From The Early Days: Architectural Photographers Melbourne

It’s been 172 years since the beginnings of photography in Australia with the announcement by the Australasian Chronicle dated 13th April 1841:

“The inhabitants of Sydney will now have the opportunity of witnessing the effects of this very singular invention, one of the instruments having been brought to the colony by Captain Lucas, late commander of the Naval School expedition”.

The “effects” were to prove invaluable to the profession of architecture to this day.

Golden Era of Architectural Photography in Melbourne

The discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851, spurred the architectural transformation of Melbourne. By the 1880s, Melbourne had joined the ranks of the world’s cosmopolitan cities. In those boom years, Charles Nettleton arrived in Melbourne and soon became one of Australia’s most prolific architectural photographers of the time. Nettleton used the new collodion process capable of capturing fine architectural detail. He photographed every major public work in Melbourne, some of which still stand as monuments to the era of Victorian architecture.

A Boon to Melbourne’s Architects

Nettleton’s photography did much to promote the accomplishments of Melbourne’s architects. Prints were made with woodcuts, copper plate etchings or lithography and the published images were eagerly viewed in the exclusive enclaves of the elite and by a curious public. For the first time the grandeur and beauty of Melbourne’s architecture could be seen in photographs reaching audiences far and wide.

Architectural Photography and Media

The mutual benefits of business relations between architects and architectural photographers are even more important today. Many people believe that photographs remain the single most effective medium to highlight architectural design and raise the profile of architects.

The means by which photographs of architecture can be distributed now range through the gamut of print and digital media. Multiple images can be seen at the click of a mouse or touch on the screen of mobile devices. This also means that your potential customers have more choices in a competitive market. A striking image can lead customers to your website but the window of opportunity is mere seconds. Those brief moments can mean you secure or lose potential projects.

How to Rank Higher on the Internet (SEO)

Not only are photographs important but also how easily or often they appear when a customer searches the Internet. Photographs that are often viewed can improve your ranking on search pages and an “image search” may see them at the top of the webpage. They are also convenient for those too busy to read through a lot of text. The search ranking, speed of access, easy navigation of your website and content that engages your audience is all it takes to win or lose in the architectural marketplace.

That is why We Shoot Buildings architectural photographers, Melbourne, provide a range of services that will give you an edge over your competition; not only with outstanding architectural photography but also in SEO, website design and content development.

Written by Grant Kennedy