Timing is Everything

I love architectural photography. Buildings never blink or have bad hair.

Anyone who's ever shot a building knows that the best images are usually found during early morning or just as the sun is setting. With the sun below the horizon, the sky acts as a giant reflector, giving you smooth tones without harsh shadows.

You also get a number of other benefits from shooting at this time. While there's still some light (and color) in the sky, building and street lights are on, too.

This image is from the series "36 Views of the IDS Center" and features Peavey Plaza in the foreground. These locations are in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. The long exposure made necessary by the time of day also provides for some really nice imagery of the water flowing from the fountain.