中国建筑摄影师15 | Seth Powers：好的作品应以舒适构图展现建筑架构

编者按：Seth Powers，职业建筑摄影师，现居上海。他认为好的作品应该以舒适的构图展现出建筑的架构，因此有时候在现场，摄影师需要做一些“简化”的工作，去考虑清楚一张照片应该呈现的空间次序、光影在空间中的变化、不同元素间的比例、以及空间的功能。

联系方式：info@sethpowersphotography.com

行走：从事建筑摄影工作几年了？现在是全职的状态吗？

Seth Powers：我从事建筑摄影5年了，目前全职。

I’ve been working as an architectural photographer for about 5 years now and I currently do it full-time.

行走：可以分享一下，从事建筑摄影师之前的经历吗？

Seth Powers：毕业后，我在大学里做过一些行政工作，之后去日本和韩国旅行了一段时间，并参与了世界有机农场组织（WWOOF）的很多项目。我没有接受过建筑和室内设计方面的正式培训，但是一直着迷于建筑空间及其所激发出来的情感。而摄影是我多年的爱好，所以我决定将建筑摄影作为事业来发展。

After graduation, I did some administrative work in the university, then travelled in Japan and Korea while participating in multiple WWOOF（World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms） programs.I don''t have any formal training in architecture or interior design, but I have always been interested in spaces and the emotions and feelings they invoke. I had been interested in photography for many years and decided that shooting spaces would be a good match creatively as well as from a business perspective.

行走：最近半年在拍摄的项目主要是哪些？拍摄过程中有什么特别的故事吗？

Seth Powers：天气尚未转暖时，我为荷兰事务所UNStudio拍摄了位于上海的金融街（静安）中心。建筑较高，又临街，为了找到好角度，我走遍了周围的商业、办公和居民楼，寻找可以拍摄的屋顶和窗口。最后，我在一座办公楼下看好楼层，然后上楼去敲了那家公司的门；在征得允许后，我把相机从公司阳台微开的窗口伸出去，拍到了比较满意的角度。

I photographed Financial Street (Jing An) Centre for Dutch architecture firm UNStudio last winter. As the buildings are quite tall but also close to the road, to find the best angles, I walked all over the surrounding commercial, office and residential buildings, looking for rooftops and windows to shoot from. In the end, I scouted a window from the ground level then went up to knock on the door of a company; with their permission, I squeezed the camera out of a slightly opened window on their balcony and found a suitable angle.

我还有幸到日本京都，为意大利事务所Kokaistudios的上海办公室拍摄了他们的作品——四季酒店的全日制餐厅Brasserie。餐厅紧邻有着800年历史的庭院“积翠园”，内部施工细致，用料选材考究。在现场，我还遇到了为其他建筑方拍摄的摄影师。在这当中，我和一位日本摄影师都计划在当天夜幕降临时拍摄露台，由于最好的景色持续时间很短，大家提前商量好各自要拍的角度，拍好一个镜头后立即换位；天色渐蓝，两个团队在木板桥上迅速来回通过，每次都相视一笑，留下了一段很特别的记忆。

We had the good fortune to be sent to Kyoto by Shanghai-based Italian firm Kokaistudios.The all-day dining restaurant, Brasserie in the new Four Seasons Hotels, is close to “Shakusui-tei”, an 800-year-old Japanese garden. We ran into photographers commissioned by other architects during the photo shoot. A Japanese photographer and I both planned to shoot the restaurant terrace on the same evening at sunset. The best lightonly lasts for a short time, so we discussed beforehand the angles we each wanted, and we had to run to switch positions after each shot. It was a memorable evening.

近期还为上海More Design Office拍摄了西安环普科技产业园内两个办公楼。园区的绿地是设计中的一个重点，而我也希望在照片中展现建筑的周边环境。拍摄的第二天午后，正好有员工在绿地里踢足球，我看到后十分惊喜，就迅速带着相机和三脚架进入场地，以最快的速度捕捉了这一人与建筑互动的瞬间。

We photographed two office towers in Xi’An GLP I-Park for Shanghai firm More Design Office recently. The landscaped park in front of the towers was a feature of the design, and we also hoped to show the building’s surrounding environment. As we were walking around on the second day, we found some office workers playing football on the field after lunch. It’s a rare occasion when such a thing happens during a shoot, so we quickly ran in and set up our tripod and started shooting away. The game really provided a great foreground to our shots of the towers to show the use and the life of the whole master plan. Their blue shirts even matched the colors of the buildings!

行走：拍摄一个项目的周期一般需要多长？可以和大家分享一下你的拍摄习惯吗？

Seth Powers：大部分项目拍摄至少需要一天的时间，具体取决于项目大小和客户要求。最长的一次，我们在项目那里待了十天。

Generally, I spend at least a full day for most projects. Of course this may change depending on the size of the project and the requirements from the client. The longest was a 10-day stay on the project.

我会尽可能提前勘查现场，观察光线在一天里不同时刻的情况，并据此安排拍摄时间和顺序。勘查过程也是发现潜在问题的过程，确保现场在拍摄前一切就绪。与建筑师或设计师的前期沟通也十分重要，我会向他们了解项目的设计重点、对拍摄的需求和想法。

I always try to scout the site beforehand, during which I take time to see what the light will be like throughout the day and then plan the shoot around the sun as much as possible. Scouting is also very useful for identifying potential problems that might show up during shooting day and we can make sure the site is cleaned up and ready for photography. It’s also very important to discuss with the architect or designer beforehand about the key features of the project, their needs and thoughts for the photo shoot.

行走：你认为自己擅长拍摄哪一类作品？

Seth Powers：我认为自己比较擅长拍摄室内空间。室内拍摄要十分注重细节，偶尔遇到特殊情况，要自己去研究、琢磨解决办法。有时问题会具有挑战，但我很享受解决问题的过程。

I think I am quite good at photographing interior spaces. Interior shooting requires great attention to detail; sometimes when a unique problem pops up, I need to think and experiment for the best solution. It can be quite challenging at times, but I enjoy the problem solving process.

行走：你如何处理画面里建筑与人的关系？

Seth Powers：建筑的存在是功能性的，所以人永远是建筑摄影的一部分。有些建筑师和设计师会希望更“纯粹”地展示自己的作品，这时我会尊重他们的选择。但如果客户没有特别偏好，我会根据自己的判断来决定是否以及如何加入“人”这一元素。比如WeWork的拍摄，就对人和建筑的融合有特殊要求。照片既要让观者领略到建筑魅力，又要展现工作环境的活力。

Architecture exists to be used, so people will always play a part in architecture photography. With that said, some architects and designers prefer a more "pure" vision of their work, in which case, I will respect their choice. If the client has no strong preferences, I will decide on whether and how to place people in the photos.For our collaborations with WeWork for example, there needs to be a good mix of both. The photos need to show the viewers the charm of the architecture, as well as how vibrant and bustling the workspace is.

行走：你如何处理气象和建筑的关系？

Seth Powers：我一般会选择在天气晴朗时进行拍摄，避免阴天和能见度较低的情况。但是天气的多变性决定了有时拍摄情况会不理想，在这种情况下，我会尽力而为，尽可能拍出最好的作品。另外，多云天比强光天更适合拍摄室内项目。多云时的黎明和黄昏，反而可能有更吸引人的光影和色彩出现。

I’m generally trying to get photos of the project during nice weather, rather than grey or smoggy skies. But just the unpredictable nature of the weather means that you can''t always get what you want. Sometimes the weather isn’t ideal but you just need to make the best of it. Shooting interiors on an overcast day often tus out nicer than if there is strong sunlight outside. Even with cloudy skies, shooting at dawn and dusk can give interesting light and colors.

行走：你怎么看待客观表达建筑师的作品与摄影师的再创作？

Seth Powers：作为一名建筑摄影师，我们的工作就是将三维空间压缩到二维平面上。身处建筑现场时，我们可以用身体全部的感官去体验一个作品；观赏照片时，视觉则是唯一的感受方式。因此，我们需要去做一些“简化”的工作，去考虑一张照片应该呈现的空间次序、光影在空间中的变化、不同元素间的比例、以及空间的功能。

As an architectural photographer, it is our job to take a complex 3D space that you experience with all of your senses and compress this information down to a 2D object that uses only the sense of sight. So it is necessary to simplify things greatly. Then it becomes important to provide information about how the space is laid out / connected, how light moves through the space at different times of the day, showing the sense of scale, and how the space is used.

行走：你认为好的建筑摄影作品应该具备什么样的特质？

Seth Powers：我认为好的作品应该以舒适的构图展现建筑架构。建筑摄影师在记录建筑和空间的同时，应该不停地问自己：“这是不是一张好照片？”再者，摄影作品也应该清晰地阐明空间中各元素间的关系。另外，我认为摄影师应该全面地呈现项目，通过宽幅、中段、近景、材料、细节、抽象形式等，从不同角度和层面去完整地展现建筑架构。

Good architecture photos should show the structure in a pleasing composition. I think something that photographers should always keep in mind is the question "Is this a good photograph?" Not just a good representation of a building or interior space. The photos should also clearly show the relationship of objects and elements to each other. Also, the "collection" of photos is very important, rather than just individual photos. Photographers should strive for a comprehensive collection that shows the project at many different levels. Wide views, medium views, close vignettes, material details, with some abstract images thrown in for good measure.

行走：到目前最满意的自己的作品是哪些？为什么？

Seth Powers：我对TsAO & McKOWN的音昱听堂、Kokaistudios改造的瑰丝·陈花园和WeWork威海路旗舰店这几组作品比较满意。去年拍摄的音昱水中天、以及今年初夏拍摄的杭州来福士广场也是我自己比较喜欢的作品，不过照片目前还亟待发布。

I''m quite satisfied with the photos of The Living Room by TsAO & McKOWN, House of Grace Chen by Kokaistudios, as well as shots of WeWork''s flagship location in Shanghai. Sangha Retreat from last year and Raffles City Hangzhou from early summer are also my favorites; however the photos are still waiting to be published and can’t be shared yet.

我喜欢音昱听堂的照片中呈现的简洁和优雅；瑰丝·陈花园将现代设计和历史建筑的美感融合，建筑内外洒下的阳光也很令人享受；WeWork的拍摄中，我觉得自己自然地抓住空间活力，也避免了过于杂乱的构图。

I like The Living Room because of the simplicity and elegance of the spaces. The Grace Chen photos attract me because of the contrast of the mode interiors with the renovated historic building. I especially loved the ample light that floods into the space. The WeWork photos give me a sense of satisfaction that I captured the feeling of the liveliness of the space but without looking too posed or cluttered.

行走：你最喜欢的建筑摄影师是谁？从他（她）的作品中学到了什么？

Seth Powers：我有很多十分仰慕的摄影师。Feando Guerra是我从摄影初期就开始关注的一位摄影师，我很喜欢他的照片的整体感觉和后期处理方式，我觉得他对一些独特瞬间的把握也很到位。

I have a lot of photographers whose work I admire. Feando Guerra is someone whose work I''ve followed since the early days of my career. The look of his images and the processing has always attracted my eye, as well as his ability to capture unique moments.

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