I've enjoyed this thread very much! Some great advice and links to great work. Having been involved with architectural photography now for about five years I find it to be an interesting alternative to my automotive advertising work. There're many of the same thought processes, as well as, technical abilities that are consistant in both disciplines. In the end, the result needs to define the subject exquisitely! The automotive work still pays all my big bills but my architecture business is steadily increasing. My advice is to be patient, it's going to take quite a few years to develop your client's (that spend a fair amount of money) trust. Keep in mind that my take on this is tempered by my market, which is ground zero for the current economic crisis (Detroit). But even with the problems in this market I've found working with architects and interior designers to be extremely rewarding because they really rely on my input creatively. There are no agencies, art directors, creative directors, brand managers, account people, just the architect or designer (sometimes their in-house marketing person) and myself. I find architects to be very similiar (at least those I'm working with) to photographers, each has a distinctive view that they communicate through their work. Business-wise, the two disciplines are similiar too, I always felt that I'm as good as my last shot and want everyone to see that. Architects (at least the smaller residential designers) put everything they have into their projects and then want to get the word out. On the subject of lighting, I always carry a wide variety of lights, sometimes I don't use them but when you need to light something there's no alternative but to light it. The trick is to suppliment the existing light and use your lights to enhance the subject in a way that doesn't seem too obvious. On the projects I've shot architecturally, the majority of the time I work with one assistant, only occasionally will I have two. In car work I always work with two, if not three or four assistants. Find someone who is digitally inclined so that when there's any downtime they can help with processing the files and making contact sheets. It's much better than staying up until 11 or 12 organizing files after a long day of shooting. I'd also like to add that a good stylist makes a huge difference on any interior shoot, some of my clients balk at the idea of spending the money but it's well worth it. I usually get down to Naples for a week or so in the winter, I'll contact you to see how it's going, good luck! Jim
Here's a few recent shots:
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