YOU SHOOT - I EDIT

Professional Image Editing for Architectural Photography

The thing is...publication quality does not come right out of the camera.

Room interiors are particularly difficult to photograph. Some areas come out way too bright while others go almost black. And the lighting is either too blue or too orange, or both!

Back in the pre-digital days it all had to be dealt with in the camera. I would have to bring in a bunch of lights and shoot multiple exposures with different colored filters. I could make a very realistic photo that rendered all of the lighting, but it required some techniques that only a pro who specializes in architecture might offer. But that was a long time ago. Now photography is Digital.

I think the coolest thing about digital photography is the ability to edit the images.

This sets up an interesting situation where the actual shooting of the image and the editing of the image become completely separate processes. This is an improvement because now the shooter doesn't have to deal with as many technical considerations and can more easily concentrate on framing and composition.

I like to join in the collaboration with the designer and their photographer.

I can make a serious contribution. I am not artificial intelligence, and I'm not a website with an algorithm. I am a commercial artist specializing in architectural photography. Every image is different, and in my mind each is separate work of art.

The Art And Science Of Image Editing

Actually, the science comes first. The technical part. Certain parameters need to be adjusted specifically using the numbers in Photoshop. Black point, white point, contrast and brightness.

Other standard nuts and bolts of my process include:

• Correcting the perspective so that the walls don’t lean outwards. This is an emulation of the way the big view cameras work and it’s usually one of the first things I do to make a photo publication ready.
• Correcting the color. It’s a big challenge with room interiors. I have some proprietary techniques that I’ve developed over the years, and they're a big part of what I bring to the collaboration.
• Retouching. I generally airbrush out distracting elements such as power plugs and AC outlets.

Then comes the "art." Sometimes the subtleties of the lighting don't render digitally the way that they come through in person. I can often add localized shading and brightening to make sure that the image projects the atmosphere of the room. It’s almost like a painting. My signature style is sort of cinematic. This is also a chance for me to pick up on the intent of the shooter's composition and do things that will help guide the viewer's eye through the image.

I've worked with a number of talented designers and photographers.

Our photos have appeared in numerous magazines and website. Many of them have helped to win designer awards. And of course these days the use of photos in social media is exploding. So there's that too. :-)

  About Me     How It Works     Shoot with your iPhone?  

INFO FOR THE SHOOTER

  Managing the Perspective     Managing Mixed Lighting     My Secret Shooting Technique  

OTHER STUFF

  Photography     Video     Music