Category: Awareness

At Studio BluOra, we believe in raising awareness about the significance of exceptional Interior and Architectural Photography. Our mission is to educate clients and the broader community on the impact high-quality visuals have on showcasing architectural brilliance and design aesthetics. Through workshops, social media, and collaborative projects, we strive to highlight the artistry involved in our craft and the value it brings to the industry. By fostering a deeper understanding of our work, we aim to inspire and elevate the standards of architectural photography.

Photography Gear: Essentials in an architectural photographer’s backpack

Architectural photography is a niche industry and it goes without saying that it requires top-notch equipment. At Studio BluOra, we use state-of-the-art photography gear to get the best results each time we click a picture. Ever since we began our studio in 2017 and as our business grew, one of the most common queries we generate is about the kind of tools that we use as professional photographers in the architectural and design industry. We have listed down some of the architectural photography gear that we commonly use. Since we are ever-evolving as professionals, the list is not exhaustive and we’ll keep adding to it as and when our gear collection grows.

Camera

Canon 5D Mark IV

This camera is an outstanding option for still photography. Equipped with a new sensitivity and easy to balance, this multimedia maven is great for low-light photography and offers a finely detailed resolution. The camera offers a competitive edge over other DSLR’s and we use it for all our shoots – residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, and allied fields.

Canon 750 D

This camera boasts 24 megapixels resolution and has various added features such as a fully-articulating touch-sensitive screen that makes it easy to use and compatible for architectural shots. We use it as a secondary camera for test shots during the recce of the site area.

Lenses

Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L

The Tilt-Shift Lens forms one of the most important elements in architectural gear for us. The wide-angle field of view, negligible lens distortion property makes it ideal for shooting large buildings and spaces where frame-fitting can be a problem. With its tilt-shift ability, it is easy to maneuver and aids in obtaining perspective shots while still maintaining the same vantage point in a picture – making it perfect for shooting large properties and spaced-out interiors.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM

This lens is equipped with an extremely sharp ultra-wide zoom lens that enhances its delivery of A-grade image sharpness right. Its AF speed and accuracy add to its versatility, making it a great option for shooting both wide-angle frames and detailed shots.

Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM

This lens is one of the tiniest lenses ever made for EOS. With its ability to offer sharpness across the entire frame, brilliant contrast, and an excellent colour rendition, it is most suited for full-frame cameras. We use it for clicking record little bits of detail.

Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM

This lens directly falls in the category of an all-rounder lens and has premium quality image stabilization ability. This is an ideal lens for all purposes and we mainly use it to shoot exterior details such the façade of a building etc.

Tripod

Manfrotto MK 055 XPRO 03-BHQ2

Commonly available in aluminium and carbon fibre, this tripod is extremely well-built. The tripod has a solid, non-shaky quality which makes it one of the most versatile tripods and is, therefore, a viable option for outdoor shoots. Owing to its modified features such as a 90-degree centre column, quick power leg locks, and a ball system, it is quite manageable. The rubber legwarmers which prevent the conduction of heat and cold make it an ideal choice for shooting in extreme weather conditions. This tripod is a constant companion to all of our photo shoots.

Tab

Samsung Tab S5e

This tab is a key element in our photography gear. Its wireless tethering feature gives the freedom to remotely access the camera which makes staging and adjusting composition a smooth operation on site. The tab also facilitates in showcasing live-view frames to the client and aids in easy error rectification.

Computer

iMAC 27-inch

The iMAC 27-inches makes for an extremely accurate true colour monitor due to its 5k retina display. Equipped with stunning features, the iMAC 27-inch enables smooth software functioning and other design work. Since it fits our high demand for image/video editing, it is our ideal system for all architectural photography purposes.

Why are Architectural Photographers so expensive?

Architectural industry & interior professionals are increasingly turning to professional architectural photographers to get their project portfolio executed. This new emerging expertise is smart outsourcing of work to the professionals: the best, of both worlds.

Here, at Studio BluOra, we are architects with a passion for photography who have turned to this new & exciting field & are trying to expand this family & reach to all.

But, there’s one question that is always on the top of the agenda: Why do the professional architectural photographers cost so much?

Well, the answer lies somewhere in all the effort that goes behind the CAMERA, our “SECRET HOURS OF WORK”! The session might be an hour or two, but the preparation & post-shoot may go on for days.

Here are a few things you might want to consider next time you come across that question.

Equipment: The professional set has many components & gears that cost a bomb.
- Camera,
- Lens/lenses as per project requirement,
- Flash,
- Storage,
- Casing,
- Tripod etc.

One needs to understand that one type of equipment set cannot suffice for all projects. Different project specifications & on-site demands require different instruments & gears & which adds up as a small percentage to your bill.

Coordination, set-up & styling: Right from project acquisition to execution, coordination is a huge task in itself. Photography sessions demand pre-planning & designing of the shoot prior to the actual shoot. This also includes test trials & research on the styling & frame. To make the project look lucrative to the common eye, tremendous efforts go behind the camera in actually setting up the frame & styling. Frames need to be reworked & remodelled, which takes brains, efforts & time. The end-product of your dazzling portfolio is your DESIGN + OUR VISION combined.

Post-shoot Editing: The job isn’t done post the shoot. Editing is one of the most crucial steps to the final rendering of the project. Software work can be painstaking & time-consuming. To make a project come to life on screen is as tedious a task, as creating that design itself. And the software costs a humongous amount to the photographer.

Our commitment: Finally, the last slab would be that of our own commitment to your project & vision. The efforts that we put into the project is our passion for the field & demands respect [&some bill-paying too]!

Architectural photography is a niche field but expertise intensive; you get professionals like yourself who understand the design & hold expertise in photo/portfolio curation of the project.

The cost that the professional charges isn’t unreasonable, it’s just value for time, money & efforts.

Hope you understand our passion & commitment & support the community!

How to find your Architecture & Interiors Photographer?

One needs to understand here, that the perspective of a portrait pictographer isn’t the same as that of an interiors/architectural photographer. These are niche inside niche experts who focus purely on design-based photography.

Architecture & designing is as much as an art on the planning table as it is to the naked eye of the viewer. Capturing this beauty to market it, could be a tough job to execute.

What shows on your picture-portfolio is what speaks on your behalf to the audience. Like it takes a professional to design it for you [or you yourself], it takes a professional eye to curate it into a photograph for you, too!

Hence, choosing a photographer for your project is an important & crucial step.

Most of the times, we attempt to execute the job by ourselves or just any guy with a good camera.

One needs to understand here, that the perspective of a portrait pictographer isn’t same as that of an interiors/architectural photographer. These are niche inside niche experts who focus purely on design based photography.

Finding one though, might sound like some real trouble; doesn’t it? But actually, it isn’t. Few easy steps & you could find the right fit to get a fabulous product.

A few dos & don’ts for finding the right partner:

- Ditch the digital
You can’t find all on google & google can’t recommend the brightest to you. So it’s best to first go to people for recommendations & suggestions. If you yourself are an architectural/interior professional looking to get your work photographed, talk within the circle to find out the best of options.

[You never know, you might even find architectural professionals themselves doing architectural & interiors photography, just like us!]

If you are a client looking to get some good stuff on brochures for marketing, contact your designer to find out about such professional photographers specialising in design photography.
- Online search & research
Such professionals mostly have their own websites or an online portfolio on social media. You can get tabs on them easily though ‘hashtag searching’ their field of expertise.

Sometimes, you may find your photographer just by chance online itself.

These online work profiles & portfolios provide you with a good chance to gauge their work & talent & judge if they suit your needs.

Also, you can pick or make new ideas about how you want your place imagined & portrayed in the pictures.
- Develop an idea board
Before meeting your photographer, try to gather some ideas & imagery, which you want to match to. This could in terms of lighting, furnishing, set-designing for the pictures etc.

This is an important step in the way of creating a fabulous portfolio of the place. The photographer is always available to help you out, but your idea of the place is conveyed exactly through what you convey to the photographer.

Try using media platforms like Pinterest, Houzz & other interior websites to fish ideas & create your idea boards.
- Work together
The design & space might be yours but the project is the photographer’s baby; so work together & discuss out things in detail which can bring out the best out of the place instead of one of the party’s ideas. Put across your opinions & take suggestions & ideas with an open mind.

Together you & photographer can create true magic on film.

Choose wise & enquire more wisely to find a professional who is invested in architectural/interiors photography truly & wholly.

Good Photographs can affect Realtor’s Business

Rather than spending thousands on classified advertisements, one should make use of free internet tools and listing sites with high-quality photographs that are attractive and will get more enquires.

Ever had the time to research on how many home buyers search real estate on the internet? Quite a known fact, more than 80% try and search options on the internet to get the look and feel of a residence they are in search of.

With technology making things easily accessible, realtors ideally need to make sure a potential customer see’s their property in the best light and professional photography is the key to bringing out the best of any infrastructure.

With competitors scaling the real estate market, professional photography is of grave significance to create a lasting impression as the majority of people will get lured into contacting a real estate person once they see what he’s selling.

Photographs speak volumes and potential buyers are the ones who will make all the difference when they know that a property looks exactly how they dreamed of it to be. Professional photography can bring out the hues a normal phone camera may not. In order to make your property stand out from the entire market, it is best to use photographers who can picture your asset into the best asset on the list.

People tend to trust and even spread the word around if they see commitment and professionalism in a realtor’s day to day working. Taking out a little time and furnishing real and appealing photographs are bound to yield results.

Professional real estate photography has come up in these few years since realtors have realized the importance it holds and how to solidify that trust among customers. Property agents work more on referrals and it is essential that they get positive feedback from clients to establish a market for themselves. If they save consumers time by providing great looking photographs, walk a client through a property in the form of their pictures, half the battle is won. A professional photographer is your best guide and a marketing tool that might get you the maximum eyeballs if he pictures a property with his talent and skills.

Rather than spending thousands on classified advertisements, one should make use of free internet tools and listing sites with high-quality photographs that are attractive and will get more enquires.

Things to keep in mind:

Do not jump to a big photographer, rather choose a freelancer or professional photographer who will not charge you a bomb and also deliver the best results.
Find a photographer who has time for you and takes note of your ideas and even talks on how to get you can get the best results.
Take time to see their work and portfolio. Do not make a hasty decision. Your photographer is an extension to your business and will impact you.
Most important, choose your budget. Best results and consistent good work will come at a cost. Anyone can be a photographer, but it is the best ones that will bring you more value and consistency.

Joining the dots between Photography and Architecture

We may even go so far as to state that the social significance and cultural worth of structures is the thing that we call ‘design’ and that it is indivisible from photography.

It might just be impossible to ‘get hold of’ a building or state of the art structure, probably not in a way that it may be conceivable to get hold of artistic creation or a statue. Yet, through photography one may have the capacity to get hold of the beauty behind the engineering and architecture. A recent line I came across by the famous cultural critic Walter Benjamin implied, that

while a physical building is possessed and utilized, a photo of it can separate, characterize, translate, misrepresent or even concoct a social incentive and value for it.

We may even go so far as to state that the social significance and cultural worth of structures is the thing that we call ‘design’ and that it is indivisible from photography.

Architectural Photography is about an intricate interpretation of a three‐dimensional world onto a little flat surface you can carry with yourself. The historical backdrop of the association of architecture and photography is enthralling for its various features and subtleties: it examines photography as a programmed drawing or an immediate engraving of the developed world, yet it additionally complements the talk and belief system of the photo as a picture created toward a specific informative objective.

The mystical nature of architecture combined with the wonder of photography has an awesome connection and the way that numerous architects and planners are photography lovers themselves remains as a declaration of how beautiful the bond can be. This may originate from the way that both in design and photography the research shows how light such a vital role in generating the best results plays upon the structure and the end result- the picture of it. Different regions where the two fields meet are innovative perception, point of view, scale and organization. Aside from these one additional thing that gets photographers and designers passionate, is a fascination for detail. Here and there it so happens that the point of view and fusion that a picture taker may catch be past the creative ability of the architect himself. This makes the space in which the classes of architectural photography flourish.

You may wonder if the connection between the two is so strong, why the world doesn’t see more of it. Well, the fact is architectural photography is not as easy as it may sound. Like any other time-consuming job, taking a keen interest in photography or pursuing architectural photography comes with its own complexities.

Starting from basic cameras to high-end lenses, equipment is not cheap to pursue this profession and requires a good investment.
Weather is the prime at getting the best results. Having great knowledge of how to capture lighting of the sun, moon or even the sky need to be researched well in advance for great architectural photography.
Artificial lighting is an easy tool when done for a fashion shoot or for a prop, but capturing buildings or monuments would give you a harder time and needs precision to deal with.
The journey of a photographer is not limited to simply clicking away, the post-processing and final outcome that can satisfy the eyes of the client truly needs patience and mastering the art.
Very often, the lack of awareness about architectural photographers sets them behind and marketing your talent too is an essential step to consider.
Venturing into only architectural photography might not always have a pretty picture at the end. One needs to have an array to offer and earn an income from, therefore a genre in photography is a must.

Do not be afraid of the few challenges that you might come across.

No road to paving your career can be easy, it always involves dedication and passion. Architectural photography is a window to new designs and discovering what might be beyond brick and mortar. Professionals each day strive to bring out the best and outdo their own photography, which is the best part. Your model will not change but your vision to capture them can have a million faces.