GAP Architects
A Case Study
The Composition
I was approached by Stephen Hill of GAP Architects to shoot a few properties that he had worked on in North Dublin. He was getting a new website built and needed those wow shots that really sold his work and reflected his style.
The Photoshoot
I would be perfectly comfortable walking cold into any property and be confident that I could capture some stunning images but it was important to make sure I engaged with Stephen first and find out about any particular detail he wanted capturing. The more I shoot his work the more I start to become familiar with his style and can shoot those details without prompting. It was also imperative that I liaised with his clients too to ensure that any intrusion was kept to a minimum. It would also help with 'prepping' the properties so that any clutter could be hidden away.
The key to getting the shots that both Stephen and I wanted was to prioritise the available light and look for those unusual angles that show off particular features. Leading lines that draw the viewers eyes into the image are always a key consideration too when working with great architecture. The same applies whether you're looking at contemporary architecture or simple house extensions.
The project began in late spring/early summer so the lighting would be at its best. Contrary to popular belief we don't always need bright sunshine when shooting architecture, particularly interiors as the 'hard' sunlight can often cause harsh shadows, resulting in blown out highlights or under exposed shadows. 'Soft' light is always preferred and a limit on indoor lighting too as natural colours and tones can be skewed with too much artificial light.
Of course, when shooting the exterior then fine weather will always be preferable. A sunny day with partial cloud cover is ideal but bleak rainy days are most definitely a no-no! As a result it took around six months to get the right conditions to shoot all the different properties and in some cases we returned at different times of the day.
Photoshop is often our saviour but it was key to make sure we got as much right in camera as possible. Sometimes we can counter those situations where there is bright sunshine by shooting bracketed exposures and combining them in Photoshop but these often result in unnatural looking images.
There was occasion where Photoshop was needed to remove unwanted clutter from an image but in the main the shots you see are what we captured using just natural light and a good eye.
RESULTS FROM THE DARKROOM
