A thread for real estate, architectural, and interior design photography

[jiddle]

Originally Posted by gnwatts

jiddle

I liked your 4 sets of pics. Comps are great.
I usually like to see a little more contrast, though, as some of the whites (ceiling/wall transition) are washed out, some of the interiors need to pop more.

I'm a fan of your work, so I really appreciate the compliment, and critique. What can I do to add more pop?

[jiddle]

Originally Posted by Matt Peters

Really like these shots, great feel to them!

Yeah this little box house had a great vibe to it, thanks for the compliment

[jiddle]

Originally Posted by pixel_junkie

Really Nice shot, if i was the client I'd be really pleased. Would you care to share exif data on this shot? thnx!

[gnwatts]

Originally Posted by jiddle

I'm a fan of your work, so I really appreciate the compliment, and critique. What can I do to add more pop?

Thanks jiddle.
I looked at the pics again and I think it isn't that they are washed out, but maybe need a little more contrast and a little saturation, like the little blue house you presented. I like how you pulled off the direct light coming in- how did you accomplish that?

[TheReal7]

Originally Posted by jiddle

Set 4 of 4: one more from Mt. Washington, CA





thanks for looking! CC Welcome

Great set!

These 2 are the ones that need work IMO. The first, I am not sure why you chose such a low perspective? Most people dont crawl around on the floors. I would use a higher perspective.

This bedroom photo is too bright. It feels like the room has a 300w bulb lighting it up. I think pulling down the brightness could help. When I process I always adjust the exposure til I feel like I am in the room. The bedroom shot doesnt give me that feeling due to the brightness. The other bedroom could use a tiny brightness adjustment too.

[pixel_junkie]

Originally Posted by jiddle

Really Nice shot, if i was the client I'd be really pleased. Would you care to share exif data on this shot? thnx!

Hi, thanks. Sure - f/11, 4sec, iso100, 20mm, 16-35LII + 5dII

[Davidoff]

jiddle, I'm not sure you're looking for it but I'm going to offer some critique for post #5222, I hope you don't mind.

First photo: A bit too hdry for me and there's something going on on the right side, like a loop of light.

Third photo: Maybe clone the white spots on the table and the darker thing behind the couch to the left.

Sixth, seventh and eight photos: The fireplace and tv look fake.

For all the interiors: I'm guessing you're using flash inside, if not ignore this tip try doing two shots exactly alike, one with flash and one without and then use the windows from the shot without flash on the lit interiors. This will eliminate most reflections like the painting on the fourth photo and the flash head in the fifth.

[jiddle]

wow thanks for all the comments, I really appreciate the critiques it really helps me see things that I normally wouldn't look for. i have read all of your inputs and agree with all of them, lol. I have alot to work on =D

anyways, here is a set from earlier last month. 35 minutes of post processing. CC always welcome!

Hollywood Hills, CA:

[giCe]

Client wanted the HDR look... but I didn't really want to overdo it too much

untitled-150-2And8more.jpg by g.choy, on Flickr

untitled-178-2_79-2_80-2-Edit.jpg by g.choy, on Flickr

[Nick3434]

Man, I am so stoked I found this thread. I am a fabricator (marble/granite etc.) and NOT a photographer. I got a Canon XSI and a sigma 10-20 because I could not capture our jobs with non DSLR cameras in the way I desired. Hindsight I would have got a 5DC, but I didn'tt know anything and am looking to get a 5Dii before too long. Anyway, I really have enjoyed photography as a hobby as a result of needing it for work and I come on POTN for that, but finding this thread was HUGE for me because the place I need help with is interior shots for work, and the shots by you real estate pros on here are fantastic. I welcome and need all of your CC and comments

A few challenges I face often are:
Rarely do I have the opportunity for a tripod and more than 20 minutes max to shoot. I can not set up lights or anything beyond my Youngnuo flash, so I lean toward natural lighting, but admittedly suck with my speedlight for interior work. I also shoot alot of condos and light pouring in is crazy since I am in Florida. None of these shots are HDR, but I have fallen into 1 shot HDR as a crutch for this. I like HDR done right, and want to get better at that and PP in general. Anyway, here are some pics and I look forward to learning from and contributing to this thread. Really sick stuff in here.

[gnwatts]

Not bad for not having a tripod, and doing it under 20 minutes. A few thoughts:

1. In the time it takes to say "I don't have enough time for a tripod" you can attach your camera to a tripod. It does not take that much more time to compose on a tripod, so practice with it and get faster with it.

2. Concentrate on some details, edges of stone, details where stone interacts with the cabinetry, or adjacent materials. Try to avoid images that have views out brightly lit windows (#1 and #2), try to control the light with curtains or shades (#3).
The tripod will allow you to get greater depth of field, and more dynamic range so your images will look brighter and more saturated. You can also turn lights off during the exposure if the lights are too bright.

3. Learn your software. HDR might work well for you, I use NIK HDR pro, others have better options if you are not on a Mac. I use Aperture for my processing (Mac) as it is easy to learn and very intuitive, at least for me. And it's cheap.

4. Think about how you want to show off your work before the shoot, what is it you want to emphasize. It takes practice to capture your vision in the view finder. I often will sketch a plan of the space and note the angles and details I want to capture, and use it as a guide.

Hope this helps.

[Nick3434]

Thanks Greg!

Embarrassed to say I think I did have a tripod for those 2 jobs, I just meant that a lot of times I need to be in and out without making a big production of it.

Composure is my main problem. I definitely know this and you really put into words my frustration of late. I have an artistic eye, but what I am seeing in the shot(not a shot specifically, but vibe of a job) is not at all being translated with a high percentage of my my photos. I get back and it is like "what was I thinking". Last time I was so fixated in straight walls and ceilings my composure sucked, so thanks for the advice of really seeing something specific, then making it, then going to the next shot and taking them one specific shot at a time.

As far as aperature and nik plugins, I am a superfan and use only those and really hoped I did not need to learn photoshop because I love the nik lineup and simplicity of aperture, so that is great to hear and hdr pro is what I do use. I will try to share some more later. I really appreciate the advice Greg!

[gnwatts]

A small victorian in Aspen.

[gnwatts]

Without a doubt the strangest and most challenging space I have ever photographed. I had seen this unit when it was under construction and after it was finished, in 1995. It is a 2 story penthouse in the Peaks Hotel in Telluride's Mountain Village. The best way to describe it is hippy/Moorish/Tibetan with a very strange, creepy carpet. The place was set up the way they wanted it. The ceiling was designed with fiber optic lights that emulated the night sky on some southern hemisphere island. I had seen it way back when and it was spectacular. Problem was it did not work now. Nor did the stream and waterfall along the entry stair. So all of the uplighting and fiber optics were inoperable, so i made the best of it. Most of the lighting that functioned was some downlights on the back and front stone wall, 4 floor lamps and the candle chandelier, which cast some glowing which I liked. The windows are about 5' off the ground, so you have to sit down to see the view of 14,000' Mt. Wilson. Then clouds and smoke from a fire in southern Colorado moved in and spoiled the show.

The unit is in the upper right corner:




From the entry door on the 6th floor:




View from the Living room back to the top of the entry stair and dining table:






View towards the kitchen:







Master bed:

[Darkwand]

Dining Room by AdurianJ, on Flickr

I'm starting to love silver umbrellas fot these shoots, it's much easier to use then to find the right wall to boucne off.