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After I finished the previous article (“A few words about interior photography“) and during my work with another order, I had a few more thoughts. Besides, I got the feedback on previous article. As a result, I decided to write some sort of addition with more detailed explanations and examples of good and bad interior photographs (according to readers wishes). First of all, I have to say that interior photography isn’t such an easy thing as many people think, including some professionals in other photography spheres (wedding pro, for instance). I do not mean that wedding photography is easier than interior one. Furthermore, I think that any activity performed at a high professional level is complicated itself and demands not only rich experience and different (often very expensive) tools, but also high working capacity, dedication and even intelligence. I just want to say that each field of applied photography has its own peculiarities and subtleties. And if you don’t know them, you won’t get the good result. For example, the wedding photographer automatically takes his flash when he comes into a room. But that’s good only for wedding shots. For interior photography, it’s a real evil and unprofessionalism (clarification: I mean the on-camera flashes, not the impulse light sources with diffusers and other caps). Why I think this way? Because in wedding photography, the people, and their relationships, and emotions are the objects. We can see them during just a moment. After a second, anything changes and we cannot restore the lost moment. And interiors, even the most beautiful ones, are just a background. So, we have to use a flash. In interior photography, on-camera flash is contraindicated, because firstly, it damages the light pattern and balance which were conceived by a designer to emphasize some room’s advantages and interior details. Second, flash will never give the equal amount of light for the all room: objects in front will be overexposed and, in distance, opposite – underexposed. Third, the flash always gives sharp, almost black shadows. Fourth, it makes too bright glares on glass and polished surfaces that are disadvantages too. Finally, fifth, the flash often spoils the colors of close objects and even, if the object is curtain, for instance, shines it through destroying the tissue density on the photo. Thus, there’s the opposite approach in the interior photography: even in the dark room, they don’t use a flash, and do use the long shutter speed (sometimes, more than 20 seconds) and it demands the tripod. I told enough about falling verticals in previous article. The only thing I can add is that the wedding photographer may not...
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For those 8 months since I’ve quit from my job and became a self-employed photographer (most of all, interior photographer), that means I don’t spray myself for any other activities besides of photography – since then, I face very often with the fact that every person makes his own sense in the meaning of quality photography. No, I don’t mind at all that all the people are different and everyone has own possibilities (first of all, financial one), every person earns his money the way he can, and so on, and on, etc. But… how could I put it mildly? I am dejected by the very low bar of inquiries from the vast majority of potential customers and, at the same time, blatant illiteracy of so many competitors. I will explain. Nobody doubts that advertisement is the engine of the trade. In the case of real estate, restaurants, hotels, bars, cafes, country clubs, camp sites and others, i.e. all those who meet clients with the interiors – obviously that interior photography is that “locomotive of the trade”. The same about construction companies, real estate agencies, and ordinary people who decided to rent or sell their apartments. So, why most of them are satisfied with frankly lousy pictures? Photos made with a phone, with falling verticals and angled horizon, with unpleasant yellowish, greenish or violet shades of artificial light? For instance, nobody will appear on business meeting dressed in a crumpled, dirty and foul-smelling suit even it has a Hugo Boss label! Honestly, I’m at a loss! Now, about the competitors. A huge bunch of them appeared lately. The proudly screaming on their websites that you’re really lucky to meet them because only they can make high quality photos of your property. They’re a team of real professionals! Moreover, they are quite earnestly (and right I should admit) describing all the cons of your own attempts of interior photography and the pros of referring to a specialist. But the problem is that they have images in their portfolio that I can only call as a frank hackwork. Especially considering the money their customers pay them. (By the way, one of them is the very respectable hotel in the center of Saint-Petersburg! But be quiet, do not tell anyone! 🙂 ). I don’t mean that I’m a mentor who wants to teach anyone, no. I’m just a conscientious and responsible professional interior photographer, in love with his work. Michael Bulgakov wrote great words: “My dear heart, that is nonsense! Second freshness – that’s what is nonsense! There is only one freshness – the first – and it also the last. And...
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Elections, geopolitical interests, exchange rates, sanctions, stock market reports, expert assessments by political scientists, economic crisis… They said these concepts are describe the most important global processes. And when I yawn and ask “What about the nature, the stars, love, animal rescue and dawns?” they look at me like I am Ray Babbit… Damn, are you serious?! Alright, it can be partly explained by habit. When you, for example, twice a day five days per week passes by Kazan Cathedral you soon stop noticing its beauty. As well as with the sky, trees and birds… Or may be not? It’ll be enough willpower to turn off the imposed usual rhythm, literally stop your moving and close your eyes, take a deep breath and then, calm and quietly look at this cathedral (or the sky) with pure gaze. This is an architecture (or nature) masterpiece, isn’t it? Alright, not every one can do it (or just not every one wants to do it). And we get used to cathedrals, sky and wives (husbands). Then some stupid thoughts come to our heads and as a consequence appears such a proverb “There are no wonders”… Damn, are you serious?! Dammit, stop and look around! Wonders are all around you! Constantly! Want for some instances? Alright. Isn’t it a miracle that this amazing person who sleeps beside you every night and wakes up in the mornings and looks as sleepy as you are but in fact not cease to be such an amazing person with whom you have decided to live for the rest of your life… isn’t it a miracle that this person still loves and respects you? You who are always dissatisfied and have ceased to be treated with tenderness and care for her (him) and have focused only on yourself. Aren’t trees wondrous? Every bending of every tiny branch and, in general, the way they are. The way they relieve their burning leaves in fall and pierce the sky with their young green shoots in spring. You’ve got used to it, haven’t you?.. I don’t understand but okay. Then what about the stars, the planets and the Universe? Watch the famous “Pale blue dot: a vision of human future in Space” essay by astronomer and astrophysicist professor Carl Sagan. And then the second video called “Star size comparison”. It can help understand all the inanity and even the foolishness of concepts mentioned in the first two lines of this text as well as their meanings… “Imagine there’s no Heaven. It’s easy if you try. And no Hell below us, Above us only sky. Imagine all the people Living for today…”...
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