Getting some height as have already said is key. Be above the car tops but not too high if A/C's and pipes on the roof start to show. Many architectural photogs have roof platforms on their station wagons just for this purpose. Do you know anyone with a small van with a roof ladder. Take your tripod up to the roof top with you and you could then shoot at slower shutter speeds.
Blank sky- If you can arrange, it take some cut branches of pine of other green branches and hold the out in front of the camera lens to fill in part of the sky. When done well it will look as though you were shooting from under a tree and the sky area will have a little more interest. However if you are hand holding a 120 camera on a ladder I don't know how you will arrange it unless you have some tall light stands or use an assistant on a second ladder in front of your ladder.
An angle-shot will also help rather than a straight on view. Is an early Sunday morning photo before the shops open a possibility? It would depend on the direction the building faces. SE would be nice this time of year. Consider a twilight scene when all the store fronts and store signs are fully turned on. The cars would be less prominent and you might even pick up a glow in the background sky.
Good luck
Walter
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On Tuesday, March 16, 2004, at 09:43 AM, Marilyn wrote:
Hello PhotoForum Members,
I can use some advice, please.
I've been asked to photograph two strip malls for the property manager and the manager doesn't have an opinion on what he's looking for. Just "nice" shots of the properties. I'll photograph the properties every way I can think of, but I'd love suggestions from all of you.
It looks like cars in the parking lots are going to have to be included - the malls are rarely empty.
I'm taking a ladder so I can photograph from different heights and I'm photographing during different times of the day, morning and evening. We rarely have clouds in our area so the sky will most likely be blank.
I'm using medium format, color film.
Suggestions or ideas?
Thank you in advance.
Marilyn
