Budget for Successful Photography in 2009

Now is the time to think about your budget and scheduling for 2009. Professional photography of your best projects is an asset to your upcoming business marketing. Structure your budget to allow for complete coverage of your most important projects while saving enough to record your other projects. Try to photograph when the project is fresh, access is more easily obtainable and the subject is looking new. Consider contacting other interested parties to contract with the photographer for shared use, the savings to each party can be significant.

Photographing in New England's winter

Winter in New England is typically a tough time to photograph exteriors. Snow banks, mud, leafless trees and brown grass challenge the views. Why not photograph the interiors and room details that are now ready as rooms can be filled with beautiful reflected sun light. Save those exteriors for Spring when the weather is better and fall plantings have taken hold. Or take the time to photograph those projects designed in warmer regions of the country.

Then again if your project is an igloo.....it's time to shoot!

People in Photographs

People often add scale and a sense of purpose to an architectural photograph. The proper mix of people in a photograph is subjective but should always be considered and discussed when planing photography. In this view of a glass wall in a newly constructed hospital lobby it was important to balance the time of day to properly illustrate the wall's light transmission properties with the day of week when some control over the people could be exerted. We ended up photographing on a Sunday as other days of the week would have been too busy for an efficient shoot. For this angle we determined that people were not necessary to show a sense of scale. For other views we included people in motion to show how the space is used.

NYLO Hotel-Warwick, Rhode Island

I've recently completed my second photography shoot for the new NYLO hotel located in the Warwick/Providence Rhode Island area. NYLO loft hotels are a new concept in the hospitality business, a hip and cool budget hotel. Each property is a newly constructed building in the style of a loft building conversion. Guest rooms and public spaces all feature hip design with exposed concrete walls and fixtures combined with unique custom furniture and many in room amenities. It is a great place for an event, party or meeting. If you are flying in or out of Rhode Island's T.F. Green Airport is it only minutes away and has direct shuttle service.
Here is a link to what I photographed:NLYO New Look

This view features the NYLO's spectacular "Terrace" located directly off it's "Loft" restaurant which overlooks the Pawtuxet river. To achieve this view it was necessary for me to photograph from a tall ladder on top of the bridge over the river. With assistance from the housekeeping department we were able bring all the window shades to an even level.

Scouting trip or walk-through

Often a scouting trip or walk-through of a property takes place prior to scheduling the actual photography day. Simple low resolution digital photographs are taken to help select views or as a reminder of problem areas that will need special attention. Sometimes due to circumstances beyond the control of the client, future access is limited. There is then a desire to utilize the scouting views, this should be avoided as they are typically low quality, quickly composed snapshots not often taken in the best light. On the rare occasion when there is no alternative and the view, lighting and use size are acceptable it is possible to make use of them. Keep in mind scouting shots were not part of the original use license quoted by the photographer, they were taken for discussion/reference purposes only. If you'd like to use one you will need to discuss with the photographer a fee to prepare the scouting view as a master file and an appropriate fee for your intended use. Don't forget that retouching may be needed to make the photograph usable.
This image was taken as a scouting shot with the anticipation of an additional shoot at the same location. That second shoot was never scheduled and the architect was in need of a rear exterior for an editorial article to go along with the front exterior and staircase interior photographs which were taken during the original assignment.

The Shot list

The "Shot List" is one of the most important discussions you can have in preparation for a photography assignment. If not determined by a walk-through or scouting of the property by the architect and photographer, the shot list needs to be created by the commissioning party. Often the request is too broad, "shoot everything" and the list too long to accomplish during the photography day. Only the client can prioritize that list by order of importance. It is important to remember that typically only a select number of views will be used frequently from a particular project. It makes the most sense to spend the time on those important views and less time on the photographs that are more "for the record". Having this conversation with your photographer prior to the estimate will help you maximize your photography budget and yield a better final product.

For this assignment my client was looking for a great view of this stone entertainment patio for his AIA competition entry. Knowing this was the more important view than the home interiors, time was spent to make sure this view was ready to shoot when the natural light was right. A torrential rain storm that had ended that morning required that a good deal of effort be made to dry out the stone work and patio furniture prior to being photographed. Without the input from the client this view would not have had the attention it needed to make it a successful photograph which in the end was selected for exhibit at his AIA competition.

Ready to shoot?

With the significant preparation needed to complete a successful architectural photography shoot, not to mention the costs involved, great attention should be given to how well prepared the location is for the photography day. Everyone seems to be very busy these days and the importance of this step can sometimes be diminished or overlooked in the budgeting and scheduling process. From the clients' standpoint the photographs should look perfect and there is occasionally an over reliance on what can be accomplished with photo retouching in post production. The best plan is review all aspects of the shoot with the property manager and maintenance staff. For interiors that would include making sure the desired furniture and fixtures have been installed and are operational and painting has been completed. Is it clean? (you'd be surprised). For exteriors, are the green spaces and trees maintained? Are seasonal or temporary signage or structures removed? Are other people working on site that day? Sometimes property owners schedule multiple parties on the same day as it's convenient to them. It is often difficult or impossible for each party to stay out of each others way when trying to achieve their goals. Sometime it's inevitable so try to determine before hand and see if it will affect the shoot plan.

Location, Location, Location

The often quoted real estate expression "Location, location, location" applies to successful architectural photography siting as well. Choosing the best angle for your project involves selecting the best point of view that tells the complete story. That viewpoint may be from across the street, from another building or in this example from the water. These two New York City glass residential towers by architect Richard Meier are shown in context to their proximity to other well known NYC icons like the Empire State and Chrysler buildings. That gives the viewer a sense of their Perry Street location in lower Manhattan.
Take the time to review all view options with your photographer when you are considering the possible views for your project.

Green Manhattan

One of the more interesting new buildings in the Manhattan skyline is the Hearst Tower on 57th street. This new Norman Foster designed 46 story office tower is the headquarters of the Hearst Corporation and the first green building completed in New York City (2006). The unusual triangular framing pattern is known as "diagrid". The building was constructed of 80% recycled steel by Turner Construction. The building's design allows it to use 25% less energy than the minimums set by the city of New York, which helped it earn a LEED gold designation.
Photographing reflective buildings requires careful planning for camera and sun angle to yield the best results.

Framing the subject

July presented an opportunity for a family trip to the Mid-Atlantic region. Along the way we visited the Gettysburg National Military Park and its new Museum and Visitor center. Designed by Cooper, Robertson & Partners of New York City the 136,000 square foot facility was designed to blend in to the Pennsylvania country side. I chose this view to frame the buildings diverse shapes as well as to show the main pedestrian and tour group entrances.

When to photograph?

When is best time to shoot? This question comes up when planning any assignment. Often the dates that are most convenient to the property owners or to the deadline are what determine the schedule. However that's not necessarily the best day or time of day to make photographs. If you have a high traffic area and you don't want to see the traffic, choose off peak use times, like the weekend for a office location. Other commercial and retail buildings can benefit from including the public in some of the views. That requires careful planning and a little luck for the right balance of people and light.
In this photograph of the Marketplace Center at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace I chose a view that captured the busy retail foot traffic along with the colorful hanging banners which fill the entrance portal.

Steve Rosenthal print show at C7A

Yesterday I had the opportunity to view architectural photographer Steve Rosenthal's print exhibit "New England Village Churches 1965-2007" at Cambridge Seven Associates-Paul Dietrich Gallery. These are exquisite B&W prints of country churches in beautiful light and composition an inspired 32 year personal project. Steve Rosenthal is one of the preeminent architectural photographers in America and based in Massachusetts.

The Paul Dietrich Gallery is located within the reception area of the Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc at 1050 Massassachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 492-7000 and on view Monday through Friday 9:ooam-5:00pm His show will run until July 30, 2008, please try to take it in.

Metroplis Magazine Exhibit at ICFF

I recently photographed the Metropolis Magazine exhibit at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Javitz Center in NYC. The exhibit was designed by one of my long time clients Mauk Design Inc. of San Francisco. Exhibition photography is always a challenge of coordinating the needs to make a great image with the armies of exhibit installers, sales and technical personnel and exhibit hall workers. I think this image turned out great.

My photographs in AIA 2008 Final Program

I was pleased to see that ten of my images of Boston architecture were included in the AIA 2008 Final Program handed out to all convention attendees. I also saw several of my photographs in books and in my clients promotional materials available at the exhibition.

Here are two of my photographs that were used in the program.

ASMP at AIA National Convention

This year I was a volunteer at the ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) exhibit at the AIA convention in Boston. ASMP member photographers were on hand to pass out free copies of the AIA-ASMP collaborative booklet titled "Commissioning Architectural Photography". The 20 page booklet covers selecting a photographer, estimating, controlling costs, licensing images and a photography preparation checklist. We passed out many copies of the booklet and spoke with architects and marketing people about tips for a successful photo shoot and about ASMP member photographers who also had a gallery of prints at the show.

www.asmp.org

AIA 2008 National Convention and Exhibition in Boston May 15-17

This year the AIA will hold it's national convention in Boston. I hope you will have the time to attend and take in all the city has to offer.

I will attend as a volunteer member representative of the ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers). ASMP will have have an informational exhibit booth (# 14198) to share with architects some of the documents they have created in conjunction with the AIA to help organize successful photography projects. I will be present in the exhibit Thursday May 15, from 2:30-5 p.m. to answer any questions you may have about how to organize a successful photography project and ASMP. Please stop by and say hello when you pick up a free copy of ASMP's new booklet "Commissioning Architectural Photography".

Andy

http://www.asmp.org

http://www.aiaconvention.com/live/61

A visit to Fallingwater

Recently I traveled to Pennsylvania on an assignment and recalled my past visit to "Fallingwater" the Frank Lloyd Wright designed home for Edgar J. Kaufmann Sr. in 1935. It is located about 50 miles southeast of Pittsburgh in Bear Run in the Laurel Highlands of the Allegheny Mountains of PA. It is a spectacularly sited project that is deserving of all its accolades. To learn more about visiting this iconic masterpiece visit the official website:

http://www.paconserve.org/43/fallingwater

Above is a photograph from my visit.

Andy

Stoller and Shulman Photographs at Addison Gallery

I just saw these two photography exhibits at the Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy, Andover, MA.

http://www.andover.edu/addison/exhibition/2008-Winter/Stollerized.htm

The "Stollerized" exhibit is a small collection of 13 prints by noted architectural photographer Ezra Stoller which will run through March 23,2008.

Architectural photographer Julius Shulman's photographs are part of: "Birth of the Cool: California Art, Design and Culture at Midcentury" on exhibit until April 13, 2008 upstairs in the same gallery.

Stoller and Shulman are two of the most influential American architectural photographers, this is great opportunity to see these original images up close.

Very inspiring.

Andy

What makes a successful architectural photograph?

In my opinion most successful architectural photographs exhibit these four qualities, which I believe are all of equal importance:

Defined purpose
Point of view
Quality of light
Quality of execution

If you fail on any of these points your photograph will not successfully communicate to the viewer your objective or you will be limited in the scope of how the photographs can be used.

Defined purpose
You need to identify why you are photographing the subject. Are the photographs for your portfolio, a marketing campaign or to advertise a product or service? You need to communicate your purpose clearly to your photographer.

Point of view
You need to determine the best camera positions to convey that purpose. This is where a site walk through or scout of the location with the photographer is invaluable. Consider if there is a view that shows several features in one angle. Equally important, are there aspects to the project you do not wish to highlight?

Quality of light
When does the subject look the best? Is it in the morning or afternoon light or is it best at dawn or dusk? Is the natural and/or existing lighting sufficient or is it in need of supplemental lighting to make up for existing deficiencies or site limitations?

Quality of execution
With the proliferation of digital cameras and their built in programs it has become easier to make a “good” photograph. The question is when is “good” not good enough. Many people are not fully knowledgeable about their camera’s functions and further do not know how to process the camera’s auto-generated file for maximum quality.
The professional architectural photographer not only uses equipment capable of much higher resolution, they also use special lenses and supplemental lighting to capture an image that embodies your defined purpose. That image can be further refined through the use of specialty software and image processing techniques to maximize the success of the final photograph.

Among the many decisions you will need to make are: how important are these images to your defined purpose and will you have access to this subject again in its present condition?

Best of luck with your project and if you need any help I’d be happy to speak with you about it. Please visit my web site to see samples of my photography and the services I offer.

http://www.andycaulfield.com

Thanks for taking a look. Andy

My new web site

Today I launched my new architecture web site at: www.andycaulfield.com
I display many new images in categories such as commercial, residential, landscape, retail/hospitality, exhibit and photo retouching.

Also take a look at my "Home Sweet Home" portfolio where I've placed an eclectic mix of dwellings from my travels. Enjoy

Andy

My first post

With this blog I'll try to take you through the process of creating compelling architectural images that will convey to your viewers the important aspects of your project.

Andy Caulfield