Architectural Photography
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Preparing for a Professional Photographer
Following my last post about Finding the Right Architectural Photographer, this is another great article by the good ole people at AIA (American Institute of Architects) and ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) discussing expectations with the professional architectural photographer you choose, covering topics like avoiding un-necessary costs and surprises, as well as giving a helpful checklist in making sure all areas of the photo shoot are covered before the photographer even steps foot on the property.
If you are looking to hire a professional architectural photographer, and just don’t know where to start or what to expect, this article is perfect for you!
As always, if you have any questions you would like to further discuss with a professional architectural photographer, please don’t hesitate to email at info@paulawattsphoto.com or call at #541-255-5834.
Belluschi Residence | Portland Oregon Architectural Photographer
My last post discussed the importance of lighting for all types of photography. I used a before/after example from my photo shoot at the Belluschi Residence in Portland, Oregon for Oregon Home Magazine. For this post, I wanted to show some of the interiors, including the kitchen, living room, and interior of their beautiful yoga studio.
What is especially unique about this property is that it was originally designed by the famous architect, Pietro Belluschi. Once purchased by Mike McCulloch and Maryellen Horkheimer, they wanted to keep the original feel and space as initially intended, but with some modern updates. Mike being an architect himself, kept the transition seamless. Maryellen is a master gardner and landscaper, and together the home is now not only a comfortable living space, but also a scenic garden retreat.
The marriage of architecture and its surroundings made it feel like there was no distinction between inside and out. The rolling landscape was either in your window’s view or you were enjoying the tremendous space the family built for outside living. I wanted and needed to capture that as the photographer, lighting the rooms, making sure the windows show the exterior view as well as maintaining the warmth of the interiors.
Architectural Lighting | Architectural Photographer, Bend OR
Have you ever wondered what makes an image really stand out from the rest? Or, perhaps, how to get your home or space to photograph well for an advertising campaign? Well, I won’t give away all my trade secrets as an architectural photographer here, but I will show you a quick comparison that will help train your eye to see light differently, as well as how to become a discerning client when needing to hire a professional photographer that will make your building/residence/commercial space really shine.
The two images below are the exact same residence, the exact same angle, the exact same day. Sure, you can probably see that. Will it surprise you then to learn that the two images were photographed only 22 minutes apart? A bit more intrigued now?
I photographed these two images to showcase the dramatic difference that lighting can make in a photograph. The first image was taken at the end of the day with no additional lighting equipment used. The sun was still the main lighting source. Because of the nature of the home’s architecture, beautifully designed by Scott Gilbride Architecture, the sun didn’t do a very good job reaching to the inside corners of the patio. In order to compensate for that, the exposure either gets longer, or the depth of field gets shorter (not ideal for architecture) and the sky, then, gets whiter. Indeed, you can see for yourself the overall dull appearance the home had.
In comparison, for the second image, I waited only 20 more minutes for the sun to go below the horizon, (becoming the ambient (or fill) light for the photo shoot). The main light source became my photography lights that I added with strategic placement to add light where needed as well as add a more dramatic feel overall to the photo. The home then became lit from the inside and outside, giving it a warm glow in appearance and a well deserved contrast from the rich blue sky from the dusk evening.
When searching to hire a professional architectural photographer, or even a professional photographer for other subject matters, please remember that lighting ALWAYS matters. It is important to find a photographer that is going to make your product, home, or business really shine, and that lighting is one of the very best ways we are going to do that for you!
Himalayan Imagery
Recently, I got to hike with some beautiful people through the Himalayan Mountains, seeing spectacular views, culture, and wildlife. There were chai and dahl shops along the way to rest and enjoy the scenery, but the best part was making it to our final destination at snow-line and basking in the views. We came across nomadic goat herders along the way, who were gracious enough to allow me to photograph them and ask questions, literally hiking through goat poop in order to do so.
Sharing a morning cup of chai with our host in the Himalayas. We spent the night under his tent which doubles as his home, shop and kitchen. It was magical.
Professional Headshots, Your First Impression | Professional Photographer Bend Oregon
I was recently hired by the lovely and talented Dana Ward of Lime Design to photograph her new professional headshots. In business, professional headshots are very important. They are sometimes the “first impression” when someone is looking for your service or a professional in your field. They can speak volumes about your personality, and even, the quality of your business. Of course, I am a photographer, so I may be biased as to the importance of one’s photography, but personally, I steer clear of any businessman or woman with a pixelated photo, cropped out of last year’s Hawaiian vacation. (facebook excluded)
For Dana’s headshots, we wanted to photograph her in an environmental portrait style, instead of in the studio, to add some depth and connection to her business. We chose The Loft in downtown Bend as a great location for her. She is one of Central Oregon’s premier home stagers, so having an intimate and warm atmosphere went well in defining her as a professional in her field.
What’s your field or area of expertise? Do your headshots help portray your branding and convey the image you want for your business?
The Bold and the Beautiful Residence | Bend Oregon Architectural Photographer
Holy moly, I’m behind on my blogging. Did I just say holy moly? Okay, go with it.
This project below was an incredible project for me. I was able to photograph a handful of professional’s work that are so intricate and so talented, it made my job challenging, but such a privilege.
Often times, I do not get the opportunity to meet the homeowners of these beautiful residences that I photograph because they are often their vacation properties or second residences. It’s an unfortunate side of the job, but you learn to get used to it. With this project, I again, did not have the privilege of meeting the homeowners, however, feel like I can know so many things about them just based on their home. For instance, they value “quality”. Enough said right there. They accomplished that with hiring Kirsti Wolfe Designs, Sunwest Building and Neal Huston Architecture. They felt comfortable enough with Kirsti to leave the design and project management in her hands, and were not disappointed!
Their value for the outdoors and nature is evident as their property sits right up against the Cascade Mountains, with views as far as you can see. Photographically speaking, because of this, it is so important to show the views from the windows whenever possible. The architect, Neal Huston did an incredible job showcasing their views with large windows and expansive ceilings to bring the focal point directly to the mountains. As a photographer, I balanced the natural light from outside and additional photographic lighting to showcase those very important aspects. Architectural Lighting 101.
Details within their home that add to their high regard for quality, yet spurts of playfullness, are things like the onyx bar in their home-pub. Yes, I said it, Home Pub (I know I could spend many-a-nights enjoying that feature), high gloss Polyester red kitchen cabinets (very European in style) with Vetrazzo recycled glass counter tops (a very challenging kitchen to photograph with all the reflective surfaces but well worth the challenge), exotic wood veneers seen throughout their home including their master bath and pub, custom two-story fire place with a waterfall effect emulating the river in Bend, and a floating onxy sink in the powder bath lit by LED lighting against a full wall of recycled mosaic tiles (1 of 10 bathrooms)! This 10,000 square foot contemporary home with mountain views shows a home can be bold and beautiful!
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