How to take Winning Photos of Statues and Sculptures

In this video, I head into the heart of Lincoln to track down some of its iconic statues and sculptures, using my Olympus EM1 Mark II along with both the 17mm and 45mm f/1.8 lenses. I start off with a striking shot of the lion statue in the Arboretum, capturing the sun bursting through its outline to create a starburst effect. From there, I move on to the statue of the man on the plinth in the Lawns, experimenting with angles that highlight the statue’s strong lines against its surroundings. Finally, I visit the grounds of the Usher Gallery to photograph two sculptures, using the 45mm lens to isolate their finer details and textures.
Photographing statues and sculptures requires a careful balance between framing, light, and perspective. I like to move around the subject, finding the right angle that gives the statue a sense of presence while paying attention to the way the light falls. For example, when shooting the lion, I positioned myself to catch the sunlight in a way that added depth and drama to the image. The key is to create a composition where the statue commands the scene, whether through symmetry, scale, or the contrast between the statue and its backdrop. Sometimes, I’ll use a wide aperture to blur the background, drawing focus directly onto the textures and details of the sculpture itself, like with the statues at the Usher Gallery.
Throughout this journey in Lincoln, I share tips and insights on how to make the most of the natural light and surroundings, using both wide and close-up shots to tell a story. Each statue has a different feel, and I try to bring that out through thoughtful composition and lens choices, so stick around for some hands-on advice on photographing statues in urban settings.
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[@GJuve1]

Thanks for that very interesting and informative video, I'll definitely go out and take a few statue shots in the near future and use your techniques!

[@MyPhotoJourney]

Thanks a lot for watching and for your comment. Good luck and I'm sure you will get a great sculpture or statue shot 👍