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

ptcanon3ti wrote in post #18112732
What lenses do you fellas us indoors. Wide angle is a must, aperture doesn't have to be super fast, but HAS to be sharp AND distortion needs to be low. Any thoughts?

For Canon:

Canon EFs 10-22 for me. I use a 7DII so it's the best choice. It's sharp, solidly made while not being too heavy, and produces excellent images. It's only drawback is it's tendency to flare at wider focal lengths.

The third party lenses don't have the same IQ and the newer 10-18 STM is too short on the long end. Stabilization and fast apertures are not important in RE because I'm ALWAYS on a tripod. But a zoom is. A single prime is too restrictive about framing and several primes means more stuff in the house and working slower.

Til-shift lenses are nice but careful framing takes care of most of it and most of what a T-S lens does can be done digitally in post.

More choices for FF, but most of what I wrote above applies. The cheap choice would be the Canon EF 17-40L but the better choice is the new Canon EF 16-35L f4. The 2.8 is more money and the faster aperture is not needed. The quality choice is the new EF 14-24L.

I use the 24-70 on a 5d mkiii, @24mm usually, but then sometimes ill use the 90mm tilt shift. Depends on the situation.

Today happened. Except the place wasn't ready, but I was able to get a good feel of the place, which definitely worked out in my favor. Got the lighting situation figured out pretty much, aand we will shoot it tomorrow.

Thats good man, i think its always the best option to go scout a location anyway. Consider it that. That first shot would look great at sunset where you can actually see the lights and the reflections shouldnt be so bad. If they still are try a CP.

DonJuanMair wrote in post #18113060
Thats good man, i think its always the best option to go scout a location anyway. Consider it that. That first shot would look great at sunset where you can actually see the lights and the reflections shouldnt be so bad. If they still are try a CP.

Thanks! I did drive by the location a few times over the weekend but the windows were all covered up and I had no idea what the inside was going to look like til i showed up today. Turns out; not so bad, but it is a tiny space though and tomorrow they will be actually open for business. So I think I'm going to leave the big stands/lights at home and just go with a few gelled speedlights on stands and gary fongs.

The Gary Fongs as bowls for the snus?

BTW, a recce (or scouting if you will) has to be thorough. You need to let the client know in advance you're gonna drop by for 10-15 min to take snapshots. Then you do so: take as many snapshots as you can, using the camera format and focal length you will be using for the final photos. No need for flashes here, you're just taking snapshots so that you can go back home and study them, constructing a map of angles, locations, potential problems, &c. Then you devise a plan and prepare your shots: this depends on the brief, but you have to have a list of images to take when you get to the actual shot: then you begin staging them and making them happen.

Take a look at my modus operandi (pardon the prolixity, but you can always focus on the images only): The Recce

I really can't emphasise this enough: you just don't decide on the fly on the day and time of the shoot what images might be nice to take: you must do that during the consultation with the client or after the recce.

Alveric wrote in post #18113166
The Gary Fongs as bowls for the snus?

BTW, a recce (or scouting if you will) has to be thorough. You need to let the client know in advance you're gonna drop by for 10-15 min to take snapshots. Then you do so: take as many snapshots as you can, using the camera format and focal length you will be using for the final photos. No need for flashes here, you're just taking snapshots so that you can go back home and study them, constructing a map of angles, locations, potential problems, &c. Then you devise a plan and prepare your shots: this depends on the brief, but you have to have a list of images to take when you get to the actual shot: then you begin staging them and making them happen.

Take a look at my modus operandi (pardon the prolixity, but you can always focus on the images only): The Recce

I really can't emphasise this enough: you just don't decide on the fly on the day and time of the shoot what images might be nice to take: you must do that during the consultation with the client or after the recce.

Thank you, for this information.

The gary fongs, well, after looking through today's pictures, there are 2 rooms in of concern in the back.

the first one below there are no places to hide an umbrella from this angle, and is the best angle to capture a smiling cashier, and the execs leaning on counters. So my solution is going to be take this picture without the people first, then one with, and brush them in. There is enough room behind the door threshold left to hide a speed light and a small stand. The back room really needs a little help to match the room in the forefront (which is all white), I think if I have the actors hold a smile or look like they're on the kiosk I should be able to pull it off.

the 2nd room below is tiny, really tiny. And I this is where they want me to take pictures of the actors "working" on their laptops. So I will have them seated in the far end near the door, and "work". Again I'm going to go for the room first and then get the people involved.

by the way, thanks again for the blog.

ptcanon3ti wrote in post #18112732
What lenses do you fellas us indoors. Wide angle is a must, aperture doesn't have to be super fast, but HAS to be sharp AND distortion needs to be low. Any thoughts?

Ideally distortion needs to be low, but this is not really true. The canon 17-40 f4 and 16-35 both have a pretty nice amount of distortion. It's just correctable in post for the most part.

I use the canon EF 17-35 2.8 (the model prior to the 16-35 2.8 release).

You'll have white ceilings and walls: that's a blessing if you know how to work it, bouncing the light (just beware of hot spots on the ceiling). You also have tungsten interior lighting, which plays nice with sunlight and flash. You can use the flash to illuminate the location without overpowering the interior light (1/60 sec or even 1/30 sec shutter speeds, which should allow you to freeze your subjects, especially if you instruct them not to fidget or make sudden movements.

You can co-opt the bulding features and make umbrellas: use the convergence of walls of walls and ceiling: especially if you use such areas that are behind you, you'll get light that looks like ambient, and won't get too many conflicting shadows, and still freeze your subjects. Avoid directional light from your strobes.

Working on learning to light paint interiors. This took me about an hour to do from setup to finish and maybe 2 hours in post to blend it all and make necessary adjustments. I think this turned out pretty well, but I'd love to hear thoughts from you all.

Also, please try and ignore the poorly fluffed pillows. Room service was supposed to have this area prepped prior to my arrival, but they dropped the ball, and I really suck at pillow fluffing

noelj92 wrote in post #18113277
Working on learning to light paint interiors. This took me about an hour to do from setup to finish and maybe 2 hours in post to blend it all and make necessary adjustments. I think this turned out pretty well, but I'd love to hear https://www.oka.com/bl​og/cushion-fluffer/thoughts from you all.

Also, please try and ignore the poorly fluffed pillows. Room service was supposed to have this area prepped prior to my arrival, but they dropped the ball, and I really suck at pillow fluffing

I like it a lot. What is that white box on the table?

Are there pillow fluffing courses?
Found this one: https://www.oka.com/bl​og/cushion-fluffer/

noelj92 wrote in post #18113277
Working on learning to light paint interiors. This took me about an hour to do from setup to finish and maybe 2 hours in post to blend it all and make necessary adjustments. I think this turned out pretty well, but I'd love to hear thoughts from you all.

Also, please try and ignore the poorly fluffed pillows. Room service was supposed to have this area prepped prior to my arrival, but they dropped the ball, and I really suck at pillow fluffing

Looks great, what's going on in that back corner? Make sure you have a good ambient light bracket to catch any spots that you missed with your lighting. Ceilings can be tough with light painting, so I would recommend to try using an ambient only exposed ceiling, because it will usually be pretty evenly lit.

Pekka wrote in post #18113346
I like it a lot. What is that white box on the table?

Are there pillow fluffing courses?
Found this one: https://www.oka.com/bl​og/cushion-fluffer/

Thanks! The white box is some piece of decor that sits on the center table. I didn't think it was very distracting and ended up lighting it.
And thanks for the link, lol. They should add a #8 and call it "The Annihilator" because that ought to be the most accurate name to give my pillow fluffing "technique".

mltn wrote in post #18113441
Looks great, what's going on in that back corner? Make sure you have a good ambient light bracket to catch any spots that you missed with your lighting. Ceilings can be tough with light painting, so I would recommend to try using an ambient only exposed ceiling, because it will usually be pretty evenly lit.

I totally did goof up that part of the room . Like you said, it's tough to paint the ceiling evenly. I do however have 6 bracketed ambient exposures, so I'll revisit this in post and see if I can correct that area a bit.

Thanks for the feedback!

Here are 2 shots from today. First had to display in-store branding. 2nd one is to show the coffee machine and lounge area being used, knocking 2 check boxes in 1 shot. I'm the one sitting down with my back against the camera in this one.

Another one of signage and work area, and of the cashier. Sort of dropped the ball on the shots involving that corner of the room with the fridges.