Comments on: An Elegant Image by M. James Northen http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/ Tips and Techniques for Real Estate Photography Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:29:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Expodisc: A Way Get Correct White Balance at Capture Time « Photography For Real Estate http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-313 Expodisc: A Way Get Correct White Balance at Capture Time « Photography For Real Estate Wed, 25 Apr 2007 04:32:05 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-313 [...] 24th, 2007 You may have noticed that when M. James Northen was describing his process for shooting the image we featured about a month ago he mentioned that he used a Expodisc. If you are not familiar with with the [...] […] 24th, 2007 You may have noticed that when M. James Northen was describing his process for shooting the image we featured about a month ago he mentioned that he used a Expodisc. If you are not familiar with with the […]

]]> By: Glenn Johnson http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-312 Glenn Johnson Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:07:14 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-312 Fabulous photography!!! I was curious what your fee was on this job if you don't mind. Fabulous photography!!! I was curious what your fee was on this job if you don’t mind.

]]> By: M. James Northen http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-319 M. James Northen Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:14:26 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-319 Aaron - No real techinical reason on the ISO other than both the lightmeter and camera were there from the shoot the day before which had been Polo. I wanted to set an appropriate exposure. A couple of images later I dialed back down to 100 for the balance fo the day. For some reason when I chose the image for my website I did not pay attention to the settings information but wanted to give accurate information. I also like the third image better as it shows the spatial relationship but understand where Larry is coming from also - I guess that is why I shot both frames. Marc - Yes the 24 is tight and there are days that I shoot with it and then virtually re-do most of the shoot with the 17-40 to make sure that I have everything. I agree with your comments on lighting. I think some images should be dark and moody with accent lights creating the atmosphere whereas some have to be enhanced and overlit to a degree to make things work for what the images is going to be used for. You are right there was not that sort of light in the room despite the windows and french doors. Real Estate companies like to see light and bright for the most part. Karl - Thanks I thought the quality of the image outweighed the tightness but when I was reviewing them it occorred to me that they were a little tight. Many thanks to everyone for taking the time to comment, I appreciate everyones insight and compliments. M. James Aaron - No real techinical reason on the ISO other than both the lightmeter and camera were there from the shoot the day before which had been Polo. I wanted to set an appropriate exposure. A couple of images later I dialed back down to 100 for the balance fo the day. For some reason when I chose the image for my website I did not pay attention to the settings information but wanted to give accurate information.

I also like the third image better as it shows the spatial relationship but understand where Larry is coming from also - I guess that is why I shot both frames.

Marc - Yes the 24 is tight and there are days that I shoot with it and then virtually re-do most of the shoot with the 17-40 to make sure that I have everything. I agree with your comments on lighting. I think some images should be dark and moody with accent lights creating the atmosphere whereas some have to be enhanced and overlit to a degree to make things work for what the images is going to be used for. You are right there was not that sort of light in the room despite the windows and french doors. Real Estate companies like to see light and bright for the most part.

Karl - Thanks I thought the quality of the image outweighed the tightness but when I was reviewing them it occorred to me that they were a little tight.

Many thanks to everyone for taking the time to comment, I appreciate everyones insight and compliments.

M. James

]]> By: Scott Hargis http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-318 Scott Hargis Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:44:30 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-318 I'll add my vote for the third photo. Not wanting to detract from what is obviously nice work, but I agree with Marc that wider is better - the tilt-shift lens shouldn't have been necessary for a shot like this, I think. The really tricky thing with lighting a room that has intense ambient is keeping the shadows consistent - the human eye is very clever about noticing when the "wrong" side of the furniture is more brightly lit. For this reason I find it is better whenever possible to bounce the main light off the ceiling, and fill by bouncing from the walls. I generally eschew umbrellas altogether, as it's too hard to avoid blowing the highlights near the edges of the photo. I’ll add my vote for the third photo. Not wanting to detract from what is obviously nice work, but I agree with Marc that wider is better - the tilt-shift lens shouldn’t have been necessary for a shot like this, I think.
The really tricky thing with lighting a room that has intense ambient is keeping the shadows consistent - the human eye is very clever about noticing when the “wrong” side of the furniture is more brightly lit. For this reason I find it is better whenever possible to bounce the main light off the ceiling, and fill by bouncing from the walls. I generally eschew umbrellas altogether, as it’s too hard to avoid blowing the highlights near the edges of the photo.

]]> By: Mark http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-317 Mark Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:42:27 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-317 James is doing exceptional work, without a doubt. But on the real estate listings that I commonly shoot, I'd never succeed with 31mm. I'm almost always shooting at 12-14 (19-22) on my 1.6. I'm really more interested in conveying a sense of the space primarily (how one room flows into another) and the contents, secondarily. Elegant kitchen cabinets and counters deserve tighter shots. James is doing exceptional work, without a doubt. But on the real estate listings that I commonly shoot, I’d never succeed with 31mm. I’m almost always shooting at 12-14 (19-22) on my 1.6. I’m really more interested in conveying a sense of the space primarily (how one room flows into another) and the contents, secondarily. Elegant kitchen cabinets and counters deserve tighter shots.

]]> By: Karl Hoelscher http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-316 Karl Hoelscher Tue, 27 Mar 2007 14:09:09 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-316 Very nice. I do kinda agree it seems kinda tight, but the photo quality seems to outweight that! I think because these are ocean properties, you kinda want a really, light, bright feeling. Thanks for the detailed info! Very nice. I do kinda agree it seems kinda tight, but the photo quality seems to outweight that! I think because these are ocean properties, you kinda want a really, light, bright feeling.

Thanks for the detailed info!

]]> By: Marc Lacoste http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-315 Marc Lacoste Tue, 27 Mar 2007 08:34:52 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-315 Those images are superb, but I have two remarks: * the 24mm TS is great, but combined with the crop factor, it's only a 31 mm equivalent, and it shows: they look tight. Perhaps it's my distorted experience with ultra-wide angle images, but the rooms doesn't seem to breathe sufficiently. * They remind me of the question of the limit of the additional light in the room (by multi-layer images or strobes): the viewer is used to have a shaded room when the image shows the outside, and too much inside lighting seems unnatural, the aim of pure white walls and ceilings is perhaps a little bit too much? Perhaps it's because I haven't mastered the technique to do it properly and search a justification to accept my limits :), but I turned back this goal and try to get a balanced result, with shaded insides. (I'm critic for the edge, the quality of the pictures is exceptional, magazine-like) Those images are superb, but I have two remarks:
* the 24mm TS is great, but combined with the crop factor, it’s only a 31 mm equivalent, and it shows: they look tight. Perhaps it’s my distorted experience with ultra-wide angle images, but the rooms doesn’t seem to breathe sufficiently.
* They remind me of the question of the limit of the additional light in the room (by multi-layer images or strobes): the viewer is used to have a shaded room when the image shows the outside, and too much inside lighting seems unnatural, the aim of pure white walls and ceilings is perhaps a little bit too much? Perhaps it’s because I haven’t mastered the technique to do it properly and search a justification to accept my limits :), but I turned back this goal and try to get a balanced result, with shaded insides.

(I’m critic for the edge, the quality of the pictures is exceptional, magazine-like)

]]> By: aaronleitz http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-314 aaronleitz Tue, 27 Mar 2007 07:03:43 +0000 http://photographyforrealestate.net/2007/03/26/an-elegant-image-by-m-james-northen/#comment-314 I like the third photo better too. M. James - why the high ISO for this shot? I like the third photo better too.

M. James - why the high ISO for this shot?

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