I recently challenged Mike Kelley to a photography competition. We both had two and a half hours to photograph the iconic "Dome House" in Charleston, South Carolina. Today, you will get to vote on your favorite photographs and choose a winner.
But there is a catch; we're not going to tell you who took each set of images, we're going to let you guess.
Below you will see two sets of three images. Mike photographed one set and I photographed the other. You can click on the images to view them full screen.
Images 1-3
Images 4-6
Now it's time for you to vote. First, try to guess who took each set of images. In the second poll simply choose your favorite set of images.
In the comments below let us know why you voted the way you did and which images are your favorite and why. In a few days, we will release the entire behind the scenes video that covers the photoshoot and how Mike and I actually captured each of these shots.
This is Great.
That telephone pole and the other house kill image 3. And the beach is super distracting. And I actually don't like any of the wind servers in the backgrounds. Pulls the eye away. On the whole great images... esp 4-6. Looking forward to part 2!
The difference between 2 and 4 gave it away for me. But then I've known Mike's images for a long time.
the 4-6 pictures are perfect based on the lighting, composition and each of them tells a story. They are definitely taken by professional (mike kelley).
I much prefer images 4-6, so I assume the pro architectural photographer took those.
1. Colors are way too cold, almost sickly. The vignette on the right is distracting. Good composition, though, and I like the light spilling out of the room...maybe could use a little more separation in the chairs/table.
2. It's a nice photo you would expect to see in a $200-300 price point shoot of this home. Feels way too wide...like you're trying to capture everything, which is fine for a re-max listing, but not for a magazine or high end listing.
3. TELEPHONE POLE! Sky looks really interesting, but birds draw eye too much away from the house. Sand could have been cleaned up where the footprints are...or don't walk there if it was clean in the first place. If this was in one of you're critiques it would be a 1...looks like a snapshot.
4. Love the warmth and naturalness of the light. Also really like the shadows and the drama they add. Feels like you're in the room opposed to looking at a photo.
5. Great composition. Good balance of values between the porch and landscape. Attention to details with the rug, pillows and table setting are appreciated.
6. So much more interesting than the other shot of the exterior...eye is drawn to the home, in fact, everywhere you look leads you back to the home. Just enough light painting in the foreground to add interest and not be distracting or boring.
I don't even think it's close. If Mike somehow took images 1-3, he tanked on purpose. Assuming Lee took 1-3, he needs to re-watch the videos starring Mike.
I'm going to reveal my favorite images and I don't think it gives anything away. I think images 1, 4, and 6 are the best shots. If I had to choose a favorite it's between 4 and 6 for me. I'm not sure I can choose because they are so different.
My favorite is #4. I'm not sure interior architecture shots can get any better than that.
You'll laugh when it's revealed how that was taken
I feel an iPhone coming on!
Handheld test shot that turned out to be the killer composition?
No, not that easy
Is that you in the window kitesurfing outside....lol
How interesting, if these shots were to sell a property I would choose #2 as my favorite simply because it shows off the beautiful curves and angles including some of the exterior...whereas as a stand alone photo I'd prefer #4 for it's colors it's just that it's lost a lot of the interesting parts
Exterior, hands down you. Great angle, fantastic lighting, love how the house seemingly comes out of the foliage and grows to the sky. This is why everyone needs to support Fstoppers. where else can you get fun creative tips and tutorials that not only inspire but make you laugh along the way. Stay down to earth P &L and MK :)
My favorite photo is most definitely #7! I can’t wait for this bts video to be released!
dayum! cant wait!
I agree this one is the best 7 all the way!
Plot twist! All pictures were actually taken by Patrick! :D
This is, without question, the best one out of all of them!
Love the composition on this one, just too orangy/purply for my taste. Maybe make it a little cooler.
4 was the teller, 3 has the telephone pole and too much vignetting. 1 and 2 are very good though! Wasn't an easy guess
maybe Lee take 1,3,4 | Mike 2,5,6.
My fav. 2,5,6 ;)
but the guy in picture 4 is suspicious, could it be Lee?
Mike kites too... and wears pink
but the prize for those who guess who took all the pictures is a bottle of wine? ;)
I voted for 4-6 because the interior shot is flawless but, the other 2 shots are over-saturated for my taste.
I would have voted 1-3 if they were all cropped differently. I wish you would let me crop them and show how compelling those photos could be... My name is Cherokee Lair and I am a cropaholic!
Take #3 and #6 out and I think opinions change. I like #1 for the porch, #2 for the interior and a combination of #3 and 6. The staging of some of the seating in #4 is just bothering me.
Mike couldn't have left the throw in such a sloppy fashion on the sofa (photo #2)... unless he wanted to just to fool us.
I think the major differences are the use of shadows, neatness & placement of objects as well as artificial light. I'm looking forward to who took which shots!
In the video you see that Lee takes a vertical shot of the interior and Mike takes a vertical shot of the exterior. :-)
I edited the video and they both shot in all those locations and orientations
Photo #1 - unless Mike Kelly threw it away for sport, this is not his image. No way he leaves that blotchy mess behind the wall... I think we're going to find out in the BTS that they were drunk and using their phones.
If I am correct I believe Mike Kelley did 4 - 6. The dramatic shadows and lighting seem to be his style.
Pretty confident 4-6 is Mike and I have to say 4-6 are also better. I like all 6 shots, but the amount of detail in 4-6 is just on another level. Just to give some examples:
In picture 1 there is a person on the hill and a weird bush which could be cloned out easily. They are only distracting. A person isnt even that bad, but you have to look really closely to see that it is in fact a person. On first glance you think its just a weird line in the middle of the image. Also picture 1 conveys a quiet and relaxing environment, a crowded (exaggerating) beach disturbs this cozy peace.
In picture 2 the blanket on the couch looks messy. Also there is too much stuff going on. I get it, that from a real estate point of view, you want to show as much from the house as possible so potential buyers get a good impression. From an photographic point of view it is just overloaded with details of all sorts of stuff.
In picture 3 there is an ugly electric wire thing and parts of another house. Either choose an angle where you cant see them or clone them out. Also dunno if this was intentional or not, but you didnt put the lights on.
Super picky here. Those are good pictures, but 4-6 just looked at all these small details and got them right.
Mike Kelley knows how to do Fatality :) I like the mood, color and composition in photo 4,5,6!!!
The blankets told me the truth.
But they could be misleading you.
4-6 is the better photo set, but I love picture number 2! This is where I can see how amazing this house is. All other pictures are of a nice detail or a round house with funny holes. But this one makes me wanna meet the designer and talk to him about his thoughts an feelings.
Plot twist, David took these with an IPhone.
Also Mike is clearly the 4-6 shots and number 4 is the biggest tell because the one most common critiques he has given on the critique the community videos for architecture is composition. He has mentioned on multiple photos that they would look better if the were cropped in more and not the generic wide angle shot.
Didn't read the post nor watched the video yet. Still, only with the cover I'm already LMFAO !! :D
And now that I read, I am a little disappointed that I will need to keep my laughs for the reveal article. Can't wait for it !
I don't see a poll so do we just put our guesses here?
Right under the images :)
4-5-6 by Mike Kelley, Also 4-5-6 are my favorite
The set 4-6 is the best to me: cleaner composition, tastier grading, and it highlights the house's features best. MK's signature !
Still, the best idea from all of these is clearly having kept the birds on picture 3.
It is clear Mike shoot 4-6, Simply because:
1 vs 5: 1 is shot at Twilight time, certainly such precious time should be spent on out door not from the building looking to the view + the leading lines of 5 are stronger having the handrail starting from the shot diagonal, also we can see a more interesting feature which is the organic column
2 VS 4 : 2 is more a real estate shot, a 17mm lens with a lot of light which the source is not clear, 4 is certainly a shoot for an architectural photographer, where u can focus on details with a lighting scene more interesting, and finally at 4 we can see the space view, the beach!!
3 VS 6: well, it is clear that 6 is shootinf the building, while 3 the building is almost hidden in the sky, it is a nice shot but not the best for the building, and last the timing of 6 and the interior light bring the life to the building :)
Sorry Lee, but u still need more time with MIKE :D
Hahaha, i got totaly WRONG :) nice work Lee Morris
#6 reminds me of Mikes Iceland stuff, But in the video it shows Lee shooting a vertical interior hmmmm
Fuck okay. I'm going to need to go with 4-6. The fourth image's composition is beautiful. I love the shadows. It sets a tone and mood for me. Five and Six have nice complementary colors. I like the cast and that the yellow lights of the structure separates the high and low ground. I feel four and five would go well together too...in a story.
The reason I picked 4-6 over 1-3 is because I'm not a fan of the composition in one (though its still good) Two is beautiful. I love how clean it is but I prefer the close crop and shadows in four. Three has a lot of distractions from the architecture whereas six just has a nice balance to me.
My favorite is six. I like the balance of the colors and simplicity.
Excited for the release of the video. Nice work guys. I'll guesss Lees images are 4-6 because the bridal picture colors in his profile are similar to the colors of 4-6? LOL. #imdrunkgohome
Very easy... The professional architectural photographer took 4, 5 and 6.
1. Too much sky... the house becomes secondary.
2. Too wide so it is very busy.
3. Too much sky and beach... the house gets lost.
4. Great shot... the parasailing in the window give you an idea of beach.
5. It gives you the idea of a relax atmosphere... it want you wanna be there.
6. The house pops from the picture instead of being lost.
Good Try Lee... but you Loose.
I really like #2, i think its a great interior shot, but #6 is my favourite, i absolutely the colour and how the house pops out of the dark trees. I guessed Mike was 4-6
Overall not a fan of the vignetting.