos are allowed to taken; if it were possible, going on to a roof of a building would allow me to gain an amazing perspective but I would have to ask for permission to do this.

For my project I plan to go on shoots mainly at the weekend; early in the morning where it won’t be as busy and the sun will be out to light my shots. I will be using my Canon EOS 700D and using an EF-S 18-55mm Lens. The locations I visit will be previously planned out so I am aware of what building I’ve to look out for. To stabilise my shots and prevent motion blur I will be using a Hama tripod.

Equipment Hama Tripod This tripod is relatively

cheap and provides

great balance to

stabilise shots thus

reducing motion blur.

Standard 18-

55mm lens This will allow me to zoom

into my environment without

having to physically move.

This will also be good for

landscape shots also.

8GB Storage

Card This will allow me to store a

large amount of high quality

photos. I will take two of

these just in case one were to

run out of space.

Canon

700D

Locations

Glasgow Cathedral,

Glasgow Strathclyde

University, Glasgow

Glasgow University, Glasgow

Mitchell

Library,

Glasgow

Scottish

Power HQ,

Glasgow

The

Hydro,

Glasgo

w

The Clyde

Auditorium,

Glasgow

Edinburgh Castle,

Edinburgh

Scott Monument,

Edinburgh

Morgan Stanley

Sentinel, Glasgow

Emirates Arena,

Glasgow

Tollbooth Steeple,

Glasgow

Transition of Design in Architecture Photo Ideas

Strathclyde University Business

School

The Hydro

Clyde Auditorium

Glasgow University

Edinburgh Castle

Scott Monument

Glasgow Cathedral

Mitchell Library

Tollbooth Steeple

Scottish Power Building

Emirates Arena in Glasgow

Morgan Stanley Sentinel

Visual and Compositional Elements

Compositional Techniques

Depth Rule of thirds

diagram Leading

Lines

Symmetry Pattern and Texture

Varying Perspectives

Cropping Visual Techniques

Technical Considerations

ISO

Low Shutter Speed for low

key photography

Aperture

Varying depth of

field

DSLR

Canon EOS 700D

Lenses

Canon Lenses

Filters

Monochrome for Low Key photos

Shoot in a RAW Image file format to allow the image to keep metadata for editing in the future

Camera

Camera accessories

Camera Bag to ensure safety for equipment

Tripod for long exposures

Site Logistics

Travel

Train, Bus or Car

Health and Safety

If I am out at night I will be accompanied by an adult.

Permission/Access

I will have to be sure I am not trespassing and for areas that are prohibited, I will ask for access to gain entry.

Legality and Copyright

Billboards and any other forms of advertising will not be included within my photos to avoid copyright issues.

Standard 18-55mm Lens

Timeli

ne

August September October November December January February March April May

Project Hand in and presentation for 40

days.

How to print a contact sheet

Exposure Triangle – Aperture / shutter

speed / ISO

Covered sources of light and their effects

Further introduction and progression into our

contextual imagery unit.

Met Bob Collins, a professional photographer

and learned various techniques from him.

Introduction to our final project

Contemplating ideas for my final

project; I had thought of doing

perspective as my theme but then

switched to architecture as it

interested me more.

Completed all my shoots.

Working on analysing my

photographs and creating

and marking my contact

sheets.

Adding finishing touches and

checking over my project;

making small adaptations.

Writing evaluation.

Strathclyde University was my first

shoot, I learned a lot from the first

time taking low key photographs;

especially ensuring ISO was low and

adjust other settings around this. I

took this information into

consideration in the future shoots.

Photographer One – Berenice

Abbott

Berenice Abbott - born July 17th 1898, Springfield, Ohio, United States – was best known for her photography which documented the beauty of architecture in New York.

Abbott studied in Ohio State University briefly before moving to New York in 1918 in which she self-studied sculpture and drawing for four years. She continued pursuing these subjects in Berlin but soon worked as a darkroom assistant for an American surrealist and dada artist by the name of Man Ray in Paris. In 1925, Abbott produced her own photography studio in Paris and took several portraits for artists and writers. Throughout this time Abbott came into contact with Eugene Atget – a well-known French photographer – whose work was little known at the time. Eugene Atget soon passed away in 1927 but Abbott recovered his work and soon promoted it in the following years.

In 1929, Abbott returned to New York and was shocked to see the rapid modernisation of the architecture within the city. Whilst doing portraits, she soon began to document New York itself. She documented the cities’ progression through the advancements of architectural design in which the photos were published in books.

The next two decades consisted of Abbott teaching photography at The New School for Social Research in which she experimented with photography to illustrate scientific occurrences. She passed away in 1991 but her photography lives on to show the progression of architecture through New York.

Berenice Abbott –

Photograph 1

Broad St by Berenice Abbott, 1936

The main subject matter in this photo would be the range of different

buildings expanding over the length of the road. The foreground includes

the sign down the far left of the image; the middle ground consists of the

small details of everyday life, which provides a sense of life to the photo

and the background shows off the buildings towering over the people

below. The size difference between the buildings and the cars and

civilians below creates a contrast in size thus emphasising the scale of the

buildings. The strong forced perspective of this photo leads me to like

this photo as it leads the eye up through the street. This effect is very

powerful and creates an organised structure to the photo as it is easy to

follow.

The natural lighting of the sky creates another contrast between the light

sky and the darker buildings. The light affects the buildings by revealing

the intricate details of each building; this highlights the way windows and

other details affect the look of a building. I imagine the shutter speed was

quite fast to ensure the cars and people on the ground were in focus along

with the still buildings. Abbott used a Gelatin silver photographic process

in order to print her photos. This is when silver salts in Gelatin are coated

onto glass, flexible plastic, film etc. These light sensitive materials

remain stable under normal lighting conditions but are capable of being

exposed to strong lighting conditions and processed many years after

manufacturing.

Canyon, Broadway and Exchange Place by Berenice Abbott, 1936

The subject matter within this photo is the dominant building rising up

the middle of the picture. The foreground consists of the two buildings

in front which creates depth as well as a sense of distance. The bright

white sky is over exposed on purpose which effectively creates a

contrast between the sky and the dark grey buildings. The low angle of

the shot emphasises the scale of the building by creating an

overpowering effect as the buildings seems to hang over the viewer.

The strong leading lines also lead the eye from the bottom to the top of

the picture; this creates a sense of movement to a still entity.

The natural light emitted from the sky helps emphasise the architecture

– the windows and several other design elements of the buildings are

emphasised through shadows created from the light coming from

above; this helps create areas of contrast throughout the scale of the

buildings and adds depth also.

Berenice Abbott –

Photograph Two

Berenice Abbott –

Photograph 3

Shadow and Sunlight, New York City, 1930

The subject matter of this photo consists the building the large building rising into the sky

above. Abbott’s use of composition creates a sense of scale and height due to the low

angle of this shot. This is important as it provides the viewer with a realistic idea of their

relative size compared to the scale of this building. The repetition of windows also creates

a pattern of differently toned window panels which lead the eye upwards, through the

darkest toned windows featured at the bottom left which fade lighter as you go up.

Natural light has been used as a visible shadow from a building out of the shot lays over

the main subject of this shot. It is this shadow that creates even darker tones in the

windows on the left hand side of the shot. This creates contrast with the light grey tones

building and the darkened windows which effectively draws the viewer’s attention to the

shot.

What appealed to me with this shot was personally how the repetition of the windows

creates a pattern. This pattern makes me feel relaxed as it appears consistently throughout

the shot. The shadow also made me contemplate how it looks like there are two buildings;

the shadow alongside the composition makes it look as if the shadow is a building itself. I

like how it promotes creativity in this way.

Photographer Two – Ezra

Stoller

Born on the 16th of May, 1915, Ezra Stoller was considered the most influential American architectural photographer of the 20th century, whose work featured several landmarks of modern architecture.

It all began whilst Stoller studied architecture at New York University, his interest in photography grew when he started making lantern slides and taking photographs of architectural models, drawings and sculptures. Once he had graduated in 1938, Stoller focused on photography. In 1961, Stoller was the first receiver of the Gold Medal for Photography, awarded by the American Institute of Architects which makes him one of the most memorable photographers of his time.

Ezra Stoller lived in a time where he was surrounded by American modernism. Stoller’s images effectively convey a three dimensional perspective of architecture with particular attention to the details of a building: the lines, colour, form, flow and texture of a building. His shots have created a memorable visual experience of iconic landmarks throughout the USA. Stoller specifically focused on the framing of his shots to emphasise a focal point, the details and the factors affecting the structure.

United Nations General Assembly Building, New York, 1952

The main subject of this photo would be the huge skyscraper looming

in the background. This is complemented by the structure in the

foreground which acts as a leading line which, in turn, leads the eye

across the image towards the main subject. I believe this gives the

image dynamic properties which engages the viewer. The rule of thirds

also applies to this image as the skyscraper is aligned with the

skyscraper. This draws attention to the building as the eye will

naturally be attracted to this location of the photograph. The use of

negative spacing singles out the main subject which also attracts

attention to the building as it disrupts the image with positive space.

The strong leading line which guides my eye across the image was

what caught my attention for this photo as this gives the image a sense

of movement. I find it interesting how dynamic properties can be

applied to an image which contains static properties, in my eyes, this

creates a unique contrast which emphasises the main subject; I intend

to include these techniques in my own shoots.

Ezra Stoller – Photograph 1

Seagram Building, New York, 1958 The main subject of this shot is skyscraper towering above the smaller

buildings below. The building in the foreground provides a sense of depth as it

emphasises the distance between the foreground and middle ground.

Attention is drawn to the building naturally as it lays upon the rule of thirds

grid. As it covers two focus points, this makes the building a focal point of the

shot. The roads below act as leading lines which create tension as it guides you

through the city yet drawing you away from the main subject of the Seagram

building which appears to dwarf the other buildings. The foreground includes a

slim section of another building which creates a corridor for the road to flow

down. I believe this supports the leading line effect provided by the roads.

What attracted me to this photo was the tension between the main subject of

the Seagram Building and the roads which lead the eye away from this. This

divide in attention creates complications with the eye as it wants to follow the

road down through the city but the Seagram Building clinches onto the eyes’

attention. I have never experienced this with a photo before and I found that it

is a really interesting concept in which I would love to implement into my own

photography.

Ezra Stoller – Photograph 2

John Hancock Building, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Chicago, 1970

The main subject of this photo is the large building which reaches into the

sky. The perspective in which this shot is taken creates strong leading lines

which lead the eye up through the image. The lines seem to travel towards

each other slightly also which compliments the towering effect. The low

angle composition also adds to this effect, creating dominance.

The Silver Gelatin printing process has been used form this image. This

process is a monochrome imaging process which is based upon silver

halides and how sensitive they are to light. A small exposure to a negative

creates a “buried” image, which is soon visible when exposed to a

developing agent. The image is then set by a photographic fixer which

removes the remaining silver halides, thus making the image permanent

then using a water bath, the image is then cleared of the fixer

Ezra Stoller – Photograph 3