Architectural Photography Project for Architectural Resource Group
Architectural Resources Group hired me to photograph the exterior of the Glendale Train Station which they redesigned.
The Glendale Transportation Center, originally known as the Glendale Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, was built by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1924 and designed by Kenneth MacDonald Jr. An architect from the San Francisco firm MacDonald and Couchot
The station was built in the California Churrigueresque style, which is a variant of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.
This architectural style is characterized by its ornate decorative elements and is often associated with California's Spanish colonial heritage. The building's design reflects the popular architectural trends of the early 20th century in Southern California.
The process for Arhcitectural Photography
I scouted before dawn with one of the architects and determined the interior was going to have to be lit and some visual impediments needed to be removed. Additionally, the rooms we needed access to were locked and I needed further coordination with the city to make sure we had unfettered access to the building 90 minutes before the crack of dawn. Unfortunately, Los Angeles is notoriously overcast many summer mornings so there was little I could do about the gray sky. I also determined that the building had to be shot in the late afternoon as well because the tiny window of time we had to shoot the front did not allow us time to shoot the rear. The light was also much better then.
Architectural photography involves a lot of planning to get the best images possible and when working with architects, they require nothing less than the best possible outcome
We used 6 lights to light the interior and then balanced the exterior lighting with the dawn light to create the early morning images. I had time for no more than three images before my light disappeared. Later in the afternoon, I came back alone and shot the exterior of the rear face of the building to get the best light. I additionally added the clouds in the sky which matched the time of day.
I have a collection of clouds that I use to enhance my photographs when appropriate.
Photography gear used: Nikon 9’s. Nikon 24-70mm lens, 6 Pro Foto 500-watt strobe lights, and iPad.
