Planning for Successful Architecture Photography
Here are some of the things I need the client to provide:
• Input I need to understand your expectations; more information is better. You might want to say, “Oh, you know, some nice shots of the exterior and a couple of the interior.” The problem is, “no, I don't know.” Everyone has some pre-vision of the photos they'd like to see. If you don't convey your ideas to me, I'll shoot what I think is best and you'll either be pleased (“just what I hoped for!”) or disappointed (”oh, that's not what I had in mind at all.”) I need to know “what you had in mind.” A written shot list is helpful. A conversation about things on the shot list adds more understanding.
• Floor plans Having a floor plan in advance is extremely helpful for interior photography. You can mark areas of particular interest, and “x” out areas that do not need to be photographed. In an office space, for example, almost everyone wants photos of the entrance/lobby, conference rooms, and representative office areas. Not everyone wants photos of restrooms, kitchenettes, break rooms, or mechanical rooms unless you want to emphasize tile work, casework, conduit arrays or specialized equipment. A floor plan is the ideal way to communicate what you want, and where it's located. It shows me areas where overly bright windows will have an influence, which helps in planning the time of day to make photographs. With a floor plan I can pre-visualize the number of potential camera positions and views, which lets me prepare a more accurate estimate of the cost.
• Site Plan A site plan is essential if the project is new construction or an addition to an existing structure that doesn't show in a Google satellite view. In my opinion, a typical daytime building exterior looks best when slightly unbalanced sunlight illuminates the main entrance facade and adjacent elevations. I need to know the orientation of the building to plan the best time of day to achieve that result. In the mid-Atlantic area the sun doesn't shine on a truly North-facing elevation for about 6 months of the year, and then it can be for only a brief period of time just after sunrise or just before sunset. A few degrees of deviation from North, to the East or to the West, can make a big difference in planning the “right” time to make photos of North-facing buildings. Regardless of the orientation of the building, the site plan is extremely helpful.
• Permission & Access Incredibly, I once arrived to photograph a location based on a request from the landlord, only to be rejected by the tenant. There had been no conversation between the two. Cooperation by the tenant is essential. My approach to interior location photography is minimalist in terms of equipment; usually a camera, a tripod and a camera bag with a couple of lenses and a few accessories. When possible, I prefer to arrive early enough to be finished before the business day begins, or begin after the close of business if that is acceptable to all. If an early or late shoot can't be arranged, I will try to be as unobtrusive possible so that business is not disrupted.
• Staging I will work with items already in place as needed; for instance, I may rearrange furniture or move a potted plant into an otherwise “too empty” space to provide a new balance to a scene, but I do not provide staging services. You probably don't want any staging in a brand new building destined for tenant fit-outs. But a bare apartment building or retirement community may not look very appealing. When available I will take advantage of an already-staged model apartment. A restaurant should look ready to welcome guests. Timing is important when photographing office spaces. Furniture gives a sense of scale to otherwise-empty spaces but those that have been occupied for a while can become cluttered. Moving or hiding major distractions (waste baskets, personal items, etc.) is to be expected.
• Accent lighting timer If dusk or dawn (“blue hour” & “golden hour”) exterior photos are to be made, are there exterior accent lights? Are the on-off times controlled by a photocell, or by a timer? If a timer, what are the on-off times?
If you like what you see here, please refer me to your Marketing department or other colleague. Thank you!