Architecture Photography - With lightings?
Some of my clients asked if i would come and bring lights for an architecture/interior photo shoot. While many other photographers uses lights, i don't see the need of using even one additional light.
As a commercial photographer in Jakarta, i have learned from many businesses, that clients wants to see an honest photo, they want to see the actual product so the value they are purchasing can be clear, if it's going to worth their money. So i tend to show imperfections in my work, these are the trace of reality, a believable -enhanced- visual of a product. Countless business owners came for reshoot projects because of this, their clients/guests complained that they are not getting the same mood/feeling and they felt the photo tricked them into purchasing which followed by immediate disappointment. Once the first impression went wrong, negativity snowballed and usually, left a bad rating and reputation.
Creases on the bed sheet, smudge on walls, a cable from TV, these are all a part of reality. As much as business owners wants their product to look perfect and edited to the point where maximum value achieved, their clients actually wanted to see where will the cable go? is there a plug behind the sofa? Those imperfections can be a vital information for them.
And how about the lights? Personally, i won't add my lights in the shot to alter the reality. There are ways to make a perfect shot without adding more lights. Instead - i would work with the business owner to upgrade the actual lightings in the space. Changing broken bulbs, uniforming the colour tone of the lights, directing where the spot lights should go, and make the most out of it. Finally, shoot the space without having to bring too much lighting equipment, power cable, tripods and spend too much time moving around from one angle to another, while risking out of time, breaking things, changing furniture locations from time to time, making the client wait the whole day, longer editing process and of course the result will not depict the reality.
What i really need being an architecture photographer is really a sturdy tripod, a high resolution-high dynamic range camera, an ultra wide sharp lens or tilt&shift lens and a knowledge how to create a stunning image. A skill to create perfection commercially from imperfections and increase the value significantly without risking the business owner's credibility.
After all, i always believed that when someone hired me, it was never just a photo shoot, their success will be my achievement.