If you look around your daily life, so much of what you encounter visually is some sort of architecture. From historic buildings to the work office building in which you work, we encounter manmade architecture on a daily basis. In many cases, architectural photography can show unique aspects of history and cultural in ways that words can never convey. Here are a few tips for getting the artistic and striking photos that you are after.

1. Capture the mood—whatever that may be.

A notoriously haunted home will likely not look cozy and comforting on film, and it doesn’t need to. Don’t make the error of thinking that every photograph needs to feel warm and inviting. Instead, try to make every photo capture the unique feeling of that building in particular.

2. Consider context.

Some buildings, particularly older ones, almost need to be photographed along with their surroundings in order to properly capture them. This is because houses and other buildings used to be designed to fit well into their surroundings, while this is rarely considered in modern architecture. If the surroundings define the architecture, such as in the case of a farm, you would be remiss to omit them. If you decide that photographing the surrounding area is the right choice, consider what parts make the best frame for your building or other architecture. Keep in mind that dim light allows you to capture details in the building and creates artistic shadows, while sunny days create a happy feeling but rob details. Regardless of the setting you choose, always set the mood for your photo by ensuring that you photograph when weather conditions and the time of day are most congruent with the type of emotion you want to invoke.

3. Try again another day.

As we mentioned before, weather and time of day definitely influence the mood of a photograph. If you are looking for a somber, serious, or even scary mood, an overcast day may be the best choice. If you are looking for warmth and comfort, choose the hours near either dawn or dusk, when warm, indirect light bathes the area. If a photograph simply isn’t working, your best bet may be to try it again, this time in different weather conditions or in different light.

4. Look for patterns.

The human eye loves patterns, so including them in your photograph can pull in the viewer more than any other single element. Luckily, these are easier to find in architecture than you would think. Look for fences and stairs in particular, as these both add a sense of pattern and can be captured in an attractive way from a variety of angles. A path or sidewalk leading to the house also serves this purpose.

5. Use people wisely.

Most types of photography benefit from a human subject, in part because they add a sense of personality that is incredibly attractive to your very human viewers. However, this is not always the case. While human subjects can add to an architectural photograph by providing context and showing how the building is used, they must always match the mood of the picture and have a well defined purpose. If a person is in the frame for no reason, the photo will look more like a portrait.

6. Isolate interesting elements.

Many architectural structures, especially older ones, have many interesting elements that become even more so when viewed in isolation. It has been a century since the days of gingerbread-trimmed Victorians, but even newer buildings have details that seem to define the building. Your task is to focus in on these and capture the spirit of the building, even if the entire building itself is not even in the frame.

7. Venture beyond houses and traditional buildings.

Buildings are certainly the most common form of architecture, but they are not the limit. Nor should they be the limit of your own art. Think outside the box and try to capture bridges, ruins, stairs, outbuildings, arches, narrow streets, even roller coasters. Man-made structures have an inherently different feeling than natural ones, and capturing that feeling is the main part of your task. They tend to add interest and show an area’s unique charm without being cliché.

8. Avoid distortion where possible.

Most houses, bridges, buildings, and other types of architecture are far larger than the person taking the picture, which can cause distortion. While distortion can create some interesting and creative effects when used purposefully, it is something that you need to get under control. Take pictures of tall buildings not by tilting the camera up, but by moving back until the object fits comfortably and naturally in your frame.

9. Choose materials carefully.

The building is probably staying still, so your camera should as well; use a tripod or other flat, stable surface to get the exact picture that you want. If you are serious about getting good architecture photographs and plan to do so on a regular basis, a view camera is a wise purchase because it will allow you to have more control over the perspective while preserving all of the unique details. Having both wide angle and telephoto lenses will allow you to show the architecture from a variety of viewpoints. These both will allow you to capture and showcase any patterns as well, which can be some of the most interesting aspects of architecture photographs.

10. Work with your settings.

A variety of settings can be used to capture buildings with different shapes and different ‘feelings’. However, there are a few settings that are de rigeur in architectural photography. First, a large depth of field and a small aperture will ensure good focus and clearly visible details. A low ISO prevents noise and interference. Because these all mean a relatively long shutter speed, don’t forget the tripod we mentioned above!

Architecture comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, styles, and forms, so there are no set rules when it comes to this type of photography. However, these guidelines should get you started in the genre. Just remember that practice makes perfect and you should soon find yourself with a collection of photographs that perfectly showcase your favorite architecture.