Listing Interior (Final Shot) - Two-flash setup

It’s not a perfect interior photo, but I think it’s pretty decent based on the difficulty of the area and the limited number of flashes.  The image is well exposed except for a couple of dark areas and a few blown-out highlights.  If I could, I’d add in one or two more strobes to better illuminate the cupboards, minimize shadows, and try to prevent light falloff.  Most importantly though, I managed to balance the interior and exterior light.  If you remember from Part 1 of this series, a common problem is when the interior and exterior light cannot be balanced, which was the case with this room.  Here’s a shot taken without a flash, using full-frame metering:

Listing Interior - Without Flash

According to the camera’s metering system, the photo above is perfectly exposed.  However, we can clearly see that the shot suffers from both over and under exposure that has rendered most of the visible areas useless.  In order to compensate for this problem, we need to add light to the interior – which is exactly what I did.

So, here’s how I did it:

1) Select a Metering Mode
As usual, I started by observing the scene and determining the areas that were both brightest and darkest.  There was nothing I could do about the sunlight/window, so I decided to use it as my principle level of exposure.  I set my camera to Spot Metering, which we discussed a while back, so that I could target the bright window area.

I spot metered my camera to the window and manually configured the settings to f8 for my aperture and 1/200 second for my shutter speed to allow for a decent depth of field.  I metered the shot at 200 ISO.  Here’s what I ended up with:

Listing Interior - Spot metered to windows.

Now, this photo may look absolutely terrible, but it’s exactly what I wanted/expected.  The exterior light is no longer overexposed, and it gives me a point of reference for my interior light requirements.

2) Add Strobe/Flash #1
Now that we have a reference point, it’s time to add the first light.  I set up the first flash to the left of the camera, and I bounced the light in an umbrella.  Bouncing the light softens it, and makes for less distinct shadows.  The light stand was erected as high as I could get it, and angled down on the dining area.  I initially set the flash to 1/2 power, but increased the strength after a couple of test shots.  A light meter would eliminate the need for trial and error, but we’ll get into that another day.  Here’s one of the test shots:

Listing Interior - One-flash test shot.

On the positive side, the interior and exterior light are closer to being balanced, but there are a few reflections, and dark areas that require attention. Sometimes you just have to tweak the placement of lights and continue doing test shots to get it just right.

3) Add Strobe/Flash #2
Once you get the first light in a good location, it’s time to add the second into the mix.  I didn’t have a lot of room to maneuver, but I found a good spot at the end of the room to the right of the camera.  Here’s the basic floor plan with camera and flash placement:

With a bit of tweaking, I was able to get a shot I was happy with.  Flash #2 was erected to about 5-6 feet, also bounced off an umbrella, and set at 1/2 power.

I had to perform some minor color correction to the final image in Adobe Photoshop, as I chose not to use color correcting gels.  The image was shot in RAW which allowed for some added flexibility in both exposure and color temperature.  You can use this method with any number of lights, just keep adding them in until you have enough.  It’s a bit more time consuming, but it is a great way to stand out from the crowd – and we all know that in real estate, standing out from the crowd is a very good thing.

If you choose to shoot in the direction of an uncovered window, which is often unavoidable, you’ll have to concede to the brightness of the sun.  You can minimize the intensity of light by shooting at a different time of day (dusk/dawn), during overcast, or by blocking the window with curtains, but it’s not always easy to reschedule shoots, and some windows are best left wide open.  If you find yourself shooting in this kind of scenario, there are a few gear options to choose from (and each will vary from person to person):

Option #1 – Full Control
A full setup involves three or four strobes (flashes), a DSLR camera body, wide angle lens, some Pocket Wizards, light stands, reflectors/umbrellas, a metering device, gels, and a tripod.  The advantage here is that you can really control where you add light, the amount of light, and the softness of the light.  Furthermore, Pocket Wizards will allow you to set up wireless so you can position lighting where you want with minimal clutter.  Proper light metering and color correction will allow for all-around consistency in exposure which provides maximum detail with minimal noise.

The downside to having full control is that the gear is pricey – I’d estimate about $4,500 minimum for everything, unless you were able to find some used items or opt for lower quality gear.  The other thing is that all of the gear can be a bit cumbersome to lug around.  A decent-size lighting bag and another camera/lens bag should be expected.  Batteries, memory cards, clamps, filters, adapters, editing software and other random gadgets/gizmos can add up too.

Option #2 – Basic Control
A basic setup involves two or three strobes, a DSLR camera body, wide angle lens, light stands, and a tripod.  Gels are optional, but you might have to do a slight color correction afterwards if you choose not to use them.  Instead of reflectors, light can be bounced off of ceilings, walls, or even sheets of paper.  Pocket Wizards are best, but new flashes have built-in, infrared communication, so for simple setups that works fine.  You may choose to pick up a commander unit if you want to avoid using on-camera flash.  Also, a little trial and error will allow you to eliminate the light meter if you have to.  It’s important to note that the quality of the photo will suffer after cutting out equipment, but sometimes it’s better to learn using the essentials, then add equipment as required.

The basic setup still allows us to get a nice wide view of the room, and target our light at dim areas in an attempt to balance the intensity of interior and exterior light.  You might have a hard time getting perfectly balanced light in all areas of the room, but it will still be far better than using no lighting at all.

Option #3 – HDR (High Dynamic Range) Processing
HDR for interior listing photos requires a camera with a wide-angle lens (not necessarily a DSLR), editing software, and a sturdy tripod.  It is by far the least expensive of the options, but not always the easiest.  HDR images require practice, and may suffer from noise, color inaccuracy, and/or tone issues.

There are some HDR real estate photos out there that are stunning, and others that look like quaint little homes from M83.  I highly suggest tackling HDR photography only if you have a good eye for realistic color and tone.

Next, we’ll discuss setup and some issues to watch for while shooting.

If you read my previous post on shooting listing exteriors, then you will be aware of how I initially analyze a scene before the shoot begins.  What I see is a room consisting of bright, mid, and dark tones.  In this case, the windows and reflections are very bright, the walls and area rug are mid tone, and the floor and shadows are very dark.  You may find it easier to analyze the scene in gray scale:

Unlike the listing exterior photo, the dynamic range of light in this living room cannot be captured in a single shot.  In other words, if I set my camera to expose in accordance with the average amount of light from the entire frame (i.e. full frame metering), I will overexpose my highlights and underexpose my shadows.  That’s what has happened in the photo above.  It’s true, there are some areas of the photo that are exposed correctly, but not all areas, and that’s really what we want to achieve here.

So, there are two ways that we can tackle this photo:
1) High Dynamic Range (HDR) Processing - What I would call the software approach – just bracket your exposures and combine them using specialized computer software.  I wrote more about this in a previous post.
2) Use Off-Camera Flashes – What I would call the hardware approach – increase the amount of light inside the room so that it matches the intensity and color of light coming in through the windows.  Additional photographic equipment is required for this option.  If you’d like to learn about off-camera flash basics, read this post first.

I want to focus on option #2, and add additional light so that a well exposed photo can be obtained in a single shot.  So we’ll need a couple of off-camera flashes, and a few other things, but I’ll get into the exact requirements and processes in my next post.

Also, bonus points go to those who were displeased aesthetically with the photo above: uneven curtains, cushion on floor, throw blanket on couch, messy tablecloth, awkward lamp, etc.  As always, it’s important to run through a checklist to make sure your photos will look their best.

If you tend to avoid using additional lighting in your setup, or you own a camera that doesn’t allow for external flashes to be connected, just be aware of a common problem that may result.  The problem is contrasting light sources, which leads to your camera being unable to properly white balance itself.  For instance, a photo of the living room that is lit with interior light (3000° Kelvin), as well as sunlight (6000° Kelvin).  I’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands of listing photos that suffer from this problem, and once you know how to spot it you’ll see for yourself.  A photo that suffers from this discoloration will appear quite yellow within the interior areas, and blue within the exterior or window areas.  The color is directly related to the Kelvin temperature of each light source.

To correct this problem, you’ll need to spend a few minutes editing the photo in a program like Adobe Photoshop.  Alternatively you can use free image editors available online like The Gimp or Paint.net although the layout and setup will differ slightly.  I’ll guide you through the process – just keep in mind that each photo will differ in its specific needs.  The more time you spend perfecting your photos in an image editor, the more aware you will become of what exactly needs to be done.

1) Open the file that appears color inaccurate. (In Photoshop, select FILE, OPEN, and track down the file from it’s saved location).

2) Desaturate the yellow channel, and increase the lightness. (In Photoshop, select IMAGE, ADJUSTMENTS, HUE/SATURATION).  Next to EDIT:, drop down the menu and select YELLOWS.  Drag the saturation down and the lightness up, but be careful not to remove too much as there may be other yellow items that need to retain their color.  Depending on the photograph, you may also need to desaturate the REDS.  The settings will vary between photos.

3) Desaturate the blue channel, and increase the lightness. As the window still appears cool and blue – repeat the same steps as #2, but select BLUES and/or CYANS from the drop down menu and make the adjustments.  Again, each image will vary in its specific settings.

4) Adjust the levels. Flashless interior photos are commonly underexposed and will appear dark and gloomy as a result. (In Photoshop, select IMAGE, ADJUSTMENTS, LEVELS).  A histogram will appear, along with a toggle bar with three points on it: one for light, mid, and dark tones.  Increase the mid-tones, and lights so the image appears more bright and vibrant – be careful not to blow out your highlights.  You may need to pull down your darks to retain shadow contrast.  Exact positions will vary between photographs.

5) Make the final color adjustments. (In Photoshop, select IMAGE, ADJUSTMENTS, COLOR BALANCE).  You will now be able to modify the red, green and blue color channels.  Please note that when balancing color, you can only add more of one color by removing another.  For instance, you can only add blue by removing yellow.  The toggles will indicate on each side the colors that oppose each other.  The yellow-blue toggle is mainly used in situations like these because that is the color temperature of each light source.  You may choose to warm up (add yellow) or cool down (add blue) your image to suit your tastes.  The highlights, mid-tones and shadows can be fine-tuned separately.  Use this time to make any other final adjustments to your image.

So this is one of many methods for how to color correct a photo.  Each person will differ slightly in his/her tastes.  Personally, I like to saturate the color of my exterior photos (i.e. vibrant greens and blues), but keep my interiors clean, bright and lowly saturated.  For more advanced users, you may also choose to custom select areas for more precise color modifications, sharpen the image, apply a noise-reduction filter, and/or crop the photo if required.

]]> http://point2agentblog.com/2009/03/02/editing-your-interior-photos/feed/ 3 http://point2agentblog.com/2008/10/08/how-to-the-off-camera-flash/ http://point2agentblog.com/2008/10/08/how-to-the-off-camera-flash/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:49:40 +0000 Bryan http://agent.point2.com/blog/?p=87 When it comes to shooting interior photos, there are numerous advantages to having an off-camera flash, and I will address some of these benefits and techniques in a later post. First, I want to take a minute to outline the different ways you can actually get your flash off of your camera while continuing to [...]]]> When it comes to shooting interior photos, there are numerous advantages to having an off-camera flash, and I will address some of these benefits and techniques in a later post. First, I want to take a minute to outline the different ways you can actually get your flash off of your camera while continuing to sync it to the shutter.

1) The “PC Sync Cable” – One of the more archaic methods of syncing your camera and flash is by running a cable between them. Not all camera bodies or flashes have a PC outlet, but this problem can be overcome through the use of a safe-sync adapter or a PC sync adapter. The cables are generally inexpensive, but can sometimes be hard to find. Furthermore, since many cameras and flashes have custom-sized, proprietary outlets you need at find the exact cable for your needs. Also note that the “PC” is a term often associated with the phrase “personal computer,” but in this case it stands for “Prontor-Compur” and derives from a brand of shutter.

2) The “Off-Camera Shoe Cord” – Similar to the PC Sync Cable, this cord also physically connects your flash to your camera. The advantage here though is that you can continue to use the TTL (Through the Lens) mode on your flash. Essentially, this allows your flash and camera to communicate so that an accurate amount of light is produced by your flash in accordance to your camera settings. This product works without the need of PC outlets, instead using your camera’s hot-shoe, but each camera will require a custom cord in accordance with its make/brand.

3) The “Infrared Transmitter” – With infrared technology you have three choices for setup:

a) Flash (master) to flash(es) (slaves)

b) Infrared transmitter to flash(es)

c) Camera to flash(es) – In order for your camera to directly communicate with a flash it needs to have the infrared transmitter built in.

The disadvantage here is that the infrared signals have a maximum range of around 30-50 feet depending on your location, and cannot communicate very well around objects. TTL modes can be used with infrared technology.

4) The “Radio Transceiver” – Radio transceivers are by far the most flexible in usage, as they communicate well in complex environments and have a range of up to 1600 feet. One transceiver is affixed to the camera’s hot shoe (the transmitter), and one is required for each flash used (the receivers). You cannot use TTL mode with radio transceivers. See Pocket Wizard for more details.

For those eager to learn more about off-camera lighting techniques, please visit one of my favorite photography blogs:  Strobist.