Improving your images of architecture with your Nikon Quickstart cheat sheet

Nikon Team •Nikon Quickstart•28 Αυγ 2025•4 λεπτά ανάγνωσης

Nikon magazine - cheat sheets architecture

Get better at photographs of the built environment with these tips and tricks and our downloadable cheat sheet

Nikon Quickstart is a series of Nikon magazine cheat sheets for beginners, in which we’re demystifying some of the techniques and tricks that will instantly improve your photography and video. Buildings and engineering are often full of visual interest and fascinating details that make for fantastic images. It’s all about getting the angles right, looking for interest in the composition and showing off a structure at its best. Read on for the basics of getting it right and some lens suggestions for great architecture photography – download your free Nikon Quickstart cheat sheet as a handy reminder.

Get better at photographs of the built environment with these tips and tricks and our downloadable cheat sheet

Nikon Team

What’s in our kitbag?

NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 SCompact, ultra-wide-angle zoom

NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 SSmooth, silent, responsive

Look for patterns

Architecture offers all sorts of opportunities to see patterns – in angles, windows, construction materials and more. Focus in on a part of a building and reveal the pattern in abstract form. Black and white can often accentuate this.

Find symmetry

Cities and buildings are full of symmetry and a well-composed shot with a sharp centre line can give a great look to an image.

Have patience

Light and shadow are equally important and constantly changing in urban environments. Try using the EVF in monochrome mode to see the contrast and be prepared to wait and get your timings right for the best images.

Look up

Where roof lines meet sky is often the most visually interesting (and least seen) part of an urban environment. Keep looking up for interesting shapes and details.

Try a different perspective

Instead of street level, see if you can get a higher view of a building from another one across the street. This can give you a less seen perspective and an interesting image.

Correct lines in post-production

Get rid of any barrel distortion (where lines on the outside of the frame are slightly bowing) from wide-angle lenses easily in editing software to make a more visually pleasing image.