Explaining my process for architectural photography
Friday, November 25, 2011 at 9:12PM Location scouting
The first step to creating successful architectural images is to look over the property with my client and explore possibilities for the interior and exterior images. This can be done either beforehand or on the day of the scheduled photo shoot.
The shot list
Here are two cliches: less is more and time is money. Although it's tempting to shoot a room from more than one angle because something different will be shown in each image, usually one composition stands out from the rest and endures as the exemplar. This rule is mostly applicable to homes; the size of commercial spaces can warrant a larger shot list.
Next, it takes time to properly set up and employ supplemental lighting for interior work or a twilight exterior. I charge the same amount for each image, whether it's a great room wide shot, a vignette of a window seat, or a close up of a bath faucet; so I'll work to make the shot list as efficient as possible.
The work on location
Each image can take up to an hour to stage, compose, light, and expose, which means I can produce about 8 to 10 interior photographs in a day. Daylight exterior images and detail shots go more quickly and afford greater latitude for experimentation. For example, last summer I created 14 interior and exterior images of a commercial building on a sunny day. When the light is right, the capture is quick.
If I'll be photographing a remodeled house or a home about to go up for sale, I recommend a staging professional prepare the location beforehand. Conversely, some of my clients stage the shots themselves with equal success.
It's also useful for the property owners to understand the location photography can be a significant interruption of their daily routine. I employ strobe lights on tall stands that are powered by extension cords and power strips, and use a laptop connected to a camera mounted on a tripod to view the images in process. Staging a shot may require moving furntiure, appliances, or housewares to another room. I put back what gets shifted but the process is a potential inconvenience if not anticipated.
Post processing
I take the time on location to get the composition and lighting right, which means the post processing goes quickly. I usually complete proofs for client review in 3-5 days, sooner for tight deadlines like real estate listings and competition submissions. Once approved, I deliver the images via website download. For a service fee to cover materials and postage, I can also deliver the images via DVD.
What it ain't
My photography is different than portraiture, where the skilled professional can capture several compelling moments in a short space of time and thus deliver a large number of useable images to the client. My approach is also different than real estate photography, which emphasizes speed to create a quantity of images (usually 20 or more).
In contrast, my goal for each shot is a portfolio-worthy image. Doing so requires staging, lighting, and a thorough exposure process to solve the typical challenges each scene presents. Because of the time and effort involved, I ask clients to keep in mind that they pay for what I shoot. The finished image is then assembled in post processing from a number of individual exposures. There is less experimentation with this approach compared to portraiture,but the magic of an attractive architectural image comes from planning and execution.
Reader Comments (2)
I must say that Architectural Photography is one of the most challenging forms of photography. Good thing you share this very helpful steps. Thanks!
- Dylan
Thank you for commenting. I posted this entry to help prospective clients understand my process for making pretty pictures. Sometimes it's a surprise for clients to learn how deliberate my workflow can be and how many images it produces on a typical day. Although I've tried I the past to speed up the process, I usually had to cut corners on quality to do so. It just wasn't worth it for me.