GarethC Posted November 24, 2008 Share #1 Posted November 24, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have to do some interior shots next weekend and have to travel so want to travel light. It's a Mexican villa with 11-12 foot ceiling, plenty of available light from what I recall but will need more light thrown at it as well. I need advice on the following areas as a degree of preparation for the shoot and being completely new to architectural interiors (other than sitting in them ) 1. Equipment - M8 and choice of 12/5.6, 24/2.8, 28/2, 35/1.2 and a few 50's. Canon 420EX on a flash cord so total mobility of the flash around the camera. Tripod. Was also going to get some whiteboards and maybe a white sheet if I needed to diffuse the sunlight or get it more diffuse inside. What would you take with you? I'm thinking the 12, 28, 35 and one of the 50's. 2. Techniques - other than the 12 being the mainstay, I was thinking the 35/1.2 or even the 28/2 could make some use of bokeh to isolate detail and provide some variation on the more sweeping vista type shots. other than that I don't really have any vision as such. 3. Lighting. Well it really is all about the light I guess. I can bracket some shots to either use HDR or just layer mask in Photoshop as there is a danger of quite high dynamic range. I was laso thinking of bracketing hsots using the flash just pointing to different areas of the room if necessary. At this time of year as we come out of hurricane season the skies could be cloudy which makes them good for the interior lighting and takes the harshness away or sunny which is bad but gives me better outdoor shots fo the villa. Thsi really is a completely new area to me and I am concerned about using the M8 as opposed to my 5D but the quality of the files suggest the M8 is the better option despite the crop factor. Any and all thoughts greatly appreciated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 24, 2008 Posted November 24, 2008 Hi GarethC, Take a look here M8 Architectural Interiors Advice. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
danyves Posted November 24, 2008 Share #2 Posted November 24, 2008 You may need as well the 24 more than the 28, and confine the 35 for details with the 50. Just a thought. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted November 24, 2008 Share #3 Posted November 24, 2008 How 'bout a spirit level to make sure the shots are square. Can you hold the shutter open and paint with the flash, as needed? Will you be doing High Dynamic Range shots, particularly if you want outside scenes to be evident? If you're doing outside shots, Ansel Adams has a great technique that he used for architecture shots of exteriors. He would take the pic he wanted and leave the setup on the tripod. Then, at night when the lights were on, he'd take a second exposure. It's a very cool effect. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethC Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share #4 Posted November 24, 2008 Dan - I think you're right but I love the 28 and the 35 and thought about saving weightbut for the sake of an extra lens in the luggage, you're right. Bill - I didn't mention the spirit level but I have to use it with the 12 as my horizons (or the archtiectural equivalent of that) are really wonky. I'll try a couple of HDR shots but it will be new to me, I may just paint iwth light, I'll know when I see them I guess. I'm taking a notebook so that I can take some more shots if I don't get it right. Bill, do you have any examples of the Ansel Adams effect? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted November 24, 2008 Share #5 Posted November 24, 2008 I have to do some interior shots next weekend and have to travel so want to travel light. It's a Mexican villa with 11-12 foot ceiling, plenty of available light from what I recall but will need more light thrown at it as well. I need advice on the following areas as a degree of preparation for the shoot and being completely new to architectural interiors (other than sitting in them ) 1. Equipment - M8 and choice of 12/5.6, 24/2.8, 28/2, 35/1.2 and a few 50's. Canon 420EX on a flash cord so total mobility of the flash around the camera. Tripod. Was also going to get some whiteboards and maybe a white sheet if I needed to diffuse the sunlight or get it more diffuse inside. What would you take with you? I'm thinking the 12, 28, 35 and one of the 50's. 2. Techniques - other than the 12 being the mainstay, I was thinking the 35/1.2 or even the 28/2 could make some use of bokeh to isolate detail and provide some variation on the more sweeping vista type shots. other than that I don't really have any vision as such. 3. Lighting. Well it really is all about the light I guess. I can bracket some shots to either use HDR or just layer mask in Photoshop as there is a danger of quite high dynamic range. I was laso thinking of bracketing hsots using the flash just pointing to different areas of the room if necessary. At this time of year as we come out of hurricane season the skies could be cloudy which makes them good for the interior lighting and takes the harshness away or sunny which is bad but gives me better outdoor shots fo the villa. Thsi really is a completely new area to me and I am concerned about using the M8 as opposed to my 5D but the quality of the files suggest the M8 is the better option despite the crop factor. Any and all thoughts greatly appreciated. What will the usage of the pictures be and which views are the clients looking for? Cheers, Sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geaibleu Posted November 24, 2008 Share #6 Posted November 24, 2008 Assuming that you have the appropriate zooms with the 5d, the M8 should not be your main tool, but rather a definite plus with a 35 and 50 to pick the right accents and the exquisitely detailed shots that should accompany the main shots. Have fun, and keep the tequila for the end.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 24, 2008 Share #7 Posted November 24, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Why should you need zoom for architecture, when you subject is static and you have a free choice of camera standpoint? The reason to use a DSLR would be the option to use a T/S lens, imo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted November 25, 2008 Share #8 Posted November 25, 2008 Gareth, To add to the excellent advice below I'd suggest having a look at the PTLens Photoshop plug-in that impressively corrects barrel distortion, which should be particularly useful for pictures taken with your 12/5.6. Pete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethC Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share #9 Posted November 25, 2008 What will the usage of the pictures be and which views are the clients looking for? Cheers, Sean It's a model home for a small development of 10 villas, the web site is currently being developed and the photos will be a key part of that web site obviously. I'll also be taking a few more generic, stock type photos around the area as filler material. I'm not looking for something that's totally representational as the concept for a Caribbean villa is to sell the dream. If a person is buying into the dream then the seller can worry about selling the villa when the potential buyer looks over the development and the model. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethC Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share #10 Posted November 25, 2008 Why should you need zoom for architecture, when you subject is static and you have a free choice of camera standpoint? The reason to use a DSLR would be the option to use a T/S lens, imo. I strongly considered the 5D as I have a 24 TS but I would have been taking all that gear for the sake of a few TS shots. I figure if I get to the point where I need to stitch some shots then any 50 should be more than adequate. My zoom is a 24-105 and I'm not sure that 24 is wide enough. I'm also not sure why I need a zoom. I'm very sure I need tequila though. And Sol. And Corona. And Margaritas. I digress. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethC Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share #11 Posted November 25, 2008 Gareth, To add to the excellent advice below I'd suggest having a look at the PTLens Photoshop plug-in that impressively corrects barrel distortion, which should be particularly useful for pictures taken with your 12/5.6. Pete. That looks like an absolute winner Pete, a 10 image free trial will be all I need. I'm not particularly turned on by architectural photography and while I'm sure it has ohter uses I hope not to ever need it again Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gfspencer Posted November 25, 2008 Share #12 Posted November 25, 2008 How 'bout a spirit level to make sure the shots are square. Bill, how do you use a sprit level to make sure your shots are square? The BIGGEST problem I have in photography is squaring everything up. My photos almost always lean to the right. (That's not a political statement. ) I have a grid on my DSLR's viewfinder. That helps some. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted November 25, 2008 Share #13 Posted November 25, 2008 That looks like an absolute winner Pete, a 10 image free trial will be all I need. I'm not particularly turned on by architectural photography and while I'm sure it has ohter uses I hope not to ever need it again Gareth, The only drawback with PTLens that I've found is that currently the lens options for the M8 are limited. However they do advertise that if you send them shots with a particular lens they'll create the correction and add it to the software although it's not clear how quickly. Pete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted November 25, 2008 Share #14 Posted November 25, 2008 I strongly considered the 5D as I have a 24 TS but I would have been taking all that gear for the sake of a few TS shots. I figure if I get to the point where I need to stitch some shots then any 50 should be more than adequate. My zoom is a 24-105 and I'm not sure that 24 is wide enough. I'm also not sure why I need a zoom. I'm very sure I need tequila though. And Sol. And Corona. And Margaritas. I digress. For what it's worth...I have photographed interiors professionally for many years and the 24 TS-E on a Canon FF body is currently my primary lens for that work. As much as I love the M8, I'd recommend considering the 5D. There's a big difference between using a TS lens on location vs. shooting with a wider lens and adjusting in PS. Cheers, Sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted November 25, 2008 Share #15 Posted November 25, 2008 Bill, how do you use a sprit level to make sure your shots are square? The BIGGEST problem I have in photography is squaring everything up. My photos almost always lean to the right. (That's not a political statement. ) I have a grid on my DSLR's viewfinder. That helps some. GF, you can find spirit levels that fit in the hot shoe. I see several for a Hama spirit level with a search. Gareth, I looked thru my Adams books, but can't find the pic of the building with the lights on at night. I'll keep looking. In his Basic Photo series, number 4, "Natural-Light Photog" he has a section on architectural photog starting at p.100. You should have no trouble finding this book, probably even at your library. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethC Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share #16 Posted November 25, 2008 Sean Can you send me some links to any 24 TS architectural interior shots that you took? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted November 25, 2008 Share #17 Posted November 25, 2008 Sean Can you send me some links to any 24 TS architectural interior shots that you took? Hi Gareth, If I get a chance I'll post some for you tomorrow. In the mean time you might want to try a test shoot of a similar size room in your own home (if there is one). That should tell you a lot. Cheers, Sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethC Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share #18 Posted November 25, 2008 I live in a shoebox, the kids have to walk uphill to school and uphill back again. It snows year round (actually, that bit's true, I live in Canada) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikasmg Posted November 25, 2008 Share #19 Posted November 25, 2008 1. Equipment - M8 and choice of 12/5.6, 24/2.8, 28/2, 35/1.2 and a few 50's. Canon 420EX on a flash cord so total mobility of the flash around the camera. Tripod. Was also going to get some whiteboards and maybe a white sheet if I needed to diffuse the sunlight or get it more diffuse inside. What would you take with you? I'm thinking the 12, 28, 35 and one of the 50's. 2. Techniques - other than the 12 being the mainstay, I was thinking the 35/1.2 or even the 28/2 could make some use of bokeh to isolate detail and provide some variation on the more sweeping vista type shots. other than that I don't really have any vision as such. 1. I suspect the 12mm will be too wide (16 on an M8?) unless you are looking for that kind of effect. Perhaps you are since you are thinking of using it as your mainstay. Are the rooms very small? I would take the 24 and 28 and the 50 for details. I'm an architect though that doesn't necessarily lend more credibility to my comments but every time I've had our work photographed with an excessively wide angle I have found it missrepresents the real thing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafael_macia Posted November 25, 2008 Share #20 Posted November 25, 2008 I would recommend a spirit level. Tripod. As wide a lens as you have. cable release, Hand meter to measure ambient light, walk around the room when you do so, to get an average. An incident meter is perfect. Flash to bounce from the ceiling. Turn all the interior lights on, and the resulting mix with daylight coming through the windows, with the warmth of incandeccent bulbs looks great. .... at least it did with daylight film .... fool around with the white balance ... see what looks best. The combo will be mixed light...... Don't Auto anything! Good luck! An equivalent to a 21mm lens in 35 ...... like a 15 on an M8 will be perfect ..... just position the room to avoid distortion by arranging things in the room. Rafael Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.