This is a photo from a job I did for a local architecture firm. I'm still waiting for them to choose which photos they want but, this is one I thought I'd use as part of my portfolio.
I used some of Mike Kelley's techniques from WAMA putting this photo together. I used several flash shots blended in with an ambient shot to "light" the house. I also replaced the sky as it was pretty much dark when I shot this.
Hey Kyle, It's obvious you've put a good amount of work into this. Having worked for quite a few architecture firms over the years I think they might appreciate a bit more drama to invite the viewer inside. The front of the building seems pretty hot… almost over-lit for the amount of site lighting. If you did a good amount of brackets and flash images maybe you could knock down the highlights a bit so that the window light is the brightest part of the image. If you drop the front exposure and the sidewalks down about a stop I think you'll love the result.
Thanks for the feedback. I reedited this, this morning and came up with this.
Even though some of this is personal preference that's absolutely the right direction Kyle!
You mentioned buying Mike Kelley's tutorials so you must be looking to do more architectural? There are a couple small additional edits you could do to really elevate the shot.
You latest edit added a lot of contrast so you could lighten the black point just a bit. Most importantly the sidewalks are stealing our attention from the beautiful building. Look what happens to the building with a simple crop.… makes it the hero.
Nice! I tried to just darken the sidewalk instead of cropping it but cropping seems to work better. I do tend to like contrasty shots myself. I know not everyone does. Especially for architectural stuff. So I probably tend to over do it a bit.
Yes, I am absolutely trying to get into the architectural or "built environment" photography field. I got laid off from a corporateish type job last September and I've been trying to see if I can make this photography thing work for me. I like architecture and design and I think it's a pretty easy transition from landscape/cityscape stuff. I'm already pretty well versed in blending exposures, so the learning curve on the editing side isn't too big. Mostly just figuring out how to use off camera lighting and focusing on good compositions for this type of work. I've watched a ton of tutorials including some of Mike Kelley's.
I've had a few clients but it's been slow going. However, I do feel like there is some momentum building. This photo is part of a job I shot over a month ago and I'm still waiting on them to pick the photos they want me to edit. Which is kind of annoying. At least they've paid me for doing the shooting already though. Thanks again for the feedback!
It's a tough time to get into the business because of the AI tools available to architectural and design-build firms. But if you love it, don't give up. There are still quite a few firms that want the warmth and realistic nature of photography.
Trends change fast - even my stuff shot just a few years ago is already starting to look dated. Mostly natural light with very little flash and deep shadows is trending.
Keep your eye on emerging styles but know that each firm has different tastes. You can invite a principle in the firm to lunch and do an informational interview. They are much more open to talking about their business than look at another portfolio. I sometimes shoot one of their buildings without them knowing and send them a print as a way to begin a dialogue. If it's better than what they paid for you've got a new friend.
Good luck with your work!