Photofocus

Education and inspiration for visual storytellers

Michael Muraz

Michael Muraz is an international award-winning architecture photographer, bringing technical precision and creative passion to his fine art and commercial work. Based in Toronto, Michael travels extensively, photographing buildings and leading workshops all over the world.

See Michael's architecture gear guide >

Latest posts by Michael Muraz (see all)

Including people in architectural images

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When photographing architecture, it's easy to focus on the building itself and forget its purpose. While architecture is the main subject, it is important to capture how people are interacting with the building or space. This is why including people in your architectural images is key to convey the design. Architects and interior designers increasingly want people in the images they commission, especially for spaces like offices, university buildings, etc. Including bystanders Oftentimes, including people means photographing strangers … [Read more...] about Including people in architectural images

Sensor cleaning: The ultimate guide

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In my previous article, I talked about cleaning your lenses and your camera. It's time to tackle a bigger, more complex subject: cleaning your sensor! If you shoot a lot, and especially if you shoot mirrorless, you definitely need to clean your sensor. If you have never done it, it can be quite intimidating, as you don't want to damage your camera. If that's your case, you may want to consider a professional sensor cleaning at your local camera store. But if you have to clean your sensor often (say, because you shoot mirrorless) or if you're … [Read more...] about Sensor cleaning: The ultimate guide

Interior design: Photographing high-end retail

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Architectural photography is a larger genre than most people think. On the commercial side, the type of building or space matters a lot and some photographers are specialized in residential properties or hospitality, for example. Today, I wanted to talk about photographing high-end retail. Over the past couple of years, I've been commissioned by luxury brands to photograph the stores opening in Toronto. It's a pretty specific type of photography, so here are a few tips if you're photographing a high-end store. Contract Make sure you … [Read more...] about Interior design: Photographing high-end retail

Quick Guide: Cleaning your camera and your lenses

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If you photograph a decent amount, you probably need to clean your camera and lenses pretty regularly. As a professional photographer, cleaning my gear is something I do regularly, so I like having good tools for the job. Cleaning your camera and lenses isn't as paramount and complicated as cleaning your sensor, but it's good to do it from time to time. If you have a few good tools, it can be a quick endeavor. Dust blower The first thing is usually getting rid of dust and particles. A good dust blower is usually enough, I recommend … [Read more...] about Quick Guide: Cleaning your camera and your lenses

Gear Guide: Architectural photography kit

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To keep this series about architectural photography going, let's talk a little about gear :-) Having the right gear can help you best more productive, faster and overall give a better service to your clients. However, don't forget that it doesn't replace skill and it won't make you a better photographer. This is a pretty extensive gear guide for commercial architecture. Don't worry if you're starting out or if you don't have a lot of gear. You don't need all of this at all. And you can rent a lot of it for specific photoshoots. I started … [Read more...] about Gear Guide: Architectural photography kit

Easy sensor cleaning with Visible Dust’s Arctic Butterfly 724s

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Ever since I switched to mirrorless with my Sony a7R II, I've been trying to figure out the easiest way to clean my sensor. As you might know, without the mirror to protect the sensor, mirrorless cameras can collect a lot of dust spots! I've gone through a lot of options — blowers, sensor swabs, etc. Most of them are ineffective, hard to use or both. I would be fine getting my cameras cleaned by a professional, but here in Toronto, for some reason, the only store who can clean Sony sensors takes two business days, which in most cases doesn't … [Read more...] about Easy sensor cleaning with Visible Dust’s Arctic Butterfly 724s

Photographing architecture in winter

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As a commercial architectural photographer, most of my clients want images shot in great weather conditions: Blue skies, maybe a few clouds, green grass, leaves on the trees, etc. Living in Toronto, it means I can photograph exteriors from approximately June to October (or May to November on a good year). Does it mean I never shoot in winter? Not at all! There are some shooting opportunities in winter, like interiors and shooting with snow. Snowy conditions and low winter light can be great for architectural photography. With the right … [Read more...] about Photographing architecture in winter

Shooting through glass

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In some instances, shooting through glass is the only way you're going to get the shot. An example I encounter pretty regularly is shooting at observatories like One World Observatory in New York City or the Skydeck in Chicago. In a lot of observatories (the Top of the Rock and the Empire State Buildings are notable exceptions), you have to shoot the view through glass. Other situations you might encounter glass are shooting from a car, a train or an airplane. If you've ever been in a situation with glass, you know how hard it is to shoot … [Read more...] about Shooting through glass

Apps to help plan your architectural photoshoot

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Preparing an architectural photoshoot is a lot of work. While scouting the location in person is always a good idea, sometimes it's not possible and there's more you need to know. There are many factors that come into play when shooting architecture: The direction of light at different times of the day, sunrise/sunset times, weather and more. Fortunately, we have many websites and apps to help with this. I honestly can't imagine the work required to plan photoshoots 20, 30, 40 years ago. Technology has made everything so much … [Read more...] about Apps to help plan your architectural photoshoot

How I shot the Northern Lights from a plane

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Earlier this year, I was flying back to Toronto from Vancouver, and I got to witness something pretty incredible: The Northern Lights. I was on a red-eye flight, and I can never sleep on airplanes. I got lucky and had the whole row to myself (I'm more of an aisle seat person usually). Being bored, I moved to the window seat and looked outside, only to realize there was something unusual: I could see the Northern Lights. Now, it's easy to miss, as they mostly looked gray to the human eye. But since I had photographed them once before, I took … [Read more...] about How I shot the Northern Lights from a plane

Five tips to shoot from a helicopter

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In recent years, aerial photography has taken off with the advent of drones. Living in Canada, the rules to fly drones are pretty drastic and flying legally is very complicated. So I turned to helicopters, which are much easier, albeit more expensive. Shooting from a helicopter offers a different perspective than a drone, as you are much higher. For example, in downtown Toronto, we have to fly at 1,500 feet. So, it's usually better for tall buildings or larger complexes. That being said, clients are interested, both for finished buildings … [Read more...] about Five tips to shoot from a helicopter

Seven tips to photograph architectural exteriors

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Last month, we talked about architectural interiors and tips on getting the best images on location. Now, let’s talk about architectural exteriors, as it’s a little different. For exteriors, it’s a little more tricky, as you have to deal with the environment: The light, the weather, people, cars, neighboring buildings and more. It’s a lot to handle, especially in big cities. A shot can be ruined by a delivery truck or construction. So here are seven tips to help you get great exteriors: 1. Good weather is key While some clients aren’t … [Read more...] about Seven tips to photograph architectural exteriors

Five tips to photograph architectural interiors

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Editor’s Note: We welcome Michael Muraz, an international award-winning architecture photographer, bringing technical precision and creative passion to his fine art and commercial work. Based in Toronto, Michael travels extensively, photographing buildings and leading workshops all over the world. Join Michael for a workshop at photographyunfolded.com. After exploring architectural abstracts, let’s dive into the world of architectural interiors! It can be a pretty wide category, with clients ranging from realtors to high-end interior … [Read more...] about Five tips to photograph architectural interiors

Getting started with architectural abstracts

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Editor’s Note: We welcome Michael Muraz, an international award-winning architecture photographer, bringing technical precision and creative passion to his fine art and commercial work. Based in Toronto, Michael travels extensively, photographing buildings and leading workshops all over the world. Join Michael for a workshop at photographyunfolded.com. In my last post, I wrote about the different genres of architectural photography. Today, let’s explore architectural abstracts. First, what exactly is an architectural abstract? The Tate … [Read more...] about Getting started with architectural abstracts

Exploring different ways to photograph architecture

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Editor's Note: We welcome Michael Muraz, an international award-winning architecture photographer, bringing technical precision and creative passion to his fine art and commercial work. Based in Toronto, Michael travels extensively, photographing buildings and leading workshops all over the world. Join Michael for a workshop at photographyunfolded.com. Architectural photography is a pretty wide genre, and while you may know some ways to photograph architecture, I bet that you don't know all of them. Let's dive into the architectural world … [Read more...] about Exploring different ways to photograph architecture