Angie McMonigal’s architectural photography is a visual indulgence as she gives a warm and organic nature to the inanimate buildings she meets while wandering the streets.

McMonigal is challenged by every building she deems worthy of her vision because you can see diverse styles in her abstractions. Every structure differs from the others, yet her style is still tangible in each of them. Whether she goes for color or monochrome, a reduced portion of a building or the entire structure, she captures a rare and unseen beauty that will make you stop and stare.

Characteristics in McMonigal’s Work

Lines: The clear image lines in her photograph lead your eyes. The straight lines and curves that follow the shape of the building serve as the baseline for the picture and appear in her photographs. For me, it feels like the lines in her photographs emphasize the moment and situation of the thing and draw attention to the picture.

Black and white colors: The colors in her photos are all colorless to emphasize the forms of the objects. The use of black and white shows more excellent contrast, and the colors in between, like shades of gray, show less difference.

Close-up composition: The photos are pretty close-up to the point where you can see the details of the object taken.

Shape and shadow of an object: The shape and shadow of an object are the most prominent features in her photograph. Using the forms of shadows that change according to the angle of the light being revealed, McMonigal clearly divides a section between objects and objects, creating new objects and atmospheres through shadows rather than just taking a moment of one object.

Unique angles in her photographs: McMonigal’s striking gaze on objects is one of the characteristics that allows her to take contrasting pictures with other artists. Her photos look up, down, or at an object’s combination from above. Taking photographs of objects in equal parts horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to perfect proportions, called golden ratios, is one of the great features of her pictures.

Reason for Selection

I chose Angie McMonigal for photographic inspiration because her regular but unique composition photographs caught my eye. I also want to take a picture of 798 with my own striking gaze, unlike the standard 798 factory photos others took.