Presentation to accompany the second of exclusive workshops for GoUNESCO Campus Ambassadors. This workshop will teach you the basic principles to keep in mind when taking photos of monuments. It will begin with an introduction to digital photography and will not go into details of cameras. The goal is to be able to aware of principles to use when taking a photo with any camera, even a cellphone camera. Madhu Gopalan, is a photographer who specializes in heritage and travel photography will conduct this workshop. Please watch the livecast on our youtube channel www.youtube.com/gounesco or on our website - http://www.gounesco.com/online-workshop-gounesco-campus-ambassadors-taking-better-photos-monuments/

1. Photographing Monuments
Madhumita Gopalan

2. The Basics
LENS
APERTURE
SHUTTER
SENSOR
● What's the story?
● Compose the image
● Control the light
● Shoot!
● Review, Reshoot
● Process
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3. When do you have the best light?
● Early mornings, mid mornings, late afternoons and around sunset are
great
● Sunny days with clear blue skies and fluffy white clouds here and there
make dramatic colorful backdrops. Light is harder and colours brighter
● Clouds act as diffusers – they make light softer, and illuminate building
evenly. But too much will make your photo dull
● Rainy days can be quite dramatic but keeping your gear safe is a
challenge
● Right AFTER a rain, everything is clean, colors pop, gear is safe -
ideal
● Avoid shooting when the front of the monument is in shadow – you
can, however, experiment with silhouettes, flares etc
● Useful to know orientation of the monument beforehand

4. Look for interesting compositions
● Wide shots of the whole monument
● Zoom in and capture architectural details, carvings, etc
● Try low angles to exaggerate features
● Walk all around the monument to make sure you haven't missed an
interesting angle/view
● Look for repeating patterns – a frame with a single repeating pattern
can make a compelling image
● Views of the monument from other places – neighborhood, other
nearby buildings, etc

5. Interesting ways to frame the monument
● Through an arch
● Through the window of your car
● Through the leaves of a tree
● Seen from another monument
● Reflections in ponds, puddles, rearview mirrors,
windshields - anywhere!
● Interesting shadows

6. Inside the monument (if allowed)
● Photos of the interiors
● Photos of the outside FROM the inside
● Light-shadow patterns created by stained glass, perforated screens etc
● Dramatic shafts of light through stained glass windows etc
● Look up - Ceilings are often interesting
● Look down from staircases, balconies, etc

7. Make use of distractions
● Use people, vehicles and other familiar objects to convey the size of
the monument
● These also add color and movement to the photo
● Use the monument as a backdrop for some other subject – like
children running around, hawkers on the street, etc
● Local people in the frame add character
● Pigeons...or any bird = awesome
● Distractions like wires, garbage = not awesome

8. More Composition Tips
● Make sure your horizon and lines are straight
● Level your planes – very hard to correct later
● Rule of thirds
● Minimalism
● Pathways, driveways, staircases as leading lines
● Convey depth
● Use diagonals

9. Flares and Silhouettes
(sun behind monument)Flares:
● Shoot into the sun, at an angle.
● Don't include the whole sun – let the building cut out most of it.
● Don't point at the sun directly – harmful to your eyes and camera sensor
Silhouettes:
● Only the outline of the monument
● Colorful sky at the time of sunset is best
● Monument should have distinct identifiable outline
● Sun need not be right behind building, it just has to be in front of you
● Underexpose as required if using DSLR
● Don't use auto white balance – you might lose colours. Switching to
cloudy mode might make colors better.

10. So...
● Use techniques alone or in combinations
● Don't shy away from the cliched shots
● How often do you visit the same monument? Shoot, review,
recompose, reshoot as many times as you want. It's digital & storage is
cheap.
● Rules are meant to be broken, but break them unapologetically for
maximum impact
● Remember to take some time to soak in the atmosphere – it'll help you
see the story you want to shoot
Happy Shooting!