What is it?
Simply put, the ColorReader is a colour matching solution – it matches any colour in your surroundings to a specific paint shade. When there is even a slight change in lighting or texture, it can massively impact how a colour is viewed by the eye; the tool overcomes this by matching colours far more precisely and efficiently than the human eye can. Impressive, right?

Why it is used and who uses it?
The ColorReader has loads of purposes and is not only used by interior designers, but by painters too. An example of when you might use it is when designing a busy living space. You are going to coordinate an abundance of furnishings and accessories to one another, and want the colours to look just right. You may use it to match the cushion with the curtains and the wall-hangings with the lampshades, and then use it to coordinate these with an exact paint shade that will compliment all of these! Or suppose also you would like to touch up a wall in a kitchen that’s looking a bit worn, but you are unsure of what colour it was previously painted – the ColorReader can come in handy for that too! Designers can spend hours going back and forth between paint shades; deliberating, deliberating, deliberating. With this device, designers and painters can be sure of the perfect paint shade in a matter of seconds; it has over 95% success rate! From using this device, we have found that the more times you use it, the more uses you find for it – we love the fact that you can view a tonne of paint shades with the touch of a button. There’s no need to be carrying around bulky RAL and Pantone fan decks when they are in your pocket on your smartphone…

How it is used?
The ColorReader is small and portable, and it fits right into the palm of your hand. Simply download the mobile application, connect the device to your phone via Bluetooth, press calibrate and you are ready to go! It is easily used by holding the device against the colour you would like to match, and pressing “Read” on the app. The most accurate three paint shade matches will then appear with specifications of the colours, and the option to coordinate colours either complementary, triads, analogous or monochromatic.

One of our clients was designing a large property and came across a covered brick wall. They used the tool to measure the colour of the wall and create colour palettes within the app to find furniture and fabrics to compliment it – and it really worked! The great thing about this was that they were also able to share these paint palettes with their client which allowed the client to easily be a part of the decision-making process. All of the colours within the room balanced, and everything matched just right – we were very impressed.

This tool works like magic! The days of Star Trek are here with futuristic devices like this coming into play…

The post How to record colours accurately first appeared on Interior & Architectural Photography & Video - Edinburgh, London.

When you’re looking to create architecture and interiors content, you will usually need to include images.

In this process there are two main photography licensing types available to you:

• royalty free
• and licensed photos

Royalty free images (stock photographs) are usually very cheap or free with no restrictions on which individuals or businesses can use and share them for promotional purposes.

Licensed photos (commissioned from a photographer) can be a bit more expensive but have specific legal copyright conditions that protect them, and that means only the person who has paid for the photographs can use them.

Choosing between royalty free images and licensed photos for your promotional content is akin to choosing between a rented and tailored three piece suit for a wedding, as this analogy will outline:

A rented suit will be cheap, which is a clear positive, and yes, it will probably do the job and get you through the day, but there’s no guarantees regarding who else has worn the suit or what has been done with it in the past. The suit will already have been worn for countless weddings, and is unlikely to tick every box that you’re looking for in your dream three-piece. It’s not personal and unless you can find a suit of genuine quality it’s unlikely to help you stand out from the crowd, and worst case scenario, someone else at the wedding has gone to the exact same rental shop and is wearing the same suit as you.

A tailored suit on the other hand is a bit more expensive, but you have total control over measurements and materials and ultimately will only pay exactly what the suit is worth. A tailored suit is created specifically to your specifications and will suit you to a tee. You know this will be the only suit of its type in existence and don’t have to worry about someone else at the wedding clashing with you. There’s no chance of the suit having been worn at another, as you’re the only person who’s ever owned it.

A stock image is similar to a rented suit. It’s definitely more cost effective, but there are no guarantees of who else has or is currently using that specific image. An image could have been used on countless websites or promotional material in the past and you have no idea what kind of message it may have been used to portray. It may help convey a certain idea, but chances are it won’t express it completely as you would have ideally hoped for. You’re especially not going to stand out against competitors if there’s potential that they’ve been using the exact same image as you.

A commissioned licensed image however is like a tailored suit. More expensive? Sure, but only as expensive as you need it to be. You are able to tailor your photograph exactly to your specifications, with location, what’s included in the image and everything from the set-up of the image itself to the angle it is taken from which is entirely down to your personal preference. If there’s something you don’t like about the image you can alter it. You will be at ease in the knowledge that the image only goes as far out into the world as you want it to, and that none of your competitors will be able to use the same photograph for their promotional material, meaning the message it conveys is completely under your control.

The three main benefits of commissioning a photographer and getting licensed images are:

You have total control over the image’s creation and the rights surrounding it

By far the most important factor for any promotional content is how it is shared and by who. With managed rights images you have total control over how and by whom your image is used promotion-ally for as long as the licence covers the photograph.

The image is totally unique and tailored to you and your collaborators

With commissioned images you’re the last word on how the photograph looks; which products or landscapes are pictured, the lighting, styles, angles and any other factors you feel necessary to show off your ideas. The photographer will take your thoughts and make them a reality.

You only pay for what you need

As with any tailored service you will know exactly what you’re paying for when hiring a photographer to create a licensed image. You will pay for the professional’s time, expertise, and overheads just like any business.

To sum up royalty free photos will save you money, but there’s a risk that they’ll affect your reputation later down the line as you have no control over who else can use them. With managed rights images taken by a professional photographer, you have control over the image, the rights around its promotion and a more easily managed reputation going forward. Further to this you will only ever pay for what you need.

The post Image Licensing: Stock Photos vs Licensed Photos first appeared on Interior & Architectural Photography & Video - Edinburgh, London.

After recently completing a photoshoot in Instrmnt’s newly opened flagship store in Glasgow, seeing our images displayed in an online Dezeen article is certainly a nice start to the new year. Instrmnt product’s are minimalistic and stylish, so as an interior photographer the brief was to keep the images bright, airy, minimal and geometric.

To see the article from Dezeen containing our images, please click here.

The post Dezeen Feature first appeared on Interior & Architectural Photography & Video - Edinburgh, London.