I’ve been using Photoshop for 20 years - much longer than I’ve been taking photos professionally. Architectural and interiors photography relies heavily on layering different exposures, and retouching out distracting objects in Photoshop. For me, that has always been one of the main attractions to this type of photography.
Anyone that works in the construction industry and has tried to schedule a photo shoot knows that it can be difficult finding the ideal time. Often the ideal time doesn’t even exist. If you schedule the shoot as soon as a project is “substantially complete” you run the risk of punch list work being completed on shoot day, or furniture delivery delaying the process. If you wait until the client permanently moves in there are several other variables that can make it hard to get ideal conditions. No matter the timing and challenges, usually at least a little “Photoshopping” is needed to give the final photos the desired “finished” look.
Fiber cement supplier, NICHIHA, recently hired me to shoot The Summit apartment building on Broad St. The twilight “hero shot” is my favorite photo from the shoot.
The Summit includes two different exterior fiber cement wall panels in NICHIHA’s “Designer Series.” The Miraia (https://www.nichiha.com/product/miraia), and Illumination (https://www.nichiha.com/product/illumination). Besides getting good photos of the entire building, I needed to capture the details. This is where some serious retouching had to be done! Take a look at one of the unedited photos. What bothers you?
As soon as I arrived I could see workers knocking out punch list items, actual punch lists taped to windows, Pella window stickers, dusty windows, and shades pulled down to varying heights. None of these things are ideal, but all were eliminated during retouching. I use a variety of techniques including the Photoshop healing and cloning tools, as well as clipping, copying, and pasting “clean” windows. Sometimes zooming in on, and editing individual pixels! Below, I’m in the process of removing a shade.
The goal in these photos is to highlight NICHIA’s product, and the building’s detail. None of the distracting elements are all that uncommon in real life, but in a photo meant to highlight important details and products they do distract from the audience’s attention. Take a look at the before and afters side-by-side.
NICHIA’s panels and The Summit are a beautiful addition to Broad St., and Scott’s Addition. It was fun shooting this project and dodging Pulse buses while doing it.
Send me an e-mail (quentin@qphphoto.com) if you would like to have me photograph one of your next projects, or if you have any questions about my process. I look forward to working with you!
Quentin