Light : an expressive matrix of architecture a study of photo-effects in architecture through metaphors of photography

Abstract

Conventional photography creates two dimensional time frozen paintings where ink is light and brush is a camera. The canvas becomes the photo sensitive celluloid. These two dimensional images are considered photographs. There for the photography in architecture will be images of buildings, monuments or spaces. The extensive use of conventional still photography has crippled even the minds of architects who are supposed to be creative and interpretative among people. The word photography gives a meaning beyond and very far beyond the above social norm. The word comes from the Greek "photos? meaning light and "graphos" meaning writing or drawing. The concept of photography in architecture can be explained better as "building with tight0. Architects such as Eric de Mare (A R. I. B A.) also a still photographer for A. J. magazine pioneered this aspect in middle of this century all though its application and philosophy in architecture runs very far. The architect works with form and space consisting solids and void just as a sculpture who work with form and mass and also like the painter who works with colors The person who experience the architecture enjoys a symphony of a composer or get the taste of a soup cooked by a master chef. As discussed above the architectural space consists of solids and voids The void spaces are connected to each other forming a sequenced progression. This sculpture of composite totality made out of solids and voids determines space to live in. " Photography" plays a major role in determining the characteristic expressions of the space. Light sculpts the void wile rendering the interface of solid and void. Siagraphy seems as a different subject, it still is a variation of "building with tight". The absence of light creates shadows and it will be an passive application of photo-creations of architecture. All arts are supposed to communicate with the person who experience them. This interaction demands several essential components. • The intensity of expressiveness, clarity and legibility. • The medium of the expression • The ability of the recipient to capture the essence of it. • The personal perception Varity of art forms express through different media. Unlike most other arts architecture express trough many media. Hence as discussed earlier architecture becoming a painting and a sculpture. The sounds of nature, a call of a bird, rattle of leaves, creeks of trees and insects and even the foot steps of the person who experience play a vital role in bringing music to architecture. All five physical receptors of human body are stimulated by an expressive space because all the components of environment can be manipulate by the architecture of a place . Among that eyes play an irreplaceable role since the dominant receptor. Vision being the most dominant sauce of information visual component of architectural expression is of utmost importance. Therefore architecture built with light or photography of architecture is potentially an efficient communicator. This study is an optimistic attempt to understand the photogenic nature of architecture and contribution of photo-effects of space and form in creating expressive architecture.