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photo tips4 Incredible interiors
02 Look downIn large public spaces, look for opportunities to
shoot from high looking down. This will often add layers and give
depth to an image, and including people will give scale. Try
shooting in both landscape and portrait format to see what works
the best. A tripod with a horizontal centre column option is
useful, otherwise increase the ISO and hand hold (tightly!).
56 dIGItal pHotoGrapHer
Architect and photographer Chris Humphreys shares 20 tips on
shooting stunning interior scenes
Incredible interiors
01 square it upCreate impact by shooting square on to a room or
furniture and turning the photograph into a one-point perspective.
This effect draws the viewer into the image and works best when
there is a strong focal point. For maximum impact, take time to
ensure that the vertical and horizontal lines are parallel to the
plane of the photograph.
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Incredible interiors
03 Let there be lightIn some interior spaces the lighting is the
main feature, so look for it and use it exposure is critical to a
successful image. Use a tripod and take two shots, exposing one for
the feature lighting and the other for the ambient light. Using the
ambient light exposure as the main image, add the feature lighting
exposure using a layer mask.
04 stairways to heavenShot from above or below, spiral stairs
will give a classic and very pleasing composition close to the
Fibonacci spiral. The taller the stair the better try to place the
vanishing point of the stair on the intersection of thirds. Spiral
stairs show this effect off the best, but almost any stair will
give a pleasing and dynamic composition. 06 Devils in the detail
Look for an eye-catching detail to
complement a set of images. It might be an abstract from a
larger composition, an entire object or just something that catches
your eye, but think about what it says and how it relates to the
set. This was part of a set from an interior designers house, a
peephole into a bathroom naughty!
07 Bright whiteCorrectly exposing brightly decorated spaces can
be tricky, as the cameras metering will assume you want the white
walls to read as a midtone (much the same as when shooting in
snow). Shoot in manual and overexpose around two thirds of a stop,
checking the histogram to make sure the white walls are appearing
close to the right-hand edge.
08 high contrastMany interior scenes will include bright
daylight shining through a window and deep shadows; these can be
dealt with by taking multiple exposures and combining in
post-processing. If using Photomatix, for example, combine with
exposure fusion rather than HDR tone mapping for a more natural
appearance. Views through windows can be brought back in using a
layer mask.
09 Colour castsWhen shooting a scene with a mix of natural light
through windows/rooflights and artificial lighting, the shot will
have a mix of colour casts. Overcome this by setting the white
balance for the natural light and using a hue/saturation layer mask
to locally correct the yellow cast of artificial lights.
05 small spacesIn small rooms, go for a wide-angle lens to make
the space feel bigger. In really confined spaces back the camera
and tripod into a corner with just enough room to see the LCD, Live
View is a distinct advantage here. Use a cheap hotshoe spirit level
to help level the camera, compose the shot, set the self-timer and
leave the room.
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photo tips4
10 Frame a viewArchitects will often frame external views from
inside a building, look for these and think about the best angle to
capture them. Take two exposures, one for inside and one for the
view. Use the interior exposure as a base and blend in the view
using a layer mask. Keep the view through the window lighter than
the interior exposure, as that is how the human eye would perceive
it.
11 Add movementNot only do people give scale to a scene, but
they can also be used to add movement and drama to an image. An
otherwise static scene can be transformed with people moving
through the space. Use a tripod and set a shutter speed of -1 sec
people in the foreground will blur more than people in the
distance.
12 Look for the unexpectedGreat abstract shots are often created
by looking for an unusual angle. When youve spotted the shot, think
about what youre trying to achieve with the final image. This shot
was deliberately exposed to create a strong silhouette of the
structure and people rather than an
average exposure.
13 CropTry to look for compositions within a space this means
previsualising the final image and thinking about the final crop.
Tall spaces often suit vertical crops, and wide spaces can work
well with a panoramic image. Think about proportion, layers,
colours and using the buildings structural elements to divide the
image.
Depth of fieldNot all interior shots need to have tack-sharp
focus from front to back think
about using a shallow depth of field to draw attention to a
specific part of an image and create atmosphere. Open up the
aperture and get close to the subject; the more separation from
foreground to background, the greater the effect.
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Incredible interiors
15 Room to roomLook out for opportunities to shoot from one room
from another this allows the viewer to see themselves in the space.
This shot of a bathroom through the door opening gives a glimpse of
the space inside and creates a sense of mystery. It also emphasises
the lighting within the space and frames the view. Use a longer
focal length to foreshorten the perspective and compress the
view.
17 White balanceMany interior scenes have a mix of natural and
artificial light together with strong colours, so it can be
difficult for the camera to accurately set the white balance. Shoot
in RAW and include a neutral grey card in a duplicate shot you can
correct the white balance in your RAW editor by clicking on the
card with the white balance eyedropper. Repeat for each different
lighting situation.
18 straight upInterior photographs will usually look better with
true verticals. Pro architectural photographers will often use a
tilt-and-shift lens to achieve this, but programs such as Photoshop
or PT Lens will easily correct most situations. You can achieve
this with a standard lens by keeping the camera level when
shooting, if the tripod has an integral spirit level use it,
otherwise buy a cheap hotshoe-mounted level.
19 Go naturalArchitects will often design buildings to make the
most of natural light at different times of the day. So dont always
reach for the light switch, but think about the best angle and time
of day to shoot to make the most of the available light. The
rooflight in this shot floods the space with light during the day,
but gives way to artificial lighting later in the day both shots
are worth having.
20 Control reflectionsPolarising filters arent just for
landscape photographers interior scenes will often have a number of
reflective surfaces that need to be controlled. Reflections can
enliven a shot and provide interest, but in certain situations they
can be a distraction. A polarising filter was used in this shot to
reduce the reflections in the glass balustrade and allow the
transparency to show through.
16 Look for yourselfReflective surfaces can bring an interior to
life and make for great photos, but be aware of your own
reflection. Sometimes it is unavoidable, such as this shot directly
into a mirror. Try to position the camera and tripod against a
background that will allow it to be cloned out in post-production.
Get yourself out of shot and use a self-timer/remote release to
trigger the shutter.