How to Photograph an Airport - Behind the Scenes

Creative Sources Photography / Behind The Scenes

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

As architectural photographers, our number one mission is to honor the designers’ vision and assure that we bring life to images of their masterpieces. Every shoot poses its individual challenges. Airports can especially challenging beasts to tame. Creative Sources Photography is here to give you a peek behind the curtain and show you our methodology to orchestrate an airport shoot that sings!

Whether you’re photographing an interior or an exterior, your first step is to evaluate lighting. Camera and lens technology have made incredible leaps, but even the best optics are still no match for the human eye when perceiving detail and contrast.

Take multiple exposures for the different areas within the space. These can then be blended into one cohesive composite image in post-production.
To avoid blown-out highlights and blocked-up shadows, add supplemental lighting as needed to mitigate contrast issues.
Use battery-powered lighting, handheld by an assistant. No electrical cords in public spaces.

“Whew! That’s a lot, but that seems to cover it, right?” Wrong! Remember those masses of humanity who don’t jump at the chance to be in your photo? The legal beagles tell us that photography in public spaces does not require people appearing within to be unrecognizable. To be sensitive to others, however, utilizing a slow shutter speed, and blurring faces in post, are tools to help assure scale-figure anonymity.

So, that’s how you craft a magical airport shoot. Be warned, however, if you choose not to collaborate with Creative Sources Photography, mileage may vary!

Atlanta architectural photographers Rion Rizzo and Creative Sources welcome a conversation about how to create dynamic visuals to tell the story of your next project, and further enhance your brand.

Click here to find out more about the New Orleans Airport, and our client’s reaction to the images.