208 Theme 1 Built Environment - Ian Aiken Photographer

Assignment 208 Principles of Location Photography Theme 1 Built Environment


Research and influences - Ian Aiken Photographer


Ian is a photographer of historic buildings who appears to take many of his images at night. This is probably because his other interests are astronomy and astrophotography. His other photographic subjects cover coastal, countryside, industry and wildlife. He uses a small range of modest equipment including an SLR with C size sensor and 3 zoom lenses with focal lengths from 10 to 400.  

The first image below is a well composed study showing all of the main parts of the building even though there are dark areas between the highlighted sections. The floodlights have helped to show the textures in the stonework and the colour balance from the lights and the camera settings have complimented the colour of the stone. There is a good tonal range from jet black to white highlights in the left corner. The eye is led into the frame from the tower down the church to the highlights. 

The exposure of this image is spot on with a little blue light in the sky a well illuminated church and a small amount of light on the gravestones in the foreground. If some of the gravestones had not been illuminated with there being so many they would have appeared as a black mass of silhouette that would dominate the foreground. So this has been very well conceived and controlled. The eye is led into the frame from the gravestones to the church which is the main focal point. The colours, textures and tonal range are very good.

This is an unusual view looking up at the beams on top of the columns. This has used the converging verticals from a wide angle lens to its advantage to accentuate the height of the building. The exposure and tonal range are very good and the rich colours and fine textures of the stone are very well depicted. The eye is drawn up the columns to the lighter beams and along the converging beams to the focal point at the end of the building.

By taking the scene at night, the long exposure has made the river appear smooth and glass- like reflecting the lights. The eye is led down the river by the lighter stripes in the water to the bridge which is the focal point of the image. There is a very good tonal range and nice warm colours of the stone bridge and buildings.

A well composed study with a tree used to shade the bright sky to help show the details in the building and to also add interest in the foreground. The exposure has been well controlled to show the colours and textures of the building. The eye is led from the foreground up the steps to the decorative top of the building which is the focal point of the frame. 

This is a well composed and exposed record image of a public building. The cars in front of the building detract from the overall composition but if the image had been taken at a different time of day when the car park was empty the lighting may not have been so good. The clock tower which is well exposed and sharp is the focal point of the image.

The next two images are night shots and both have the moon as the focal point. They are well exposed with the moon balanced against the buildings. There is very little light on the lighthouse but this has helped in being able to see the beam of light. The compositions are strong with the main points of interest on the thirds and the colours are warm.   

A very different building and again a car in front of the building detracts from the main points of interest. The sky is a little over exposed but this exposure was required to be able to see the decorative detail on the building. A neutral density graduated filter could have been used to darken the sky when the image was taken or the sky could have been darkened using photoshop.

Another flood lit building but this time the image was taken before sunset to keep the sky blue. The exposure is spot on to balance the deep blue sky against the building. The tower is well placed for a good composition on the right third of the frame and the eye is drawn up the tower and spire. However there is a large grave stone obscuring part of the church on the lower left but this may also stop flare from one of the lights.