ABSTRACT
This essay outlines the major and common ways photography is made and used in landscape architecture. A set of five core concepts are presented that frame the discussion. These uses present the vast diversity that exists in how the discipline or landscape architecture makes and uses photography for every day design decision making. Examples include site photography, context photography, historic photographs, aerial photography, inspirations and precedents, construction documentation, built work photography, post occupancy evaluation, and visual resource assessment. The conclusion discuses major themes that are unique to the way photographs are used for design development and communication in landscape architecture, including the idea of using many photos; photographs are collected from many different sources; that photographs are investigated and interpreted; the implications of looking at photographs over time and the time presented in photographs. These themes unpack the multi directional relationship between photographer, viewer and subject matter and discuss the implications of biases and personal experience in looking and interpreting photographs as part of design development and communication.
