Developing an Eye for Architectural Photography

Program Overview

Led by professional Martine Hamilton Knight, it offers 20 contact hours of instruction, focusing on equipment usage, composition, and image enhancement in urban locations. Participants receive a certificate upon completion and access to industry-standard software and facilities for developing their skills.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This summer school, "Developing an Eye for Architectural Photography," is a short course designed to equip participants with the skills needed to capture the essence of a place through their photographs. It aims to teach participants how to use specialist equipment to create unique architectural images, setting them apart from other photographers. The course is geared towards individuals interested in the built environment and how to photographically capture the aesthetic qualities of buildings.

Objectives:

The course aims to:

• Enhance understanding of digital photography and manual camera settings.
• Analyze the work of professional photographers and its influence on personal photographic direction.
• Gain experience working in diverse urban locations, capturing both external and internal aspects of historic and contemporary buildings.
• Improve composition, styling, and lighting skills.
• Utilize Raw processing and Adobe Photoshop to enhance and manipulate images.
• Develop a personal photographic style.
• Create inspiring architectural images with both aesthetic and technical quality.
• Participants receive 20 contact hours of instruction from an experienced tutor.
• The tutor, Martine Hamilton Knight, is a professional architectural photographer, academic, and Fellow of The Royal Photographic Society (RPS) with over three decades of industry experience.
• Previous itineraries have included interior and exterior spaces in Nottingham, the skyline from NTU's rooftops, the Council House's banqueting hall, and The Park's residential district.
• Participants use both their phones and dedicated cameras, with access to specialist architectural lenses (Canon and Nikon fit).
• The fourth day focuses on workflow in NTU's MAC edit suite and print labs, where participants work on their final images.

Other:

• The course promotes a community and creative culture that encourages discussion, collaboration, experimentation, and idea exchange.
• The limited class size allows for one-on-one attention to ensure participants leave with the skills to continue developing their photography.
• Upon successful completion, participants receive a certificate of attendance.
• The course provides access to Mac suites equipped with industry-standard software, including Adobe Creative Cloud.
• The course is active and involves a good degree of walking, with suggestions for those with mobility issues to discuss their requirements before booking.
• Participants are required to bring a digital camera (DSLR or mirrorless is best) and their phone, a USB stick/portable hard drive, a laptop/tablet or notebook and pen, and clothing and footwear suitable for indoor and outdoor exploration.
• If a participant does not own a camera, one can be allocated for the course.