One thing that I have been working on dramatically improving is my architectural photography. While I still have much to learn, on a recent shoot for a real estate developer here in Bend, Oregon, I put my light painting and Photoshop techniques to work to take my average-to-boring architectural photography to a higher level, something I think I achieved. The first photo is pretty much straight out of camera. It does not represent the kind of image I would have turned over to a client, but it does give an indication of the lighting contrast I was dealing with. The second image is the finished product that I was really pleased to deliver to my client. I'll continue to improve on these techniques, because I had a blast with this shoot and in creating the finished product! As I look around the architectural and real estate photography in bend, I often find myself shaking my head at the horrible quality of photos builders and architects use in their advertising and on their websites. They designed and/or built a multi-million dollar home with intense attention to the finest details, then they either take the picture themselves, or they pay (I'm hoping they paid) no more than $100 for their photography. What a waste! There are some high quality architectural photographers here in Bend, but no one seems to be doing this type of work. I wonder if its because no one is willing to pay for it? I hope to change that as I continue to refine these techniques I'm learning and begin to spread the word about my services! It is a shame that some of the stunning custom homes I see in local advertising are so poorly photographed!
You can see how this image and the images I created of the interiors of the house were used by my clients to accentuate the property listing site by clicking here.
