Arch photography has changed in many ways over the years. One of those ways is how people are used in the composition. It used to be that they were included as a prop to show scale and of course as a styling element . It was once thought that people ( in many compositions ) were a distraction to the image of architecture.
Things are different today. People are a desired element in many compositions and for a variety of reasons. Showing the space as it is intended to be used is main among those reasons. Perhaps we have come far enough to be able to use people in more artistic images to convey a variety of things .... it increases the palette for the artist/photographer and helps the designer communicate something in a non verbal way.
The trouble is .......
We have worked in many places where potential models were everywhere ..... but so many are unwilling and for a variety of reasons. They claim they fear a security risk ... they are not dressed for being photographed .... they are late for another class ... some of them deliver dirty looks and others just run ........
This has created a new challenge for photographers. We have used professional models and that will almost always solve the "model" problem but it creates a few few other challenges. What you do get is a group of people ... attractive, both gender and ethnically correct ... we'll groomed and dressed. But .... it's expensive.
What to do? Most shoots don't have that in the budget leaving the photographer now referred to as Art Director/Casting Director to ...... improvise in what ever way may be necessary to encourage participation from this largely unwilling group. In SHORT it adds a day to a "day shoot" ... or more.
Looking back at this it is easy to see how much more interesting and appealing the images are when people are added ... the right people .... and in the right place .... and dressed well ..... and having been charmed properly are smiling ! ? It is a challenge though. In many places we also are now required to meet with site personnel and submit forms and releases for every person who may be captured in an image. Oh boy ..... we also blur faces to remove the possibility of the person being identified. It just adds time.
We have also decided to add a few dollars to the next shoot in the form of Starbucks Cards so at least we have something to offer the willing participants.
The image above is what happens when all else fails ....... the photographer must again transfer himself/herself into as many characters as you might imagine when you were in school ... I saw a few people I had hoped not to see again .... how about you ?