18th June 2025

The Column: Nigel Young on the Art of Architectural Photography

The Column gives you the opportunity to ask our experts about their work, and how it shapes the built environment.

Last month, you submitted your questions for Nigel Young, who is Head of Photography at Foster + Partners. Nigel has photographed and filmed the practice’s projects for almost 30 years – from the early design stages through to construction and completion. His photographs and films help tell the story of our work, contributing to a visual archive that has been widely published and exhibited.

Nigel answers your questions about the opportunities and challenges associated with being an architectural photographer, camera setups, and advice for someone starting out in the field.

How do you translate the soul of a project into an image?

I see myself as a storyteller – I’m passionate about illustrating the evolution of a project through images.

The soul of a project stems from the creativity of the architects – and the whole team that comes together to make it happen. As an in-house photographer, I’m lucky enough to be there from the first sketch, through construction, to the completed building and beyond.

The process is just as interesting as the finished product.

What are your top three principles or techniques that consistently help you achieve strong, visually compelling architectural photographs?

Understand the vision of the architects, always be observant, and explore different perspectives.

How do you adapt when faced with poor lighting and weather conditions?

You need to work a lot harder – but there’s always a way.

When we photographed Sulis Hospital Bath for Architects’ Journal – we were only given one day by the contractor to capture the building before our deadline – and it was a day with heavy snow. We photographed at dusk, with light reflecting off the titanium panels and the blanket of snow around the building. Despite the extreme conditions, the images turned out to be quite striking and even ended up on a number of magazine covers. Sometimes when things don’t go exactly to plan – new opportunities arise.

What was your favourite Foster + Partners building to photograph?

It is an almost impossible question – like trying to choose your favourite child!

The public opening of the Reichstag’s New German Parliament stands out in my memory as a symbolic moment in the country’s history. Being present for that was an extraordinary privilege that I won’t forget. Then there’s the Millennium Bridge, which I photographed all the way through construction to the opening day – almost exactly 25 years ago.

What’s your advice for someone starting out in architectural photography using just a phone or basic camera? What simple tricks can help develop a strong eye?

The best camera is always the one you will take with you.

If you have the world’s most expensive camera but never take it out – then you will miss all the wonderful opportunities that arise every day.

Anyone can learn to take a technically accurate photograph – but I think it’s far more important to hone your ability to observe the world around you and decide what’s interesting.

How would you define a 'great' architectural image?

In my view, the greatest architectural images are the ones that make you want to visit the building.

I saw Hedrich Blessing’s photograph of Frank Lloyd-Wright’s Fallingwater for the first time while I was at architecture school. I finally managed to visit the building five years or so ago – and it felt like coming home.

From which angle or street could I capture a good shot of the Gherkin [30 St Mary Axe]?

This really depends on the story you want to tell.

For example, if you’re interested in showing the whole building, you might stand back on Leadenhall Street. To illustrate how the building sits within the context of the city, you might try to capture the historic Holland House alongside it.

Then for more abstract shots, you could try standing directly underneath – looking up at the sky – to show light bouncing off the façade. Or you could capture reflections of the Gherkin in the buildings that surround it.