The Art of Architectural Photography 2-16-2016

The romance of Valentines Day was as overwhelming as it was charming.  Tweets, blogs, cards, chocolates, champagne, roses and all the sentimental harts and flowers are lovely and, to some, very meaningful.  At least for one day of the year, love was definitely at the top of the list across the media and perhaps for most of the world.  I remember Valentines Day fondly from my days of growing up in Brooklyn.  In those years, there was not the commercial frenzy that exists today, but Valentines Day was decidedly a commercial affair even then.  It was also my Mother's birthday so we celebrated both occasions with many desserts, prettily painted heart shaped boxes of confections and flowers. Since those days, Valentines Day has somewhat shifted away from painted valentines and into photographs of all things romantic to purchase for a loved one.  Commercialism.  That's OK, but I still like romance for the sake of romance.

Romantic photography is a rather tricky affair.  In order to create romantic images, there is a fine line that separates the truly evocative love photographs and the saccharine commercial pictures.  I very much admire wedding photographers, that group of sometimes under-rated, always hard working and ever commercialized segment of photographers who are by and large extremely skilled at their craft and, in the majority, manage to get the love theme into pictures while documenting a singularly important event.  Some food photographers also create deliciously sentimental portraits of the foods, especially those connected with Valentines Day, such as heart shaped cookies, oysters or chocolate cakes: all around a romantic theme.  Numerous photography themes target the subject of romance, as do other forms of art, such as painting and sculpture.  The creation of these arts do not necessarily have to involve a specific event or day, but the images should convey aesthetically subtle feelings.  Subtlety is often the difference between artistic works and commercially crafted material.

Mood can be infused into a photograph through subject, color, tone, composition and form.  Traditionally I use monochrome as a medium for my architectural photography.  Once in a while, the romance of color appeals to me.  The allure of sunrise on Lake Pichola as it illuminates Udaipur's magnificent City Palace inspired me to take this photograph.  It is a romantic scene of sensual color, composition and back-lighting that spotlights the architecture I photograph.  The Lake Palace Hotel, built in the middle of Lake Pichola, is the ultimate romantic setting.  This view out of my hotel window at an unparalleled architectural setting will remain a lovely memory of the beauty Udaipur offers. 

Architectural Photography: View of Udaipur City Palace and Lake Pichola from the Lake Palace Hotel