1. The Photography Brief

Before we begin our work, we must first understand the requirements of each shoot. This is very important as it sets us on the right path to producing the images our client is looking for. We provide a questionnaire to each client to confirm all details such as the start time, access details, image quantity, etc. Depending on the details available it may be best to carry out a recce of the site. A recce is an additional service we offer and can be beneficial to help better prepare for the job ahead, highlight any problematic areas, assess lighting and scope out compositions. It involves a walk around the site taking candid photographs, usually lasting 1-2hours. All of this contributes to a more efficient shoot. In some circumstances with either larger shoots or locations with limited access, both Ryan and Aaron will conduct the photography together. With this information, an accurate estimate can be created and sent for your approval.

2. Prepare for Shoot Day

Once the brief and estimate have been approved, we request our clients to prepare the property for the shoot day. It is important that areas to be photographed are thoroughly clean and tidy, this includes all surfaces dusted down, windows cleaned, and beds made with minimal creases. It’s amazing what the camera can pick up sometimes! It is crucial styling is prepared in advance to keep the shoot moving efficiently. In some circumstances, styling is prepped just ahead of the photographer whilst the shoot is in progress. We always recommend not to over-style too. Less is sometimes more. A “lived-in” appearance always looks more natural and less contrived and so having some of the homeowner’s natural possessions included in the compositions can help add some real authenticity.  Styling is its own profession and although we don’t currently offer a styling service, we have undergone styling courses and during our 5 years of experience working with stylists, we have picked up a few tips along the way, so we’d be happy to advise here if required.

3. The Photography Shoot

We’ll conduct the shoot by photographing the property as previously agreed or in a way which is deemed best in correlation with the sun’s movements. We use a Sun app to track the suns path so we can stay one step ahead. The sun is essentially our dance partner! It can be great if it’s in the perfect spot and a hindrance if not, so we’ll move with it and against it when required.

Whilst shooting we use professional architectural lenses that allow us to keep the verticals straight up and down. These lenses also give us the opportunity to take two shots of the scene i.e top and bottom, then stitch them together in Post Production to create a much larger image. We will select the most appropriate focal length for each space to make it look it’s best with minimal distortion. Typically, we avoid using ultra-wide lenses as they distort the space and furniture within; giving a false and unattractive impression. They can, however, be handy in tight tricky spots, so aren’t ignored.

As the cameras are not as intelligent as the human eye, we take multiple exposures of each composition and layer on top of one another in post-production; which will be explained further in a later step. This means the camera will be positioned stationary for a length of time during each composition in order to capture all the shots required. During this time, it’s important that both the camera and the scene being captured remains the same to avoid misalignment in the layering process. Colour cards are placed into each scene helping to distinguish the correct colours later in post-production. We will shoot with natural light and use flash to fix problems and create shape with the shadows when required. If there is unavoidable hard sunlight coming into certain spaces, we may hang diffusion material over the windows to help mitigate it. As we line up each composition, we’ll tweak the existing styling to the camera, so it looks it’s best. Continuity is key!

4. Initial Image Approval

Once the shoot is complete you are sent all images from the shoot day to select the shots you wish to take forward to post-production and licensing. The images are sent via our customized approval software to make the process quick and easy.

5. Post Production

Using specialist editing software, we edit your approved images. All images Standard post-production includes the following: Lens corrections, lens dust removal, colour and exposure corrections, sharpening, removal of small artifacts such as cables and wall sockets. We offer a premium post production service for the removal or addition of larger objects such as television, artworks, window view replacements. This varies on a job to job basis and isn’t always required.

Touching on the image layer techniques mentioned earlier; using a variety of exposures for each composition we blend shots together manually to get full control of the desired finish. You can use computer programs for this commonly known as the ‘HRD effect’, however, the results vary quite dramatically from image to image and there is very limited control to tweak specific aspects of the scene.

6. Approval Stage 1

You are sent all edited images via our approval software where you can make comment on any changes if necessary.

7. Approval Stage 2

This is the final approval. The changes requested are made and sent back to you for re-approval.

8. Delivery of Completed Images

The Final images are delivered in high res 300dpi and low res 72dpi for web. Other resolutions and sizes are also available on request.

These are the steps we take which allows us to produce high-quality photography for our clients. If you are ever interested in working with us, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We would be more than happy to help you. You can also view our portfolio here. 

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Over the past year, we have had the pleasure of photographing many of Jessica’s interior designs in Edinburgh and London, including the makeover of a two-bedroom apartment in Edinburgh’s New Town, which was recently featured in the March issue of House & Garden. The gorgeous, open-plan flat is not only a stones-throw away from the magnificent Edinburgh Castle but is located on the edge of Stockbridge; an area full of culture and design. With it’s boutique shops, and trendy bars; this area is pretty up-and-coming!

When we first walked into the apartment to commence the photoshoot, we were hit by a complimentary mix of poppy colours, enhanced by a neutral grey-walled backdrop. With tall ceilings and large south-facing windows, the space immediately felt bright and airy with key light shining through the day’s cloudy sky. The windows of the apartment were on only one side of each room, meaning the light in the apartment was very one directional; this creates great contrast in the room with bright highlights and strong shadows. Lighting like this is a favoured type of ours; we love how it creates a beautiful gradient across the entire room, really making the space pop!

In every room of the apartment the colours and furniture placement were harmonious, resulting in very little tweaking before the shoot. Jessica’s impeccable styling really brought the whole design together- from books and flowers, to ornaments and other decorative objects; every item was colour coordinated and placed thoughtfully throughout the apartment without over-cluttering the space. Styling can really make or break the final outcome of an interior shoot and Jessica got the balance just right.

As Judith Wilson writes, “there Is no doubt that clients flock for Jessica’s assured, cool design-vibe”, Jessica’s talented and skilful styling means that she is definitely a designer to watch out for!

Project furniture suppliers and manufacturers:

Zoffany – paint on walls, “Shetland”
Charlotte James furniture – all upholstery items
Andrew Martin – fabric on grey/red striped sofa and ottoman
Designers Guild – yellow fabric on sofa
Christopher Farr Cloth – red fabric on chaise longue
Jennifer Manners – cushion on chaise longue
Fermoie – fabric on armchairs
Bennison – fabric on headboard
Brunschwig & Fils – wallpaper in bedroom
Pooky – lampshades in sitting room and also in guest bedroom

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The venues which they choose to host the events are always an area of intrigue and this year was no exception with the location being Burlington House on Piccadilly in Mayfair, London. This year’s space was quite the contrast from last year’s which was at the new Design Museum in Kensington designed by minimalist architect John Pawson. The Georgian architecture this year was home for the evening to the Andrew Martin awards which made for a cosy and intimate event as it was split across 3 different rooms.

As is tradition the awards started with the founder of Andrew Martin, Martin Waller introducing this year’s award. – Whose annual interior design review booked is being coined the Oscars for Interior Design.

He began the awards in the 1990’s, with a keen ambition to draw light to the interior design community as there was nothing else out there to reward interior designers for their efforts.

This year as every year showed a whole host of talented interior designers, and Stephen Fry took to the stage to present this year’s award.  As you would expect Stephen Fry was not shy of a word or two and put a fantastic and eloquent speech together not long before crowning this year’s winner Erin Martin with the honour of collecting this year’s trophy.

Waller said of her: “Erin’s designs encapsulate a joyous celebration of life. Her projects are full of her exuberant personality. She is never overawed by convention and original ideas bubble up everywhere which makes her schemes seem utterly fresh. But look closely and you can see that it is all put together with carefully calibrated discipline.”

American designer Erin Martin is acclaimed for her individualistic approach and known for her bold energetic designs and witty design philosophy. A very quick glance at the images in this year’s review book certainly demonstrates this through her beautiful interior photography. Also Erin and her team defiantly don’t shy away from the camera when it comes to their staff pictures. Andrew Martin review book vol 19’s staff photo shows them all wearing straitjackets posing for the photograph on a building site.  On her website you can find her interesting philosophy behind her interior design.

‘’ Martin. Balance of art, engineering, aesthetics & personality. Martin girls, Capture the rhythm & energy of the space. Creating lifestyle. A life surrounded by fundamentals of design. Experienced not learned. Formulas of thought. World journeys. Elements of design in their truest form: architecture symbolic of culture & motifs representative of time. One of a kind pieces. Designed and created from the ground up. Home. Consistent & classic, yet absolutely unique’’.

The Napa Valley – based designer was chosen as the winner by judges Jade Jagger and Kit Kemp. Previous winners include Kelly Hoppen, Kit Kemp and Nicholas Haslam.

The post Andrew Martin Interior Designer of the year 2017 first appeared on Interior & Architectural Photography & Video - Edinburgh, London.

Instead of photographing an overview shot of the entire showroom, we focus on specific design vignettes for a more aesthetically pleasing set of interior photographs that work well both together as a set, and individually on their own. If we were to capture the showroom as a whole we would be mixing design styles, revealing too much of the showroom’s outer shell which in turn would detract from the design sets, leaving little to the imagination.

Below is an example of our favourite design showroom compositions…..

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The post The Art of Making a Professional Architectural Photograph first appeared on Interior & Architectural Photography & Video - Edinburgh, London.

*As featured on Shotkit.com

Below is an itemised list and brief description of the equipment we use on most photography shoots. We each have our own set of photographic gear which is why there are two sets of almost everything. There isn’t enough space to display everything here but this is the core…

1.  iPhone : Track sun, check and record notes, stay connected, backup Camranger controller.
2. Warming and cooling gels : Light temperature control.
3. Tape :  Marking safe zone around tripod, taping odds and ends.
4. Triggers and receivers : Camera flash control.
5. Cable pouches : Prevents tangling keeps cables neat and tidy.
6. Colour checker card : Allows for accurate colour correction.
7. Colour Wheel : Styling tool to colour match objects and accessories.
8. White and black sheets : Multiple purpose for blocking and reflecting light.
9. AA & AAA battery charger
10. Nikon camera battery chargers
11. Lightbulbs : Control colour temperature and correct mismatching light fixtures.
12. Walkie-Talkie : Stay connected to assistants.
13. Lens cleaning kit : Clean glass = Clean shot.
14. Polarising Lenses : Removes unwanted reflections.
15. Nikon 35mm f/2.8 PC Lens : Great for low distortion and perspective correction.
16. Samyang 24mm f/3.5 Tilt-Shift Lens : Tilt shift lens for most occasions.
17. Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4 Lens : When you need more in shot.
18. Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 Lens : Good all round versatile lens.
19. CamRanger : Alter camera settings & capture multiple shots without touching the camera.
20. Speedlights : Accent lighting.
21. Speedlight Grids : Controls speedlight beam angle.
22. Tape Measure: Aligning furniture and accessories accurately.
23. Windproof umbrella : Exterior shooting in Scotland.
24. Shoot through umbrella : Interior ambient flash.
25. iLux Summit Flash-head battery
26. iLux Summit Flash-head : Cable free 600W powerhouse light.
27. Nikon D850 camera bodies : Core camera.
28. Nikon D800 camera bodies : Backup camera.
29. iPad : Used as Camranger remote controller.
30. Macbook Pro : Approve shots, test edits, and backup images.
31. Battery Grip : Extra power when needed.
32. Camera Batteries
33. Bose speaker : Music to create a more pleasant shooting atmosphere.
34. Mini-tripods : Gets the camera low and stable on work tops and tight spaces.
35. Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod : Core Tripod.
36. Light stand : Holds speedlights and iLux Summit Flash-head.
37. Large Manfrotto 161MK2  Tripod : When height is essential.

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