Photography Minded

As previously stated in our last tutorial, abandoned building photography can be dangerous, or illegal (often both at the same time.) The owner of this site does not condone breaking the law, or endangering yourself in any way to take pictures in abandoned buildings. That being said, some of my best shots are of abandoned buildings, and here is how you too can get some amazing results shooting in and around abandoned buildings.

Door To Nowhere, originally uploaded by Daniel Hellerman.

When shooting indoors in an abandoned building, you will want a lens with a low F-stop. Anything between F1.4-f2.4 is excellent. This is because a lower F-stop allows us to capture light much more easily and thus get crisper portraits with a faster shutter speed.

Use a high ISO. This will also make your camera more sensitive to light. What you set this too is optional though I would recommend somewhere around 800 for most cameras.

If you can maneuver safely with it, carry a tripod. This will enable you to brace your camera for the photos you may need a longer exposure for.

The Light Shines Forth, originally uploaded by Daniel Hellerman.

Capture texture. Abandoned building photography is really all about capturing texture, whether it be vines creeping up rotting bricks, or a cracked plaster wall, or moldy ceiling. It is important to capture the texture in great detail, which is why I will usually use an HDR technique in a lot of my shots.

Capture light. Sometimes light is the most interesting thing to capture in these buildings. The way it pours in to pitch black cellars, or the way beams of light shoot down from small cracks in the floor. Light can give you some amazing captures.

Go for the smallest details. Maybe a small flower is growing in the cracked floor. Get low and capture it. Any sense of irony or hope in the bleakness of abandonment makes for some great photos.

What Lies Beyond, originally uploaded by Daniel Hellerman.

Take a few photos specifically in black and white. This will enable you to work strictly with the light and texture, and ignore the color that is in the room. This will help you learn to work with the way light reflects. Shoot with your camera in monochrome mode, or take the photos and later convert them to black and white.

Experiment with long exposures. Long exposures in a nearly dark setting can yield some very interesting and unexpected results. Try experimenting with different ideas!

Thats all I have for now! Remember to post and questions in the comments box and I will get back to you post haste! Thanks for reading!