Goal: Capture 3–5 strong, portfolio-level images focused on repetition, geometry, and structure.
Core Principles
1. One Idea Per Shot
Each photo should communicate a single concept:
- Repetition
- Symmetry
- Geometry
- Contrast
If multiple ideas compete, the shot gets weaker.
2. Crop Aggressively
- Remove sky unless it adds value
- Remove ground unless it adds pattern
- Fill the frame with structure
Bad: building + sky + street
Good: only facade pattern
3. Shoot Abstract, Not Literal
If someone can instantly recognize the building, go tighter.
You want:
4. Light = Structure
At midday:
- Use shadows to define form
- Shoot where light hits only part of the building
- Look for contrast, not softness
Shot Types You Must Get
1. Repetition (Aqua-style)
How to shoot
- Zoom in until abstract
- Fill frame completely with pattern
- Avoid edges of the building
- Wait for shadows to create depth
Mistake
Including sky or breaking the pattern
2. Symmetry (Marina-style)
How to shoot
- Center perfectly
- Keep vertical lines straight
- Align edges carefully
- Take multiple shots to refine
Mistake
Slight misalignment ruins the shot
3. Industrial Geometry (Bridge)
How to shoot
- Go under the bridge
- Shoot toward the light
- Use beams as leading lines
- Layer foreground, midground, background
Mistake
Shooting from outside instead of inside the structure
4. Reflection Distortion (Bean-style)
How to shoot
- Get very close
- Fill frame with reflection
- Look for warped lines and shapes
- Use people only as pattern elements
Mistake
Trying to capture the whole object
5. Contrast (Old vs Modern)
How to shoot
- Frame old and glass together
- Focus on texture difference
- Compress slightly with zoom
- Keep composition clean
Mistake
Too many elements competing in frame
Execution Plan (60 Minutes)
0–10 min
Walk and scout. Do not shoot yet. Identify 2–3 strong locations.
10–40 min
Shoot main compositions. Stay longer at each spot and iterate.
40–55 min
Switch to tight, abstract shots.
Last 5 min
Return to your best spot and reshoot with better framing.
Final Rules
- If it looks like a tourist photo, go closer
- If it looks messy, simplify
- Shoot fewer scenes, more variations
- Underexpose slightly to protect highlights
- The best shot comes after multiple attempts, not the first.