Questioning the appropriate angle of view to represent the visual perception of streets: possible answers from a preliminary study

Despite the rising prevalence of streetscape images as key material in architectural and urban research, their selection of angle of view (AoV) still mostly relies on arbitrary choice. An AoV determines the trade-off between the visible range and level of detail that the image can convey within its limited frame and, thereby, the overall visual information and perception about the street. Given the need for an empirically supported guidance to such previously overlooked dilemma, this study questioned and tentatively drew which AoV would be appropriate in its representation. On-site street surveys comparing the street's in-situ view and perception with its pictures taken at five different AoVs were conducted for 120 respondents. Results suggest that the appropriate AoV may not be fixed, but differ according to the spatial scale (width and height) of the street and its buildings. A set of practical guidelines readily applicable for AoV selection is further provided.