Help Wanted From Others --- Lighting Questions...

I personally think that picture looks great...but maybe someone else who is more techie about it will have something to say..

Thanks Tom Davis Realtor In Delaware

I really wish I had your problem.  It does look good for the size but there are some problems that might crop up if you were printing.  Without spending some real money I don't know how you could do much better.  Most of the shots can be photo shopped but I know you want to stay away from that.  Sorry I don't do that kind of photography but your pictures look great.

I think the second photo is better than the first.  It has that inviting quality to it.  I personally think some shadows in the photo are ok.  Not those dark monsters that seem to creep from beneath the sofa or coffee table, but normal shadows which light casts.  Shadows are a natural part of life, something we expect to see.  If you look around the room you are in right now, there are shadows, either from the light outdoors or the lighting in the room.  Its just natural.  Allowing that to come out in your photos gives them a warmer, more inviting quality.  It adds 3 dimensions to something that is 2 dimensional. 

Without them, I think the photo takes on an auster quality.  Sure, everything in the room is very visible, but there is little to make the viewer say "wow, I want to hang out in there!". 

In my personal opinion, keep the shadows, picture 2 is great.

I'm sorry but I couldn't come close to answering your question but I do like your pictures.

OK sorry, I guess I was misunderstanding.  It sounds to me as if you are on the right track.  You are using multiple strobe already, I also turn on all the lighting in the room that I can without creating hotspots in order to compensate for the blue of the strobes.  You may be doing this already.  Also, I direct my strobe at the window to light the interior more consistently with the exterior, then try bouncing the light in the other parts of the room to get a more consistent lighting in relation to the window area.  I also use a diffuser if I am getting washout in an area, or colorshift.  I don't know if any of this is helpful, but it is all the tricks I have up my sleeve.  I use the SB800 myself, it is a great flash.

Randy,

I recently took an architectural lighting class. The instructor is very much a pro, and for your #1 question, he taught us to do EXACTLY what you did! You expose for the room, getting the lighing just right inside (you still must be sure not to blow the windows terribly, or you will get spill or wraparound on the window frames, curtains, etc..). Then you shoot some that expose for the outside, and do it in layers like you did. Of course you must have a really steady tripod, which it looks like you did. As for as the merge, I don't see many flaws at all. I think it looks great. The only thing that bothers me, is the ceiling is very cool (blue), I suppose from your strobes. You can correct all that with color corrective gels- you'll need a color meter too. But....honestly, unless you are photographing for a paint company, a magazine...you will knock thier socks off.

So, for question #2, you can do the same thing. You expose for the lower level and stairwell, and then you move you lights and expose for the upstairs and put them together in layers. I have mostly done windows, fireplaces, and light fixtures, so this situation seems it would prove tricky, and you would most likely have to use a color meter and color corrective gels over your strobes.     What a gorgeous stairway!

I don't know if you placed a strobe in the dining area (the red room), but it would be easy enough to add that area in a layer and use all your lights in the stairs area.

I have heard the pocket wizards are great. I need to look into those, too. I have the same problem if my strobes are very far.

Hope this makes sense; it's very late.

Good luck,

Susie

Although, this isn't answering your question from a layperson's point of view both photos achieve your goal, although the angle of the first photo seems a bit awkward. The staircase photo is really exceptional.

Don't think ONE BIG LIGHT, think MULTIPLE SMALLER LIGHTS.

 

The goal is to give the rooms a natural appearance - make the viewer feel that they are actually in the room. When you have a single source of light it is no different than having a completely dark room and illuminating it with a powerful flashlight.  forget about photography for a moment and think about how a room is lit for living: we like indirect lighting like tray lighting, we like lots of light sources like track lighting or multiple cans in the ceiling, we put a ceiling fixture that spreads light all over a white ceiling to evenly illuminate the room, etc.

You want to employ these same techniques for your flash - go out and get a handful of small slaves and hide them around the room - yes, it takes some experimenting, but with enough practice you'll get it and when you do, you'll get results like this (click the photo to see the rest of the house):

 

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios 

 

 

OK,

Here is what I suggest:

1. Set your exposure to the windows - what you are showing now is way too dark for the outside - it looks like a poster on the wall and not really outside (it is even more so on the living room shot)

2. Then fill-in the flash to illuminate what is dark. Remember, you're shooting digital so you can do this in steps (doing this with film is tough because you can't see the flash).

 

3. Don't point the flashes at the scene - they make much too small of a light source and that makes the light look 'hard'.  Use walls and ceilings as thought they are umbrellas.

 

4. Regarding staircases - put more light at the top of the staircase and use just enough light outside the balusters to illuminate them.

If you balance it right this will be the result - CLICK THE PHOTO to see the rest of the house:

 

 

There were two lights on this: One above the camera to the left illuminating the foyer and one on the floor in the kitchen  

 

 

Jay Groccia, Principal Photographer

OnSite Studios 

Randy,

How wide an angle are you shooting?

Thanks,

Susie