One of my favorite aspects of photography is how it makes you see the world in a totally new way and therefore to appreciate it more than the average person. I’ll never forget when I was first getting into photography, I was reading books about it and trying to learn everything I could. One day, my work colleague and I were traveling down a busy street in Montevideo, Uruguay, and there was a truck traveling in front of us. It was full of metal chairs, stacked in all kinds of patterns. I suddenly shouted: “What a great photo that would be!” My colleague’s response was: “You’ve been reading too many book on photography."
Totally get the observational skills you have. As an on and off again photographer for more than 50 years this skill never goes away. I recently picked up a Camera again after a couple years off and I'm constantly seeing opportunities: usually flying by when I'm in the car!
I would say you are looking for patterns, something regular, repeating but then find a disruptive element that through its contrast enhances the image. A helpful video.
A fine way of describing the process, Peter. Of course, it's not just patterns. Take a look at my community post that demonstrates that colour contrast is also important. The second shot of the circular vent in this video combines colour contrast and pattern disruption in one shot.
Andrew, what an absolute goldmine of a location for photography... with an almost endless supply of photo opportunities around every corner. Super images & again great content in the Vlog. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻...
I came across your videos yesterday, as a consequence of YT calculating that your content matches my interests. And indeed! I really enjoy the casual feel of your videos with excellent tips. And I really like your work on Instagram. Keep it up! Thank you.
Many people look but fail to see. I have been looking at art and photography books for years and years, visiting galleries etc. Even when you were shooting I was looking over your shoulder at what was about, I can help it lol. Too many people talk too much about Cameras and lenses and little about images. I have complimented many a chef over the years and not once did I ask them what Cooker they used or how big their pans are!
Ian Browne pointed out a number of possible shots I walked past in the filming of this video too. If we were in the age of film, I would have to be walking around with a massive coolbox of 35mm canisters there is so much to see here.
Very insightful photographic study on brutalist architecture observation and appreciation. You are really pulling out the nuances in architecture details…which most of us totally miss. We have to understand and respect the time the architecture has spent, firstly sketch designs for the client then the process of refining and agonising over style finishes, layout, feel and ultimately spaces, if architecture was anything it’s about spaces. Brutalist architecture is a very marmite style, which I adore incredibly. Your approach to capturing the vision of the architecture in your interpretation of this beautiful building is awe inspiring. You are giving back some time to the architect who created it and was so invested.
Thanks you so much. I am heavily drawn to lines and form. I grew up in a concrete jungle in London (part of it has been flattened now) and so have a certain affinity with this style. But photographically, there's much to love about these structures still.
Hi, Andrew. A very nice video that is definitely worth watching again. Here you have everything you need for beautiful Urba photos. When I go out into the street I always look for these things, shapes, structure, and their combination. Here you have everything together in one place. The graphic combined with the organic nature of the trees and plants. If you put these two together you get a lot of photographic possibilities. I had made everything in black and white, but this is my personal preference. Thank you for sharing the video. Until the next opportunity. Antoine.
Hi, Andrew. A very nice video that is definitely worth watching again. Here you have everything you need for beautiful Urba photos. When I go out into the street I always look for these things, shapes, structure, and their combination. Here you have everything together in one place. The graphic combined with the organic nature of the trees and plants. If you put these two together you get a lot of photographic possibilities. Thank you for sharing the video. Until the next opportunity. Antoine.
Indeed, Antoine. It's clear that the architects of these places know very well how to create an aesthetic too. Hard lines softened with planting are everywhere and these are perfect for the IRL experience and capturing in 2D. Hope you are well. Andy
Very helpful video, Andy. There were quite a few things I would have shot at that location, and whether or not they would have been any good isn't the point. The fact is, the further into the video I got, the more I was seeing them. Thanks for sharing your thought process. Again, it was very helpful
Good one --- such an eye opening video even if I do similar in the Australia bush . As I call it ; finding the little pictures inside the big picture . But the thoughts I have now is perhaps I isolate my little subject too much like at 11:39 ; the signs on the door would be my photo ---- maybe too tight (??) 17:04 the window/mirror . I would have spotted that a mile off although I feel the edge of the building is a distraction . Maybe a crop , or hit the auto correction the LR Lens correction (??) 19:30 steps , blue doors , silver handles ;) 20:12 sign hiding in the bush ;) You are always thought provoking and I will this with few other FB groups
There’s a world-famous sort of failed utopia called Arcosanti about a day’s drive from here, not that far from the Grand Canyon. Designed by architect Paolo Saleri back in the ‘70s, he actually got young students to pay him for the privilege of doing the construction in the brutal Arizona summer heat. I’ve been thinking of taking a trip there to photograph it, and will likely apply some of the visualization techniques I’ve seen here.
@@AndyBanner I visited there for a few hours over a decade ago, and may do so again after the summer. From what I’ve seen, you could do wonders with the place, which is retro-futurismo enough that a couple of low-budget science fiction movies were shot there. You can even rent an overnight room, and there’s a gift shop that sells books by Soleri, who died in 2013, and exotic wind chimes that the craft guild which resides there is noted for. It’s a fascinating place, but at the same time, there’s nothing sadder than a failed utopia.
@@AndyBanner The thoughts and observations add value to me. I photograph much in the same manner but have a difficult time explaining my process of getting there. I’m inspired to slow down and maybe explain my process better. Thanks for the inspiration 💡
First ime watcher and glad I did. Looking for a direction to travel on and this has helped. Fed up of people in street photography and finding architecture, abstract, etc is something you can find anywhere. Looking forward to testing this out for myself now
Thanks for your time. To be honest, the examples I show in this video could just as easily be anywhere. Take a look at my last community post of the red cable on the black passenger seat of a car. The shot is technically the same as anything I show in this video. It's a contrast between subject and background. The genre is totally unimportant.
Aside from fabulous images I think it's worth noting the treatments that you have used on many of your photographs. I detect some creative use of NIK plugins here, particularly the B&W images. I too am drawn to brutalist architecture but have never stopped to analyze it. Another fine video Andrew.
Andrew, I started watching your videos today for the first time. I am impressed with your view on "life" and capturing it into pics. You have inspired me to walk around my local 60s buildings etc. I will also try and visit the Sainsbury's Collection in August when I will be in Norwich for a week. I am not sure if you will see my message, but I am wondering if you are a professional photographer or an amateur and that leads me to ask... What do you do with your pictures once you have processed them on your PC? Do you display them, sell them etc? My pictures tend to remain on the hard drive of my PC and I feel they are being wasted. It's similar to books gathering dust. Thanks. Rob.
Hi, Rob, Thanks for watching and contributing. Ah, professional or amateur. Who decides? I have been taking photographs professionally for years but mostly for my own things. I used to run and contribute to magazines and would produce photography for those, I ran various small businesses and produced photography for those (both for our own use and for clients). I have sold the occasional print - very occasional. As life has gone on, I have turned full circle from a kid who lacked confidence to a conceited little prick and back to an adult who's lost most of his confidence again. To that end, I have rarely approached any gallery or artspace to see if they would be interested in my work as I don't think they will be so the images sit on hard drives, some get on UA-cam and I expect Adobe and Meta are training their AI on some of it too. Probably not the answer you expected but it's an honest one. Hope you stick around. Andy
Great video Andy, definitely alot to take away from it, I'm an engineer so spotting angles and lines and shapes comes rather naturally, the maths side of engineering I guess, but I've never really put it to photography and I must admit, I sometimes see a juxter position in shapes and screw my nose up at it as not interesting. So there in lies the question, I guess you have to find these things interesting, as you obviously do. But, I am going to try this more with some street photography which is something I do enjoy. You definitely have a way of getting things across, maybe you were a teacher in another life 😁 Take care mate, Steve.
Nice ! I should also try to shoot in a "not so aesthetic " area ! Very challenging ! The building looks nicer on your photos than in reality ! 😆 👍🏽 Thank you !
bloody hell Andy - where were all the students? Were you there while Tipping Point was on or something?! UAE was on my shortlist when studying A levels 350 years ago. I didn't go there. Anyway, some nice spots and shots 🙂
I think that was a clever turn of phrase, Andy, and i think i might borrow it myself: given the investment in Brutalism in the Soviet Union and its satellites - referring to a building as being 'Slabic': you're onto something!
I was curious over this having read your comment and went looking in the OED for the official definition of "slabic" only to find that it's just not there. There is no official word "slabic". Of course, there is Slabic font, but that's only since 2003. I have invented a word!
Must go there. I know what you mean about juxtaposition of architecture and nature. But my tendency for that location would be purely architectural. Each to their own. There is no right or wrong 👍📸
As is often the way with a memory as short as one of those yellow carp things you keep as pets, I forgot. Sorry: ua-cam.com/video/dryyVGrO2nM/v-deo.html
One of my favorite aspects of photography is how it makes you see the world in a totally new way and therefore to appreciate it more than the average person. I’ll never forget when I was first getting into photography, I was reading books about it and trying to learn everything I could. One day, my work colleague and I were traveling down a busy street in Montevideo, Uruguay, and there was a truck traveling in front of us. It was full of metal chairs, stacked in all kinds of patterns. I suddenly shouted: “What a great photo that would be!” My colleague’s response was: “You’ve been reading too many book on photography."
You were probably both correct :-)
It's rare though that you can read a book about seeing such things and "learn" without lots of practice.
@@AndyBanner I should have said I was practicing AND reading, which was true.
Totally get the observational skills you have. As an on and off again photographer for more than 50 years this skill never goes away. I recently picked up a Camera again after a couple years off and I'm constantly seeing opportunities: usually flying by when I'm in the car!
Roadside photography is a great thing if only you can find somewhere to stop safely.
I would say you are looking for patterns, something regular, repeating but then find a disruptive element that through its contrast enhances the image.
A helpful video.
A fine way of describing the process, Peter.
Of course, it's not just patterns. Take a look at my community post that demonstrates that colour contrast is also important. The second shot of the circular vent in this video combines colour contrast and pattern disruption in one shot.
Another brilliant video, I love how you see the unseen. Thank you have a great day.
Thanks, you too!
Andrew, what an absolute goldmine of a location for photography... with an almost endless supply of photo opportunities around every corner. Super images & again great content in the Vlog. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻...
Many thanks!
I came across your videos yesterday, as a consequence of YT calculating that your content matches my interests. And indeed! I really enjoy the casual feel of your videos with excellent tips. And I really like your work on Instagram. Keep it up! Thank you.
Thank you!
I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.
My pleasure!
Many people look but fail to see. I have been looking at art and photography books for years and years, visiting galleries etc. Even when you were shooting I was looking over your shoulder at what was about, I can help it lol. Too many people talk too much about Cameras and lenses and little about images. I have complimented many a chef over the years and not once did I ask them what Cooker they used or how big their pans are!
Ian Browne pointed out a number of possible shots I walked past in the filming of this video too. If we were in the age of film, I would have to be walking around with a massive coolbox of 35mm canisters there is so much to see here.
@@AndyBanner 🤣
Great how you can see the images others cannot. Love the work!
Thank you so much 😀
Very insightful photographic study on brutalist architecture observation and appreciation. You are really pulling out the nuances in architecture details…which most of us totally miss. We have to understand and respect the time the architecture has spent, firstly sketch designs for the client then the process of refining and agonising over style finishes, layout, feel and ultimately spaces, if architecture was anything it’s about spaces. Brutalist architecture is a very marmite style, which I adore incredibly. Your approach to capturing the vision of the architecture in your interpretation of this beautiful building is awe inspiring. You are giving back some time to the architect who created it and was so invested.
Thanks you so much. I am heavily drawn to lines and form. I grew up in a concrete jungle in London (part of it has been flattened now) and so have a certain affinity with this style. But photographically, there's much to love about these structures still.
Hi, Andrew.
A very nice video that is definitely worth watching again.
Here you have everything you need for beautiful Urba photos.
When I go out into the street I always look for these things, shapes, structure, and their combination.
Here you have everything together in one place.
The graphic combined with the organic nature of the trees and plants.
If you put these two together you get a lot of photographic possibilities.
I had made everything in black and white, but this is my personal preference.
Thank you for sharing the video.
Until the next opportunity.
Antoine.
Hi, Andrew.
A very nice video that is definitely worth watching again.
Here you have everything you need for beautiful Urba photos.
When I go out into the street I always look for these things, shapes, structure, and their combination.
Here you have everything together in one place.
The graphic combined with the organic nature of the trees and plants.
If you put these two together you get a lot of photographic possibilities.
Thank you for sharing the video.
Until the next opportunity.
Antoine.
Indeed, Antoine.
It's clear that the architects of these places know very well how to create an aesthetic too. Hard lines softened with planting are everywhere and these are perfect for the IRL experience and capturing in 2D.
Hope you are well.
Andy
Great video Andrew. Very informative and full of useful advice.
I love this type of photography, exploring the mundane, everyday life. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful. Thanks, Peter
I love the opening line! I'm also a huge fan of brutalist architecture ❤
I am easily pleased these days, Jen.
Very helpful video, Andy. There were quite a few things I would have shot at that location, and whether or not they would have been any good isn't the point. The fact is, the further into the video I got, the more I was seeing them. Thanks for sharing your thought process. Again, it was very helpful
The more we train our eyes to see, the better our images will be. Thanks for your support.
Thankyou very much for this video, Andy - I will study it closely. David
Thank you, David
Good one --- such an eye opening video even if I do similar in the Australia bush . As I call it ; finding the little pictures inside the big picture . But the thoughts I have now is perhaps I isolate my little subject too much like at 11:39 ; the signs on the door would be my photo ---- maybe too tight (??)
17:04 the window/mirror . I would have spotted that a mile off although I feel the edge of the building is a distraction . Maybe a crop , or hit the auto correction the LR Lens correction (??)
19:30 steps , blue doors , silver handles ;)
20:12 sign hiding in the bush ;)
You are always thought provoking and I will this with few other FB groups
Ian, you are spot on. You're seeing all these things that I missed. Don't ever start a YT channel as I'll be redundant...
There’s a world-famous sort of failed utopia called Arcosanti about a day’s drive from here, not that far from the Grand Canyon. Designed by architect Paolo Saleri back in the ‘70s, he actually got young students to pay him for the privilege of doing the construction in the brutal Arizona summer heat. I’ve been thinking of taking a trip there to photograph it, and will likely apply some of the visualization techniques I’ve seen here.
I have never heard of this place so I looked it up. Like, Wow. What a place. Looks like a photographers paradise.
@@AndyBanner I visited there for a few hours over a decade ago, and may do so again after the summer. From what I’ve seen, you could do wonders with the place, which is retro-futurismo enough that a couple of low-budget science fiction movies were shot there. You can even rent an overnight room, and there’s a gift shop that sells books by Soleri, who died in 2013, and exotic wind chimes that the craft guild which resides there is noted for. It’s a fascinating place, but at the same time, there’s nothing sadder than a failed utopia.
Thank you for this.
My pleasure!
Wonderful video, Andrew. I can relate to your appreciation of those types of subjects. Well done.
Thank you, Morris
Wonderful informative walk around. Taking brilliant photos is one thing…hearing and seeing the photo creation is amazing! Great job! 👍
Thank you, Dan. Not sure they're brilliant photos, but I am probably not fit to judge that. :-)
@@AndyBanner The thoughts and observations add value to me. I photograph much in the same manner but have a difficult time explaining my process of getting there. I’m inspired to slow down and maybe explain my process better. Thanks for the inspiration 💡
Perhaps try talking yourself through it. You may be surprised how this helps.
@@AndyBanner oh, explaining is easy…I’m a dog sniffing for a bone lol. Honestly, I have a process I’ve just never verbalized it and I should.
Great style - I love this kind of photography - similar to what I look for in my own work - good stuff!
Thanks, Alex. Much appreciated.
First ime watcher and glad I did. Looking for a direction to travel on and this has helped. Fed up of people in street photography and finding architecture, abstract, etc is something you can find anywhere. Looking forward to testing this out for myself now
Thanks for your time. To be honest, the examples I show in this video could just as easily be anywhere. Take a look at my last community post of the red cable on the black passenger seat of a car. The shot is technically the same as anything I show in this video. It's a contrast between subject and background. The genre is totally unimportant.
Aside from fabulous images I think it's worth noting the treatments that you have used on many of your photographs. I detect some creative use of NIK plugins here, particularly the B&W images. I too am drawn to brutalist architecture but have never stopped to analyze it. Another fine video Andrew.
Thank you. Yes, the post processing is key to many such images in my experience.
Andrew, I started watching your videos today for the first time. I am impressed with your view on "life" and capturing it into pics. You have inspired me to walk around my local 60s buildings etc. I will also try and visit the Sainsbury's Collection in August when I will be in Norwich for a week. I am not sure if you will see my message, but I am wondering if you are a professional photographer or an amateur and that leads me to ask... What do you do with your pictures once you have processed them on your PC? Do you display them, sell them etc? My pictures tend to remain on the hard drive of my PC and I feel they are being wasted. It's similar to books gathering dust.
Thanks.
Rob.
Hi, Rob,
Thanks for watching and contributing.
Ah, professional or amateur. Who decides? I have been taking photographs professionally for years but mostly for my own things. I used to run and contribute to magazines and would produce photography for those, I ran various small businesses and produced photography for those (both for our own use and for clients). I have sold the occasional print - very occasional.
As life has gone on, I have turned full circle from a kid who lacked confidence to a conceited little prick and back to an adult who's lost most of his confidence again. To that end, I have rarely approached any gallery or artspace to see if they would be interested in my work as I don't think they will be so the images sit on hard drives, some get on UA-cam and I expect Adobe and Meta are training their AI on some of it too.
Probably not the answer you expected but it's an honest one.
Hope you stick around.
Andy
Great photographs, thanks Andrew!!
Many thanks!
Another great video Andrew. Would love to see what you could do in a boatyard, as they are full of wonderful shapes and textures etc.
I have had enough of boatyards, thanks. :-)
Great video Andy, definitely alot to take away from it, I'm an engineer so spotting angles and lines and shapes comes rather naturally, the maths side of engineering I guess, but I've never really put it to photography and I must admit, I sometimes see a juxter position in shapes and screw my nose up at it as not interesting. So there in lies the question, I guess you have to find these things interesting, as you obviously do. But, I am going to try this more with some street photography which is something I do enjoy. You definitely have a way of getting things across, maybe you were a teacher in another life 😁 Take care mate, Steve.
Brutiful work Andy
Thank you kindly, Thomas
Nice ! I should also try to shoot in a "not so aesthetic " area ! Very challenging ! The building looks nicer on your photos than in reality ! 😆 👍🏽 Thank you !
I have found something way less photographically interesting for a future video... working on it now.
@@AndyBanner Ah ! Great ! Good idea !
As always well done
Take care
Göran in Latvia
Thank you very much!
But you are worth it!
bloody hell Andy - where were all the students? Were you there while Tipping Point was on or something?!
UAE was on my shortlist when studying A levels 350 years ago. I didn't go there.
Anyway, some nice spots and shots 🙂
They were all hiding down that stairwell you commented on via Instagram. Huddled around a phone playing Tipping Point. ;-)
I think that was a clever turn of phrase, Andy, and i think i might borrow it myself: given the investment in Brutalism in the Soviet Union and its satellites - referring to a building as being 'Slabic': you're onto something!
I was curious over this having read your comment and went looking in the OED for the official definition of "slabic" only to find that it's just not there. There is no official word "slabic". Of course, there is Slabic font, but that's only since 2003. I have invented a word!
Must go there. I know what you mean about juxtaposition of architecture and nature. But my tendency for that location would be purely architectural. Each to their own. There is no right or wrong 👍📸
I couldn’t find the link to the Frames video you referenced
As is often the way with a memory as short as one of those yellow carp things you keep as pets, I forgot. Sorry:
ua-cam.com/video/dryyVGrO2nM/v-deo.html
Wooo gender fluid photographers! Yesss