First time shooting architectural/interiors... need advice quick!

[MarkoMijailovic]

I'm primarily a portrait and fashion photographer, but when my dad completed work on a high end new restaurant he threw my name at the owner and said I'd be able to do the photography for the place without ever really consulting with me on whether or not I was competent in that area of photography. Reluctantly, I've agreed to undertake this task and am going in at 2:30 to meet the owner to talk specifics. From talking to him before, I know he wants portraits and action shots of his staff, but more importantly, needs great shots to show off the great piece of architecture. I've been to the place a bunch of times now and what I'm most worried about are the really high ceilings... I'd guess them to be about 20ft high... The main space features these ceilings as well as about a 2000 sq.ft. main dining area. Another thing that has me worried are the HUGE windows spanning from top to bottom spanning half the restaurant. Aside from that, I'm assuming he'd also like the kitchen and restrooms photographed.

I've been reading up on interior lighting and realize that it's all about the lighting, so I'm going to go rent out the gear needed... which is actually part of what I'm hoping you guys can help me out with.
I've got a some studio strobes at home as well as regular flashes/strobes and am willing to rent out as many as it takes to get great results. Which modifiers do you recommend for shooting interiors? I've got a big (100x140) softbox and some reflective umbrellas. I've also just read that setting up flashes around the area and bouncing them gets good results.

Any tips/advice would be GREATLY appreciated as I'm sort of jumping way off into the deep end with this one... I DO want to go through with it, so backing out isn't really an option.

Would most likely be shooting Wednesday or Thursday this week.

I'll post some pictures of the place in a few hours, when I get back; just rough snapshots.

Thanks in advance!

Marko

P.S. I'll be using a Nikon D700 with various lenses (widest will be 14-24).

[ChristopherBarrett]

Marko, it depends largely upon the lighting esthetic that the restaurant was designed with. Most restaurants feature moody, dramatic and sometimes rather dark lighting. This often makes photography a nightmare.  I see a lot of guys go in with a pile of strobe just trying to combat the shadows who end up totally destroying the ambiance of the space.  You need to be REALLY sensitive to the existing lighting.  Tungsten "hot lights" would be a more compatible approach for most dining spaces, but again it depends largely on the architecture itself and if the window you mention usually fill the space with soft, bright light that would change my approach entirely.  I can offer better advice seeing some scouting shots.

Another thought I have is, if you're not really familiar with architectural lighting, you're might be better off going with just the existing lighting and some judicious use of HDR.

CB

[Kirk Gittings]

Chris had it right. Usually we shoot restaurants after closing-late at night-when they are empty and cleaned. That rules out having to contend with a daylight/halogen mix. Can't remember not using halogens as fill.

[Rudy Torres]

Like Chris and Kirk said, it depends on the architecture/design.
The big window(s) makes the challenge with regards to the lighting and the intent. Is it a great view out the window?
If "not so great" then maybe a twilight start working through the night after closing like Kirk said.
Window, hmmm what about from the outside looking in with people inside.
Just a thought.

- Rudy

[LKaven]

For a good master class, check out Ashley Morrison's site, especially the before-after images and the time-lapse videos.  In there you can see painstaking attention to detail in lighting and composition.  He uses it seems between 5-9 strobes in many shots, placing the strobes in window areas to try to be faithful to the space as a naturally lighted space. 

It's a lot of work, and takes a team of about 4-5 people, advanced work, a full day or more on set, and then post.  It helps to show these things to your client so that they understand the range of costs involved in getting to incrementally better levels in the final product.  If they want a less expensive approach, it will go easier if they understand the amount of effort that they are deciding to forego.

[pixjohn]

Maybe think about subbing out the project? This sounds like the type of project that needs someone with the knowledge of shooting architecture. To many photographers try to wear every size shoe, and end paying the price. If you hire someone, you can also live and learn how its done.

[rethmeier]

Just take some test shots and see how you go.
Show them to your client and with a bit of luck he might like them.
It's everyones game these days,since digital came in.
Forget about lighting,especially if you don't know what you are doing.

[pixjohn]

take some test shots? this is a paid gig! Not only is his name on the line, but his fathers name for recommending him. All the money he has to pay  for rentals and time, just sub it out. I am sure you can work something out with another photographer in Toronto. I use to reshoot projects all the time that had been already photographed by the sister of the brother married to the uncle's sister who knew the owner.

[Dennis Carbo]

"It's everyones game these days,since digital came in."


 Actually some clients standards have been lowered to such a point that people THINK its anyones game.... I see full page ads in magazines that look like they were shot with an Iphone..... absolutely awful.  If the client really cares about their image and business they are expecting professional results - not something everyone can produce.  The OP says he does fashion and portrait photography so I would imagine he has more than enough
experience to produce a decent result with a little effort.  I would rent a few lights, or at least take a few nikon speed lights which the OP may already own.

You can do some remarkable stuff fairly easily with nikon speed lights and the nikon "creative lighting system" 

[tesfoto]

I've been reading up on interior lighting and realize that it's all about the lighting

NO, this is one big mistake - it is all about light not lighting.

European style architectural photography generally doesn’t use lighting at all.
American style architectural photography can’t get enough lighting.

I consider European architectural photography to be at least one or two levels higher than the American.
American architectural photography as seen on this site, is just as boring, as the American landscape photography you also can see on this site.

Now this will stir things up a bit....

My advice just shoot your interior as you shoot your models. It is all about the feeling.

Cheers

T

[JoeKitchen]

With all due respect, I don't know of any fashion/portrait photographers who can shoot an interior image to the standard of a specialist in interiors.  Sure, it may look better then what the clients can do on his own, but the thought process is so different when it comes to shooting an interior then any other type of photography, as it is with any genre.  Lighting a mood lit space can be very tricky, especially since the chances of it looking lit get so much greater.  And does he have the right equipment?  Fashion photographers tend to buy strobes, but if there is no sun to worry about, using strobes will be futile.  Tungstens will be the way to go, specifically fresnel lighting.  Does he have any?  

And as far as I am concerned, photography is about painting with light, and a camera is nothing more (whether it be digital or film) than a device the records light.  There ain't no Photoshop digital tricks that change this.  

I know what I am good at shooting, and only shoot that.  If I where to shoot a restaurant and the owner needed some food shots, I would not think twice about outsourcing that to a food photographer.  

And as far as feelings are concerned, do you want your images to make you feel good when you look at them or do you want the prospects of your client to feel "I want to eat there" when they look at them?  Which is more professional?

[tesfoto]

With all due respect, I don't know of any fashion/portrait photographers who can shoot an interior image to the standard of a specialist in interiors.  

Perhaps a fashion/portrait photographer would create more interesting architectural shots with more feeling - just an idea.

Also the international trend of architectural photography are moving away from the clean sterile boring architectural style.

Iwan Baan is a good example. He is a photojournalist and perhaps the most successful AP worldwide these days.

[Dennis Carbo]

Hi Joe -

First...Love your work ! ......I was saying i thought he could get a "decent" result with a little effort , i certainly agree that it would not be of the caliber of an interiors specialist.

Tesfoto - not gonna touch your post !

[tesfoto]

There are more than 100 different ways to shoot any subject...

With due respect, these are not architectural images, but commercial interiors.

These images will never make it to serious architectural magazines, as it is not about architecture or architects.

Hotel brochures and commercials – Yes
Lifestyle magazines like House & Gardens – Yes

Yelhsa being European shoots the American way, boring as hell from an architectural standpoint, but I am sure very commercial successful.

[Kirk Gittings]

Good point. What is this being shot for?

[David Eichler]

While seemingly easier than trying to use a bunch of strobes for interior photography by the seat of your pants, I would say that using HDR well is no picnic either if you don't have a lot of experience with it.  I like the idea of relying on hot lights if at all possible, so that you can easily see what you are doing, and maybe combining that with some HDR.   However, some scouting shots would be extremely helpful (and, yes, the intended use of the photos, as Ashley points out). I would love to hear what these guys would have to say with some scouting shots to go by.

By the way, when referring to HDR, do people take that to mean strictly tonemapping, or are you also including exposure fusion and Photoshop multi-exposure layering and compositing as well?

[aaronleitz]

I'm always surprised at how often a question like this is asked on internet forums (maybe I'm spending too much time reading internet forums ;-) and maybe even more surprised at the number and diversity of responses such questions get.

I don't have any technical or stylistic advice because I don't know anything about the project and more importantly: I'm not you. You're the photographer. Shoot the place how you want to shoot it. Ambient, strobes, hotlights, whatever who cares?

Here's some advice off the top of my head:
* have a rough shot checklist written out so you don't forget the shots that you really want to take
* make note of where electrical outlets are so you know what your power options are if you are going to use additional lights
* if it's dark bring some sort of constant light source (flashlight) to help you focus
* make sure someone is there who is familiar with/can control the installed lighting fixtures
* shoot from a tripod and make a "safety" bracket of exposures for each scene before you start messing around with lighting.
* drink plenty of water
* wear comfy shoes
* TAKE YOUR TIME

[LKaven]

Also, when referring to HDR, do people take that to mean strictly tonemapping, or are you also including exposure fusion and Photoshop multi-exposure layering and compositing as well?

For me, one dominant theme of HDR is (i) supersampling a scene for (ii) manipulation in 32-bit floating-point space.

The 32-bit floating point space, call it HDR Space, is a practical approximation of the space of absolute magnitudes and literally astronomical dynamic range.  Whereas 8/16 bit integer space is a space of relative magnitudes (as delineated by the artificial white and black points of a single shot capture).  Mind you 16 integer stops is pretty good in a pinch, but nothing like 16 stops in HDR Space because of the potentially augmented precision of the lower tones.

By necessity, some method is needed to map from HDR Space into the space of the display medium, so we call that tone-mapping.  

So technically, all of those methods you listed could be used to move into HDR Space.  Simple compositing would be a "manual" HDR method, skipping deftly over the intermediates using scissors and paste tonemapping for real "local" processing.

[graeme]

* have a rough shot checklist written out so you don't forget the shots that you really want to take

* make sure someone is there who is familiar with/can control the installed lighting fixtures

+1 ( From personal experience ).

Good luck with the shoot ( will you show us the results? ).

Graeme

[shaun]

Cheers for the link Iwan Baan has a great style much more fineart and to my personal liking than the usual stock of dusky perfect shots.

Shaun