The Architectural Photographer and the Summer Solstice

Architectural Photographer | Architectural Photography: The Architectural Photographer and the Summer Solstice

The Architectural Photographer and the Summer Solstice

June 21st, the summer solstice. It’s the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. For architectural photographers, this offers opportunities not available other times of the year. In addition to being the longest day of the year, the summer solstice is also the day that the sun rises and sets at its most northerly point on the horizon. This presents the possibility of photographing north facing facades in direct sunlight, something that is not possible at other times of the year. Unless the sun is blocked by tall buildings or nearby trees, even buildings that face due north will be lit with direct sunlight at sunrise and sunset. Depending on the building being photographed, the window of opportunity may be a few days or a few weeks. Then those north facades will be out of the suns reach until the next summer solstice.

Photo retouching and supplemental lighting do offer possibilities, but one of the most important attributes that an architectural photographer can possess is patience. The architectural photographer who can plan carefully and wait patiently for the perfect weather and sunlight conditions will be rewarded with exceptional photographs.

Of course there are many times when client schedules and deadlines will not permit waiting until conditions for photography are ideal. That is when architectural photographers are required to use all of the tools at their disposal (generators, flash, hot lights, Photoshop) to make the shot happen. That is, after all, what we get paid for!

Curt Clayton
Clayton Studio