tag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:/feedPete Sieger2017-04-09T14:58:38-07:00Pete Siegerhttps://peterjsieger.svbtle.compete@siegerarchphoto.comSvbtle.comtag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:Post/architectural-photography-christ-church-lutheran2017-04-09T14:58:38-07:002017-04-09T14:58:38-07:00Architectural Photography: Christ Church Lutheran<p>@Behance recently featured my “4x5: Christ Church Lutheran - Color” portfolio in its Architectural Gallery (my 22nd portfolio feature).</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/cjietlfqolyunw.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/cjietlfqolyunw_small.jpg" alt="Christ_Church_Lutheran_1up-2.jpg"></a></p>
<p>For the past 40 years I have maintained an interest in this remarkable architecture, and five years ago, I served for a term on the Board of the Friends of Christ Church Lutheran. This church is a mid-century modern jewel, designed by Finnish architect, Eliel Saarinen. The Minneapolis firm of Hills, Gilbertson, Hayes, served as the local, associated architect.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/icqaof7gmg3eyw.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/icqaof7gmg3eyw_small.jpg" alt="Christ_Church_Lutheran_1up-1.jpg"></a></p>
<p>The church, completed in 1951, is located in a quiet, residential neighborhood in South Minneapolis. Thanks to the continuous care and stewardship of its Lutheran church leaders and parishioners, it remains largely unmodified and true to Saarinen’s design at sixty-six years of age. Though in my opinion a well kept local secret, this structure enjoys National Landmark status, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/jihey11w2ycjjq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/jihey11w2ycjjq_small.jpg" alt="Christ_Church_Lutheran_1up-9.jpg"></a></p>
<p>I first took an interest in this architecture in the 1970’s, having enjoyed a tour conducted by the Minneapolis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Shortly thereafter I made two black and white photos of the exterior of the church, using my newly acquired 4"x5" Calumet wide-field view camera.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/icazauqyfmodw.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/icazauqyfmodw_small.jpg" alt="Christ_Church_Lutheran_1up-30.jpg"></a></p>
<p>In 2005, some 30 years and several tours later, I undertook a photographic study of the church with friend and fellow enthusiast, Tom Dolan. We had the Pastor’s permission and encouragement, were given the keys to the building, and were allowed complete access at any time to complete our work.</p>
<p>This informal study was conducted, on and off, over nearly five year’s time. Tom used a small point and shoot camera and shot hundreds of “candids”. I used a 4"x5" Sinar F-1 view camera, and shot over a hundred sheets of film, both Kodak T-MAX 100, and Kodak Ektachrome. Sixteen of my 4"x5" color captures are included in this Behance portfolio.</p>
<p>View my “4x5: Christ Church Lutheran - Color” portfolio here:<br>
<a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/16175985/4x5-Christ-Church-Lutheran-Color">https://www.behance.net/gallery/16175985/4x5-Christ-Church-Lutheran-Color</a></p>
<p>View my “4x5: Christ Church Lutheran - Black & White” portfolio here:<br>
<a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/16174241/4x5-Christ-Church-Lutheran-B-W">https://www.behance.net/gallery/16174241/4x5-Christ-Church-Lutheran-B-W</a></p>
<p>Visit my Website here: <a href="http://siegerarchphoto.com">http://siegerarchphoto.com</a></p>
<p>All of my Behance Portfolios can be seen here: <a href="https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger">https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger</a></p>
tag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:Post/architectural-photography-digital-image-manipulation2015-12-18T12:59:21-08:002015-12-18T12:59:21-08:00Architectural Photography: Digital Image Manipulation<p>My last post was a case study about a Minneapolis Loft, and the challenges faced both on location, and in post-production. In that post, among other things, I described some of the image modifications requested by my client. Since that post, I’ve read a couple of articles on this subject, and my awareness has been heightened, as my outlook continues to evolve.</p>
<p>The first article, titled “Doctored Photo Raises Questions about Ethics in Architecture Contests”, appeared recently in the Chicago Tribune.</p>
<p>< <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-architecture-photography-kamin-met-1206-20151204-column.html">http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-architecture-photography-kamin-met-1206-20151204-column.html</a> >. </p>
<p>This article describes how an award submittal, which included a significantly altered architectural image, may have created unfair advantage for the award recipient. Since there was simply insufficient time for the jurors to visit each and every project submitted, the jurors needed to rely on the photography to shape their judgements. This is a circumstance common to most architectural awards programs, and of course, it raises an ethics question about how a built project is represented through architectural photography.</p>
<p>I’ve also read, recently, a blog post by Barcelona architectural photographer, David Cardelús, titled “Architectural Photography and Photoshop”.</p>
<p>< <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/architectural-photography-photoshop-david-cardel%C3%BAs?trk=prof-post">https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/architectural-photography-photoshop-david-cardelús?trk=prof-post</a> ></p>
<p>David’s post was, in part, a response to the dilemma posed by the Chicago Tribune Article, but also described his personal approach to photographing architecture and design. In this post, David makes a strong and eloquent case favoring design interpretation through skillfully applied architectural photography rather than purely unemotional design documentation. This is an approach I fully support, and have always personally favored.</p>
<p>In my own experience, as of late, I have observed increasing client demand for image manipulation – most of it simply an added burden in post-production. The question for me, and for other architectural photographers, is where “to draw the line” – often a difficult question. Following are several personal examples of what I’m seeing.</p>
<p>The first set of images below represents a few of the “adjustments” that comprised the first significant request for digital image manipulation that I have encountered in recent experience. Most of the modifications where cosmetic in nature – a tangle of cords removed beneath a desk, a video projector removed from the ceiling of a conference space, or a human figure inserted in an image for scale and vitality.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/rgamxyh1scnma.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/rgamxyh1scnma_small.jpg" alt="OlsonRAW_20120425-019.jpg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/xlxqulhhcrsqsg.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/xlxqulhhcrsqsg_small.jpg" alt="Olson_20120425-019.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Top: Camera RAW Image; Bottom: Finished Image w/ Cords Removed</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/jfwrquydc5cqga.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/jfwrquydc5cqga_small.jpg" alt="OlsonRAWdet_20120425-019.jpg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/eg9amhaqlyvfw.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/eg9amhaqlyvfw_small.jpg" alt="Olsondet_20120425-019.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Top: Camera RAW Detail; Bottom: Finished Detail w/ Cords Removed</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/nxcavzugmcnfa.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/nxcavzugmcnfa_small.jpg" alt="Olson_20120425-133.jpg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/fuo5thtoje52g.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/fuo5thtoje52g_small.jpg" alt="Olson_20120425-133.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Top: Camera RAW Image; Bottom Finished Image w/ Projector Removed</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/qadrbit5lnova.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/qadrbit5lnova_small.jpg" alt="OlsonComp_20120425-256.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Left: Camera RAW Image; Right: Finished Image w/ Figure Inserted</p>
<p>In my experience, many of the requests for image modification are driven by the appearance of utilities or mechanical equipment which cannot be avoided when photographing a project. The following example is curious and unique in that it involves removal of utilities from adjoining properties, rather than from the subject project.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/nnpc4atgsqazew.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/nnpc4atgsqazew_small.jpg" alt="Langford73_20150721-04x.jpg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/rhmf8a4tedfiq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/rhmf8a4tedfiq_small.jpg" alt="Langford73_20150721-04.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Top: Un-Retouched Image; Bottom: Finished Image Retouched & Cropped</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/tn9jteohonilw.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/tn9jteohonilw_small.jpg" alt="Langford73det_20150721-04x.jpg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/hzh8vbultze3w.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/hzh8vbultze3w_small.jpg" alt="Langford73det_20150721-04.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Top: Un-Retouched Detail; Bottom: Finished Detail w/ Utilities Removed</p>
<p>The two images below represent a residential project I shot in early March 2015. The architect needed the photography quickly for unstated purposes, and could not wait for a spring snow melt at the time. Since the primary facade was north facing, I suggested that a twilight shot would best serve, considering lighting. And of course, the answer to the concern about the unsightly remnants of soiled snow was to remove it in post-production.</p>
<p>However, the “retouches” did not end there, and included the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Removal of the “Sold” sign still frozen into the ground;</li>
<li>Removal of electrical cords draped across the stair landing;</li>
<li>Clean-up of moisture discoloration on the concrete stair;</li>
<li>Removal of plantings around the base of the house;</li>
<li>Removal of the downspout draining the porch roof;</li>
<li>Removal of distractions visible through upper floor window openings;</li>
<li>Digital fixes at the front door where painting work was not yet completed.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/fleesxubapaxgg.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/fleesxubapaxgg_small.jpg" alt="_MG_8560.jpg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/xltnovqe0erqg.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/xltnovqe0erqg_small.jpg" alt="Fairmount708StP_20150309-01.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Top: Camera RAW Image; Bottom: Finished, Retouched Image</p>
<p>Not shown here in the finished image is yet a further modification which involved removal of the bare tree branches between the house and the large evergreen tree – this, in the words of the architect, to “give the house a little more breathing room”. I made that modification on the image submitted, but my personal inclination is toward the finished image shown here. I’m at once ashamed and proud of the finished image – ashamed of the extent to which this image was altered, yet proud of the final results shown here. Clearly the image as shot, and as represented in the Camera RAW file, would be of no use to the architect.</p>
<p>Having said all this, and having responded to my client’s wishes in each of these circumstances, I must admit that I’m fully complicit in this practice of digitally sanitizing architectural images. However, I remain deeply conflicted, and feel the need to establish proper limits personally. Again, where does one draw the line?</p>
<p>All along I’ve been rationalizing the practice of digital image manipulation as simply representing the designer’s intentions – what the designer sees in his or her mind’s eye. But I think this goes too far. Upon some considerable reflection, I believe it’s more a question of how any given design responds to real world conditions – infrastructure, utilities, mechanical equipment, traffic – the kinds of things that a designer might tend to wish away regardless of his or her ability to deal with them within the constraints of the client’s will or budget.</p>
<p>So from the photographer’s standpoint: If through careful choice of camera position, lens selection, and lighting – selectivity and emphasis – a perceived design distraction can be eliminated or at least minimized, then, fair game. However, outright digital removal of distractions that haven’t been addressed by design, or by skillful camera work, should be considered off limits. So, in my mind, best practice is still editing in camera, as when film was commonly used.</p>
<p>Finally, in my last post, I made the statement that “the customer is always right”, which would suggest that “anything goes”. Let me retract that statement here. There is an exception for every rule. Architectural photographers as visual communicators and design interpreters must always exercise good judgement, even in the face of understandable client inclinations towards digitally enhancing their design representations. Unfortunately, it may never be quite that easy. What do you think?</p>
<p>Visit my Website here: <a href="http://siegerarchphoto.com">http://siegerarchphoto.com</a></p>
<p>My Behance Portfolio can be seen here: <a href="https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger">https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger</a></p>
tag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:Post/architectural-photography-case-study-minneapolis-loft-12015-07-25T14:45:46-07:002015-07-25T14:45:46-07:00Architectural Photography: Case Study - Minneapolis Loft<p>It’s been months since my last post with thoughts on architectural photographer Gabriele Basilico. I’ve been happily preoccupied shooting and post-processing both client work and a number of self-directed projects, some of which will likely show up in future blog posts.</p>
<p>This post takes a look at a Minneapolis North Loop Loft project shot in February 2015 for one of my clients, Albertsson Hansen Architecture (AHA) - < <a href="http://www.aharchitecture.com">http://www.aharchitecture.com</a> >. Following is a view through the kitchen/dining area towards the living room.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/y6kjrxjrtevytg.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/y6kjrxjrtevytg_small.jpg" alt="Loft918N3rdSt_20150223-01X.jpg"></a></p>
<p>This project, like most, presented its own set of challenges - some unique, and some that are a part of virtually every interior project undertaken. The charge here was to come away with a half-dozen or so images that captured the essence of this residential loft conversion from former industrial space.</p>
<p>The big challenge here, as with most residential projects, was the lighting. I’ve found that most residential interiors are shot at the homeowner’s convenience. This places most interior photo shoots somewhere between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM - “banker’s hours” - where the lighting can be extremely contrasty, especially when the sun shines. Under these circumstances there is always a significant difference in lighting levels inside and out, making it very difficult to capture sufficient detail in both the highlights and the shadows in any scene - without “blowing out” the windows - regardless of whether shooting with film or digitally.</p>
<p>As with most residential lighting schemes, incandescent lighting of various types, both built-in and portable, comprised the lighting within this space. However, given the shoot time and sunny conditions, daylight completely dominated. To mitigate the contrasty lighting conditions found here, I used a 750 watt/second Bowens Monolight, fitted with an umbrella diffuser, to add soft foreground fill lighting where necessary.</p>
<p>Relatively tight working conditions, as with most residential interiors, presented the other big challenge here. This, together with Albertsson Hansen’s predisposition towards expansive spatial views, orthogonally framed, dictated the use of a wide angle tilt-shift lens.</p>
<p>In this case, I used only my super-wide 17mm Canon tilt-shift lens, even though I’ve found that longer lenses can produce a pleasing compression of perspective when working space is sufficient. Under these circumstances, the “17” was indispensable for managing perspective and composition, and also for capturing an orthogonally framed panoramic view of the kitchen, even with very little working room.</p>
<p>Following is the panoramic kitchen view.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/libpol49dspzua.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/libpol49dspzua_small.jpg" alt="Loft918N3rdSt_20150223-03.jpg"></a></p>
<p>View this image larger at: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/16625972868/in/album-72157650889654947/lightbox/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/16625972868/in/album-72157650889654947/lightbox/</a></p>
<p>Note that this image consists of three separate captures - one with the lens centered, and two others with the lens shifted left and then right, as follows.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/31mjca6y6zskda.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/31mjca6y6zskda_small.jpg" alt="Loft918N3rdSt_20150223_Blog-04.jpg"></a></p>
<p>These three separate images where stitched together seamlessly in Photoshop to create the panorama. I “popped” the strobe, aimed separately, for each capture, and in post-production, Photoshop blended the fill lighting seamlessly.</p>
<p>The other challenges in this project presented themselves during post-production. Turns out my client was unhappy with the clock and the dining room light fixture in the following image, as shot in the kitchen/dining area.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/we8tmtkptry2fq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/we8tmtkptry2fq_small.jpg" alt="Loft918N3rdSt_20150223-02X.jpg"></a></p>
<p>At my client’s request, I removed them with post-production edits in Photoshop, as follows.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/l0vehr0vfwakq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/l0vehr0vfwakq_small.jpg" alt="Loft918N3rdSt_20150223-02.jpg"></a></p>
<p>View this image larger at: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/16813524835/in/album-72157650889654947/lightbox/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/16813524835/in/album-72157650889654947/lightbox/</a></p>
<p>There are a number of ways to achieve this result. In this case, I used the cloning tool and the healing brush on a copy of the image, preserving the original file. An alternative for complex edits would be to select the area to be edited, paste it in place, and make the edits on this separate layer, which could then be switched on or off to show or hide the edits.</p>
<p>The other conundrum that revealed itself in post production was the position of the living room easy chair, as shown in the first image above, and repeated here, as follows.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/wzgn01nz9mwxgq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/wzgn01nz9mwxgq_small.jpg" alt="Loft918N3rdSt_20150223-01X.jpg"></a></p>
<p>My client felt that the chair as found in the space, and represented here, attracted an inordinate amount of attention, and actually created a visual distraction. So, rather than re-shooting this view, we arrived at a compromise, which was to rotate the chair and the ottoman in the image so that they both sat parallel with the rest of the living room furniture, and would be seen in profile only, as follows.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ssplphqk3tzq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ssplphqk3tzq_small.jpg" alt="Loft918N3rdSt_20150223-01.jpg"></a></p>
<p>View this image larger at: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/16606234807/in/album-72157650889654947/lightbox/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/16606234807/in/album-72157650889654947/lightbox/</a></p>
<p>In this case, I made separate copies of the chair and the ottoman, rotated them using “perspective warp” in Photoshop under the edit menu, scaled them to suit, and inserted them into a copy of the image, while preserving the original file. There were some further retouches necessary to blend the modified chair and ottoman into the original view, and of course, the shadow of the chair and the ottoman needed to be modified slightly to represent their new positions.</p>
<p>I don’t like doing this. I’d much rather represent a scene as found with perhaps the necessary “styling” on location to suit the client. However, I can make these sorts of image manipulations, and I have under certain circumstances, usually at extra cost. AND - I’d note further that “the customer is always right”, so end of discussion! …just “another day at the office”.</p>
<p>Visit my Website here: <a href="http://siegerarchphoto.com">http://siegerarchphoto.com</a></p>
<p>My Behance Portfolio can be seen here: <a href="https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger">https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger</a></p>
tag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:Post/architectural-photography-gabriele-basilico2015-01-13T10:40:36-08:002015-01-13T10:40:36-08:00Architectural Photography: Gabriele Basilico<p>My previous post was all about my heroes of architectural photography: Eugene Atget, Gabriele Basilico, Robert Polidori, Ezra Stoller and Balthazar Korab. </p>
<p>Following is a little more - a glimpse - about Basilico. He looms large in my eyes, as do the others.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/jlwh56bvcnn2tw.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/jlwh56bvcnn2tw_small.jpg" alt="Basilico Portrait_20120508.jpg"></a></p>
<p>I mentioned that Basilico was very much a modern day Eugene Atget in some respects - notably in his street photography throughout many European cities. Here is an image that speaks to this notion:</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/g2xx2rmfsit4nq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/g2xx2rmfsit4nq_small.jpg" alt="Ault_1985_2011.jpg"></a></p>
<p>This is Ault, France, 1985 - Then & “Now”: Corner of Rue de la Peche & Rue de Saint-Valery.</p>
<p>Left: Street view as seen and photographed by Basilico in 1985.</p>
<p>Right: Screen capture of Google street view taken 26 years later in 2011.</p>
<p>View this image larger at: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/8504193205/in/photolist-">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/8504193205/in/photolist-</a></p>
<p>About his experience in 1985, Basilico said: “An old fashioned shop sign caught my eye and became the centre of interest in a space that struck me as magical and comforting. In the background, between buildings that make a harmonious composition, can be seen the sea, as flat as in a painting, a subtle invitation to escape.”</p>
<p>Basilico said it so well in both words and imagery. I find his description compelling in both respects (love his image here). By comparison though this location, as shown in 2011, has apparently lost much of the charm that caught Basilico’s eye in 1985. Sad how improvements made with best intentions can actually degrade a place in time. Or, is it simply that the light, Basilico’s timing and his rendering, makes all the difference? No doubt, a little of both.</p>
<p>Visit my Website here: <a href="http://siegerarchphoto.com">http://siegerarchphoto.com</a></p>
<p>My Behance Portfolio can be seen here: <a href="https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger">https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger</a></p>
tag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:Post/architectural-photography-my-heroes2015-01-07T10:24:26-08:002015-01-07T10:24:26-08:00Architectural Photography: My Heroes<p>In recent posts, I have spoken of my heroes – there are five of them, in no particular order: Ezra Stoller, Balthazar Korab, Robert Polidori, Gabriele Basilico, and Eugene Atget. They all have in common the use of the large format view camera, the architectural photographer’s tool of choice for decades, dating to Atget’s time. Yet, each of these architectural photographers has distinctly different sensibilities, and I am strongly influenced by each of them.</p>
<p>Eugene Atget</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/qzyoqfyil9hcq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/qzyoqfyil9hcq_small.jpg" alt="atget.JPG"></a></p>
<p>This photo was shot by photographer Berenice Abbott, shortly before Atget’s death in 1927. I couldn’t find a photo of Atget with his camera. He used a wooden view camera (nominally 8"x10" format) and exposed his images on 18x24 cm glass dry plates. He lived at 17bis Rue Campagne Premiere, Montparnasse, Paris, France, on the fifth floor of a walk-up at this address. He lugged his wooden camera and tripod, and his glass plates - a seriously heavy load - up and down the stairs of his apartment and throughout the streets of Paris, daily, shooting the architecture of old Paris for some thirty years - a physically demanding regimen by any standard. I’ve been completely taken with his unabashedly straight-forward Paris street photography, and have been studying his work for the past ten years, making several trips to Paris to shoot some fifty of the sites he photographed in his day. One of my favorite side-by-side, then and-now, comparisons can be seen on my Flickr site at:<br>
<a href="http://flic.kr/p/4rjLTW">http://flic.kr/p/4rjLTW</a></p>
<p>Gabriele Basilico</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/vmzwwlbtvp4qa.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/vmzwwlbtvp4qa_small.jpg" alt="basilico.JPG"></a></p>
<p>Here Basilico can be seen with his 4x5 Horseman view camera. It’s occurred to me that Basilico was very much a modern-day Eugene Atget, having photographed urban architectural landscapes throughout Europe on a broader scale. His images, shot almost exclusively on 4x5 film, in black and white, have completely captivated me.</p>
<p>Robert Polidori</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/rdob7gfxx1s0sa.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/rdob7gfxx1s0sa_small.jpg" alt="polidori.JPG"></a></p>
<p>Here Polidori can be seen with his 8x10 Arca-Swiss view camera and a long lens. Now here’s a real camera, the likes of which few of us use anymore - what with our petite DSLRs and iPhones. Polidori’s architectural images are typically huge, tack-sharp, and simply beautiful! They “tell it like it is”, without trying to distill out life’s clutter and complexity - what some photographers (notably Stoller - no criticism intended) would construe as distractions. I had the good fortune to meet Polidori and discuss his approach and methods several years ago, at the Weinstein Gallery here in Minneapolis. His images, printed and exhibited in sizes from 4'x5’ to 5'x7’ in size, where compelling. I had the feeling that I could literally walk into each of his scenes. He, like the four others - Atget, Basilico, Korab, and Stoller - has profoundly influenced my way of seeing things.</p>
<p>Ezra Stoller</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/bah48rxebyk8eq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/bah48rxebyk8eq_small.jpg" alt="stoller.JPG"></a></p>
<p>Here Stoller can be seen with his 8x10 Sinar Norma view camera. The size of that bag bellows is the clue to the format. Like Korab, I have watched Stoller’s work in the architectural magazines for years. Like Basilico, Polidori and Korab, much of Stoller’s work was captured by view camera (both 4x5 and 8x10 formats) on black and white film, before color film came widely into use. Stoller’s images are pristine, and precisely captured compositions, which speak to the essence of design, to the exclusion of all distractions. I am particularly fond of his black and white images, which continue to shape my sensibilities.</p>
<p>Balthazar Korab</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/m94lcea8bpxzew.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/m94lcea8bpxzew_small.jpg" alt="korab.JPG"></a></p>
<p>Here Korab can be seen with his 4x5 Sinar F2 view camera. I’ve watched Korab’s work in the architectural magazines for years, and through recent association with his son Christian, who grew up in his father’s studio, I’ve gained further insights into Korab’s work, his approach and his sensibilities as an architectural photographer. His images are sharply incisive, capturing the decisive moment, while often disregarding the conventional rules. He was known for insisting that one should not hesitate to shoot into the light. Korab, like Atget, Basilico, Polidori and Stoller, has profoundly influenced my way of seeing things.</p>
<p>Four out of five in this group shot much of their work in black and white. I am very much taken with the purity, simplicity, and abstract qualities of black and white images. I believe they speak to design in a superior way.</p>
<p>I’m also influenced by, and admire the work of, a whole host of other photographers - Ansel Adams (saw an exhibit of 70 of his prints recently at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona, MN - simply awesome), Edward Weston, Edward Steichen, Berenice Abbott, GE Kidder Smith, Richard Pare, Norman McGrath, Julius Shulman - the list is endless…</p>
<p>Visit my Website here: <a href="http://siegerarchphoto.com">http://siegerarchphoto.com</a></p>
<p>My Behance Portfolio can be seen here: <a href="https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger">https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger</a></p>
tag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:Post/architectural-photography-people-or-no-people-revisited2014-08-27T09:57:07-07:002014-08-27T09:57:07-07:00Architectural Photography: People or No People? (Revisited)<p>I’ve received some feedback on my recent post titled: “Architectural Photography: People or No People?” <a href="http://peterjsieger.svbtle.com/architectural-photography-people-or-no-people">http://peterjsieger.svbtle.com/architectural-photography-people-or-no-people</a></p>
<p>Truth be told, the feedback exposes that post for what it is: a rather narrow, pointed, and thinly veiled effort to justify my predisposition to exclude, or at least minimize, the use of people in my architectural images.</p>
<p>In that post, I conveniently ignored the notions:</p>
<p>1.) That architecture is fundamentally for people;</p>
<p>2.) That people in an image say something about how a space is used; and,</p>
<p>3.) That people actually create vitality in a place, which might otherwise be lifeless without them.</p>
<p>All of these arguments, while completely valid, take me in a direction which is opposite my now deeply ingrained sensibilities. As I mentioned in the post, I have been studying architectural photographers Balthazar Korab and Ezra Stoller (among others) for years - decades actually - and their tendencies to purity in their architectural images have completely taken me.</p>
<p>Here, for example, are three Korab images without people, followed by three Stoller images without people. These exude the kind of image purity that speaks solely to the architecture - the kind that underpins my own deep-set sensibilities.</p>
<p>The Korab images:</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/hjeyd5ghkggrcq.jpeg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/hjeyd5ghkggrcq_small.jpeg" alt="korab_01.jpeg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/0uepfvr8wv6izw.jpeg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/0uepfvr8wv6izw_small.jpeg" alt="korab_02.jpeg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/pib5ka5vsdtlrq.jpeg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/pib5ka5vsdtlrq_small.jpeg" alt="korab_03.jpeg"></a></p>
<p>The Stoller images:</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/b1a7idvzepx4iw.jpeg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/b1a7idvzepx4iw_small.jpeg" alt="stoller_01.jpeg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/adkgkifkkhdxiw.jpeg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/adkgkifkkhdxiw_small.jpeg" alt="stoller_02.jpeg"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/2zuvuyi7kvdvdg.jpeg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/2zuvuyi7kvdvdg_small.jpeg" alt="stoller_03.jpeg"></a></p>
<p>These are visually beautiful and evocative. Of course, I carefully selected each of these images, from what’s available on the internet, because they support my argument for minimalism and abstraction in architectural imaging. The black and white rendering actually enhances the abstract qualities of these images, much to my liking. The images were no doubt shot on black and white film, before architects and designers started demanding literal renderings in color.</p>
<p>Korab and Stoller did, of course, include people in their images. Following are examples, again carefully selected.</p>
<p>Korab:</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/tdp0wcave0refq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/tdp0wcave0refq_small.jpg" alt="korab_04.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Stoller:</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/38dlkfytu435a.jpeg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/38dlkfytu435a_small.jpeg" alt="stoller_04.jpeg"></a></p>
<p>Can you find the people in the Stoller image? The point, here, is that the people in these images do provide scale and a touch of humanity, but they do so without dominating the visual statement about the architecture.</p>
<p>In the end, the whole question is completely subjective, personal, and situational - both for the architect and the photographer. My own inclinations are more and more towards minimalism and abstraction in the interpretation of architectural subject matter. However, I find the demand among most architects and designers running contrary to these sensibilities, and more towards an intentionally literal interpretation of their work.</p>
<p>The bottom line, as far as I’m concerned, is that the use of people in an architectural image can either make or break the image, and must be treated with utmost care and deliberation - erring on the side of subtlety and understatement, so design intentions are clear, and there are no questions of emphasis.</p>
<p>For more on Architectural Photographer Balthazar Korab, see:<br>
<a href="http://www.balthazarkorab.com/01_biography.html">http://www.balthazarkorab.com/01_biography.html</a></p>
<p>For more on Architectural Photographer Ezra Stoller, See:<br>
<a href="http://ezrastoller.com/biography">http://ezrastoller.com/biography</a></p>
<p>P.S. I found the following image in a Twitter post by Architizer Magazine. Architizer gave no photographic credit, nor do they ever, much to my ongoing dismay.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/nomk9r4yev7eiw.jpeg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/nomk9r4yev7eiw_small.jpeg" alt="Architizer.jpeg"></a></p>
<p>This is a perfect example of what has become fashionable in architectural photography - i.e. the use (or shall I say the miss-use) of the blurred figure. This, in my opinion, epitomizes Webster’s definition of the word “trite” - something “lacking in freshness or effectiveness because of constant use or excessive repetition”. This deformation of the human figure dominates what might otherwise be a fine architectural representation of the space. How in the world did this image find its way through the post-production process? I have no issue with the figure behind the desk.</p>
<p>Visit my Website here: <a href="http://siegerarchphoto.com">http://siegerarchphoto.com</a></p>
<p>My Behance Portfolio can be seen here: <a href="https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger">https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger</a></p>
tag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:Post/architectural-photography-the-up-shot2014-08-01T07:37:41-07:002014-08-01T07:37:41-07:00Architectural Photography: The Up Shot<p>In a previous post titled: “Architectural Photography: Tilt-Shift” - <a href="http://peterjsieger.svbtle.com/architectural-photography-tiltshift">http://peterjsieger.svbtle.com/architectural-photography-tiltshift</a> - I outlined my thoughts on the critical importance of perspective control in architectural photography, either by use of the view camera - the architectural photographer’s tool of choice for decades - or by use of tilt-shift lenses on a DSLR.</p>
<p>It is critically important - whether shooting with a view camera, or a DSLR with tilt-shift lenses - to precisely level the camera when shooting architectural subject matter. Given the optics of lenses, particularly wide-angle lenses, a failure to do so results in the convergence (or divergence ) of verticals in an image, which in my opinion is the hallmark of poor technique, unless done so deliberately for the right reasons.</p>
<p>Having studied the architectural magazines for years, it became clear to me as I nurtured my own interest in architectural photography, that it was consistently accurate and precise rendering of perspective that distinguished the professional architectural photographers - Balthazar Korab, Ezra Stoller, Julius Shulman, Norman McGrath, and others - from the amateurs. Even so, I observed, there were times when the masters departed from the orthodox and intentionally pointed their cameras up (or down), resulting in the convergence (or divergence) of verticals in an image, when necessary for interpretive purposes.</p>
<p>Following are examples from my own work, which illustrate both the orthodox - well captured and precisely rendered perspective - and the departure from the orthodox - pointing the camera intentionally up (or down) - to capture a unique aspect of form or space.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/0h7282wt5vhaog.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/0h7282wt5vhaog_small.jpg" alt="Mpls_Skyways_20110216_Blog-04.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Orthodox - what I’ll call “conventional perspective”, accurately captured (in camera) and rendered: A view of the atrium at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis. This image was shot with a 17mm tilt-shift lens with a shift upwards to capture the “lift” in the atrium without compromising the verticals in the image. The camera was precisely leveled to render the verticals truly vertical.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/5543803581/in/set-72157626309932830">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/5543803581/in/set-72157626309932830</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ogxguskmmfcjg.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ogxguskmmfcjg_small.jpg" alt="Mpls_Skyway_20110124_Blog-25.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Unorthodox - unconventional perspective with sharply converging verticals: An “upshot” in the atrium at the Hennepin County Government Center. This image was also shot with a 17mm lens, and although the verticals are compromised (deliberately so), the image captures the soaring quality of the atrium space in a way that could not be achieved with conventional perspective.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/5544380160/in/set-72157626309932830">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/5544380160/in/set-72157626309932830</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/wnwxkgdrpww.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/wnwxkgdrpww_small.jpg" alt="Palau_Güell_20130403_Blog-04.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Orthodox - conventional perspective, accurately rendered: A view of the light well in Antoni Gaudi’s Palau Güell, in Barcelona, Spain. This image was shot with a 17mm tilt-shift lens with a slight shift upwards. The camera in this case was hand-held and leveled to the extent possible, with slight corrections to verticals made later in Photoshop to preserve the integrity of intention.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/11329986686/in/set-72157638589319795">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/11329986686/in/set-72157638589319795</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/dyjil7mqcug9w.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/dyjil7mqcug9w_small.jpg" alt="Palau_Güell_20130403_Blog-05.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Unorthodox - unconventional perspective with sharply converging verticals: An “upshot” in the light well at Palau Güell. This image was also shot with a 17mm tilt-shift lens, and although the verticals are compromised (deliberately so), the image captures a much more expansive view of the light well in a way that could not be achieved with conventional perspective.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/11330013584/in/set-72157638589319795">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/11330013584/in/set-72157638589319795</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/v9fjdudp8isqq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/v9fjdudp8isqq_small.jpg" alt="Olson_20120425_Blog-247.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Orthodox - conventional perspective, accurately captured and rendered: A view of the stair at the Olson headquarters in Minneapolis. This image was shot with a 24mm tilt-shift lens with a shift upwards to generate a feeling of “lift” in the space. The camera was precisely leveled to render the verticals truly vertical.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/7474117476/in/set-72157630359220208">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/7474117476/in/set-72157630359220208</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/fr7egpgswphjxw.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/fr7egpgswphjxw_small.jpg" alt="Olson_20120425_Blog-248.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Unorthodox - unconventional perspective with sharply diverging verticals: A “downshot” in the stair at Olson headquarters. This image was also shot with a 24mm lens, and although the verticals are compromised (deliberately so), the image represents another way of seeing the space.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/7474110542/in/set-72157630359220208">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/7474110542/in/set-72157630359220208</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/kxastpdxkeznfq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/kxastpdxkeznfq_small.jpg" alt="Olson_20120425_Blog-264.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Orthodox - conventional perspective, accurately captured and rendered: A view of the building exterior at the Olson headquarters in Minneapolis. This image was shot with a 17mm tilt-shift lens with a shift upwards to cover the top of the building without compromising the verticals. The camera was precisely leveled to render the verticals truly vertical.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/7474089276/in/set-72157630359220208">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/7474089276/in/set-72157630359220208</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/5oayzyc5lruqsw.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/5oayzyc5lruqsw_small.jpg" alt="Olson_20120425_Blog-262.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Unorthodox - unconventional perspective with sharply converging verticals: An “upshot” of the building exterior at Olson headquarters. This image was shot with a 24-120mm zoom lens at 57mm, and although the verticals are compromised (deliberately so), the image represents a more detailed view of the graphics on the ceilings of the elevator lobbies. This shot was very capably done for me by Pete VonDeLinde, my assistant on the shoot. Pete and I scrambled to shoot this pair of images simultaneously as the daylight was rapidly waning.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/7474093978/in/set-72157630359220208">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/7474093978/in/set-72157630359220208</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ojureugffdvoma.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/ojureugffdvoma_small.jpg" alt="Target_Headquarters_Blog-1.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Orthodox - conventional perspective, accurately captured and rendered: A view of the building exterior at the Target headquarters in Minneapolis. This image was shot with a 24mm tilt-shift lens with a shift upwards to cover the top of the building without compromising the verticals. The camera was precisely leveled to render the verticals truly vertical.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/3665128905/in/set-72157620499662423">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/3665128905/in/set-72157620499662423</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/x5r1wzkobpxa.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/x5r1wzkobpxa_small.jpg" alt="Target_Headquarters_Blog-3.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Unorthodox - unconventional perspective with sharply converging verticals: An “upshot” of the building exterior at Target headquarters. This image was shot with a 24mm lens, and although the verticals are compromised (deliberately so), the image represents a more detailed view of the exterior architecture.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/337709307/in/photolist-87fSAw-87fSDU-vQRdg">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/337709307/in/photolist-87fSAw-87fSDU-vQRdg</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/bapjp5fkemx6lq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/bapjp5fkemx6lq_small.jpg" alt="P_Sieger_Residence_Blog-1.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above, The Unorthodox - unconventional perspective with sharply diverging verticals: A “downshot” in my living room. I don’t have a more conventional counterpart to this image. It was shot with a 24mm lens, and although the verticals are compromised (again, deliberately so), the image represents a more intimate view of the seating arrangement than might otherwise be obtained with more conventional perspective.</p>
<p>View this image larger here: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/1752114707/in/set-72157602706060002">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/1752114707/in/set-72157602706060002</a></p>
<p>The moral of this story is that for every rule, there is an exception. In my view accurately rendered perspective - uncompromised verticals in the image capture and/or rendering - is the rule in architectural photography. However, departure from the rule - seeing form and space in unconventional ways - is completely valid, particularly when it produces exceptional results, and is done deliberately, in no uncertain terms.</p>
<p>Visit my Website here: <a href="http://siegerarchphoto.com">http://siegerarchphoto.com</a></p>
<p>My Behance Portfolio can be seen here: <a href="https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger">https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger</a></p>
tag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:Post/architectural-photography-more-on-collaboration-and-creativity2014-07-25T09:01:38-07:002014-07-25T09:01:38-07:00Architectural Photography: More on Collaboration and Creativity<p>My wife, Kathi, and I subscribe to the New York Times - not the online version, but the hard copy which is delivered to our doorstep every Sunday Morning. I frame this as “our” subscription for reasons which will become clear later in this post. You may wonder what this has to do with architectural photography - read on.</p>
<p>As a rule, Kathi starts with the “Sunday Styles” section of the Sunday Times, and then she moves on to the “Book Review” and other sections of the paper. I start with the front page and then gravitate to the “Sunday Review” section, which I generally read cover to cover. Often I stretch the “Sunday Review” over the course of an entire week, savoring every bit of it.</p>
<p>Today (Friday - late in the current week), I read an article titled: “The End of ‘Genius’”. I overlooked it at first and nearly missed it! Thankfully I was scrounging around for some reading over breakfast, and read this, having consumed everything else in the Review, earlier in the week.</p>
<p>This article speaks to creativity, and dispels the notion of solo “genius”. It attributes the “romantic genius”, often associated with the likes of Shakespeare, Freud, Martin Luther King, Monet, Renoir, Picasso, Einstein, Lennon, McCartney and others, as actually rooted in collaboration by all realistic accounts.</p>
<p>This article spoke to me, and reinforced all of my feelings about the value of collaboration - much of which I related in a previous post, titled: “Architectural Photography: Is There a Case for Collaboration?” <a href="http://peterjsieger.svbtle.com/architectural-photography-is-there-a-case-for-collaboration">http://peterjsieger.svbtle.com/architectural-photography-is-there-a-case-for-collaboration</a>.</p>
<p>What really surprised me though was the notion, suggested later in the article, that the highest and best forms of collaboration occur in individuals working together in pairs - Kathi and me on an interpersonal level; Lennon and McCartney in their music.</p>
<p>Read the complete article here. Don’t miss it!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/20/opinion/sunday/the-end-of-genius.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/20/opinion/sunday/the-end-of-genius.html</a></p>
<p>I also think immediately of Joan Soranno and John Cook, the two Minneapolis architects who where the collective genius behind HGA’s award winning Lakewood Garden Mausoleum, and for whom a personal collaboration of architectural photographers produced a four and one-half minute short film showcasing the architecture. The short film follows.</p>
<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/89849607" width="500" height="281"></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/89849607">https://vimeo.com/89849607</a></p>
<p>Make no mistake about it, Soranno and Cook worked with scores of others - architects, engineers, designers, technicians, drafters, builders, managers, administrators and others (see film credits for a short-list) - but it was their collaboration as a pair - husband and wife, no less - that was behind the execution and delivery of this master work.</p>
<p>On a personal level, in my own working experience, I also think of Christian Korab and Pete VonDeLinde, two of the six collaborators in the making of the Lakewood Garden Mausoleum short film.</p>
<p>Though Pete and Christian always worked closely with the other four of us (and from time to time, five of us), I’ve observed that they also worked exceedingly well as a pair of collaborators, a subset of the larger group. They have a certain working chemistry that played well into the making of the Mausoleum short film, and other works undertaken within the framework of our collaboration. Following is an image, shot at the University of Minnesota Science Teaching and Student Services Building - one that the two of them produced together at a workshop on 4" x 5" large format photography. This, among other examples of their work, attests to the excellence that comes from their unique working relationship.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/xpiw92xlstyoa.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/xpiw92xlstyoa_small.jpg" alt="Blog1-Up_STSS_PVCMK.jpg"></a></p>
<p>I’ve personally worked closely with Tom Dolan, not only in the context of our larger group, but before that collaboration, as well. Tom introduced me to the notion of the muse, also mentioned in the Times article. I was never sure how the muse actually manifests itself, but I’m sure it is real. Imagine an artist without a muse, or an architect (or architectural photographer) without a client. Surely there are no solo efforts; there is no solo genius.</p>
<p>I, for one, am a much better architectural photographer owing to the collective benefits of collaboration, and my working relationships with Pete VonDeLinde, Marc Ofsthun, Elliot Stevenson, Rob McIntosh, Tom Dolan and Christian Korab.</p>
<p>Visit my Website here: <a href="http://siegerarchphoto.com">http://siegerarchphoto.com</a></p>
<p>My Behance Portfolio can be seen here: <a href="https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger">https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger</a></p>
tag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:Post/architectural-photography-postprocessing-with-luminosity-masks2014-07-15T10:39:18-07:002014-07-15T10:39:18-07:00Architectural Photography: Image Post-Processing with Luminosity Masks<p>Good friend, colleague and fellow photographer, Bill Meschke, steered me on to a series of tutorials on the use of luminosity masks presented by Photographer Tony Kuyper. View these at: </p>
<p><a href="http://www.goodlight.us/writing/luminositymasks/luminositymasks-1.html">http://www.goodlight.us/writing/luminositymasks/luminositymasks-1.html</a></p>
<p>Post-Processing images with luminosity masks would appear to have some real promise.</p>
<p>With instructions included in the tutorials, I have generated Photoshop actions for the selection of fifteen different tonal ranges in an image. These can be used for quickly placing luminosity layer masks within an image, a process that would be tedious and time consuming without the actions.</p>
<p>I’ve also begun to experiment with the use of luminosity masks to optimize color and tonality in image post-production. Here’s an early attempt in an image shot recently at the John Deere & Company World Headquarters. This image was shot with a 24mm tilt-shift lens on my Canon 5D Mark II.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/jzfs4dnuqdj76q.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/jzfs4dnuqdj76q_small.jpg" alt="Deere_20140714_Before-After_1700-01.jpg"></a></p>
<p>The image on the left is the camera raw capture; the image on the right includes curves layer masks for “lights”, “mid-tones”, and “darks”.</p>
<p>View this image comparison larger at:<br>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/14476014530/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/14476014530/</a></p>
<p>Granted, it will take me a while to get the feel of this and adapt it to my post-production workflow, but I believe this has a good deal of promise, particularly when the right masks are paired up with the right images.</p>
<p>Visit my Website here: <a href="http://siegerarchphoto.com">http://siegerarchphoto.com</a></p>
<p>My Behance Portfolio can be seen here: <a href="https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger">https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger</a></p>
tag:peterjsieger.svbtle.com,2014:Post/architectural-photography-the-wide-view2014-06-30T10:25:52-07:002014-06-30T10:25:52-07:00Architectural Photography: Panorama - The Wide View<p>On occasion the panorama is useful way of describing the contextual setting of a building or site, whether in an urban or natural landscape. In addition, I have found that a number of architects and designers simply like the look of an image with an elongated horizontal aspect ratio, if only in part because the aspect ratios of computer monitors, flat screen TV’s and hand held viewing devices all tend to be more or less horizontal.</p>
<p>There are several ways to produce an effective panorama. The simplest and most obvious is to shoot a wide horizontal view and crop down the image, removing un-necessary sky and foreground. The compromise here is the significant loss of image “real estate” - 50% to 75% in some cases - depending on the horizontality desired - resulting in relatively low resolution images.</p>
<p>Another much more effective way of producing panoramas is to use a camera specifically designed for such purposes. These cameras come in both analog (film) and digital versions, and can be quite expensive.</p>
<p>The Widelux 1500 and Noblex Pro systems use 120 roll film, and retail for $3,500 to to $5,000. They come with built-in 50mm lenses. The Noblex Pro 175 U system offers focus control and shift for architectural applications.</p>
<p>The Linhof Technorama 617s III uses 120 or 220 roll film, and accommodates a variety of interchangeable Schneider lenses, varying in focal length from 72mm to the longer 250mm. This system offers a shift adapter for lenses from 72mm to 110mm focal lengths. The shift range of 28 mm (14mm up and 14mm down) is extremely wide, making it particularly attractive to architectural photographers. This camera with a single lens, without the shift adapter, retails as a kit for $10,000.</p>
<p>The Seitz 6x17 digital camera, shown here, will produce huge 160 megapixel images. </p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/sq3xgb43w4oqq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/sq3xgb43w4oqq_small.jpg" alt="Seitz-6x17-Digital__600x100_Blog.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Seitz claims that this camera brings to photography what IMAX brings to cinema. This camera accommodates Schneider lenses in focal lengths from 90mm to 250mm. All lenses can be shifted to the full extent of their image circles (+/- 15mm) making this system particularly well suited to architectural applications. The Seitz 6x17 camera body with scan back retails for $38,000. Lenses, and accessories come at extra cost, easily pushing this system into the $40,000 to $50,000 price range.</p>
<p>There are, however, more cost effective ways of producing high quality, high resolution panoramas, that do not necessarily involve the use of specialized panorama cameras. These involve - guess what - my tools of choice (shown here) - the view camera by image cropping, and the DSLR by image compositing.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/65exuejssmfdmg.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/65exuejssmfdmg_small.jpg" alt="F1_5DMKII__Blog.jpg"></a></p>
<p>By shooting multiple images with the DSLR, and then stitching together the images using Adobe Photoshop’s built-in features, one can make seamless composite panoramas of significant size, and high quality, varying in aspect ratio.</p>
<p>I’ve produced effective panoramas in three ways. The first involves cropping down an image shot on 4"x 5" film. This method will yield a finished image from 25 to 50 megapixels or more, from a high resolution drum scan. </p>
<p>The second involves the use of a wide angle tilt-shift lens, on a DSLR - shifting extreme left and then progressively extreme right, capturing up to three overlapping images, and then stitching them together in a seamless composite.</p>
<p>The third method involves the use of a normal lens to moderate telephoto lens on a DSLR - shooting overlapping images - up to 19 thus in my experience - in vertical format to maximize the vertical dimension of the resulting composite.</p>
<p>Following are a variety of images I’ve done using these methods. The largest of these, shot at the Lakewood Garden Mausoleum in South Minneapolis (4th image below), is a 19 image composite, shot with a 90mm tilt-shift lens in vertical format. The image measures 84.2" wide by 18.4" high by 300 pixels per inch - a 139 megapixel image! View these images larger on a computer monitor, from links below, for full visual impact.</p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/hzifhgcbrup3xq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/hzifhgcbrup3xq_small.jpg" alt="Mill_City_Museum-1.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above - Minneapolis, Riverfront: Flatbed scan from 4" x 5" Kodak Ektachrome, cropped to panorama proportions. Image size: 2.5" x 6.4" x 300ppi (1.5 megapixels, as scanned - could have been scanned much larger). This image effectively shows MS&R’s Washburn Crosby ‘A’ Mill / Mill City Museum (center/left) in the context of the Minneapolis riverfront. View larger at: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/288044731/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/288044731/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/2d9nyp2cpe14wg.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/2d9nyp2cpe14wg_small.jpg" alt="Cinco_Pershing_20131002-7505-7512.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above - Hayward, Wisconsin Residence, Albertsson Hansen Architecture: Canon 17mm tilt-shift lens, horizontal; 2 image composite; image size: 12.4" x 27.8" x 300ppi (31 megapixels). View larger at: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/12461549833/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/12461549833/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/gzkcasvq4gdnw.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/gzkcasvq4gdnw_small.jpg" alt="Lakewood_20131010-02.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above - Lakewood Garden Mausoleum, HGA: Canon 45mm tilt-shift lens, vertical; 16 image composite; image size: 52.6" x 17.7" x 300ppi (84 megapixels). View larger at: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/10215584346/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/10215584346/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/nfpnhossbpdva.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/nfpnhossbpdva_small.jpg" alt="Lakewood_20131010-03.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above - Lakewood Garden Mausoleum, HGA: Canon 90mm tilt-shift lens, vertical; 19 image composite; image size: 84.2" x 18.4" x 300ppi (139 megapixels). View larger at: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/10215286615/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterjsieger/10215286615/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/lxafvymaythnkw.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/lxafvymaythnkw_small.jpg" alt="St_Paul_MN_20100531-01.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above - St. Paul skyline from High Bridge: Canon 24mm - 105mm zoom lens at 105mm, vertical; 16 image composite; image size: 65.5" x 9.0" x 300ppi (53 megapixels). View larger (pan to view complete image) at: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/23944110@N00/4669609264/sizes/o/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/23944110@N00/4669609264/sizes/o/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://svbtleusercontent.com/fmzvujqmd2jsgq.jpg"><img src="https://svbtleusercontent.com/fmzvujqmd2jsgq_small.jpg" alt="St_Paul_MN_20100531-02.jpg"></a></p>
<p>Above - City House and St. Paul Riverfront from Harriet Island: Canon 24mm - 105mm zoom lens at 60mm, vertical; 11 image composite; image size: 50.8" x 9.0" x 300ppi (41 megapixels). This image effectively describes MS&R’s City House adaptive reuse/renovation/rehabilitation - formerly Federal Barge No. 1 Municipal Elevator - (tall structure, far left in panorama) in the context of the St. Paul riverfront. View larger (pan to view complete image) at: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/23944110@N00/4669685472/sizes/o/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/23944110@N00/4669685472/sizes/o/</a></p>
<p>Once again, the DSLR comes out on top for its high quality image capabilities, it’s versatility, and last but not least, it’s cost effectiveness. And, the view camera remains a close second.</p>
<p>For more on panorama photography, see: <a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panoramic_photography">http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panoramic_photography</a></p>
<p>My Website can be found here: <a href="http://siegerarchphoto.com">http://siegerarchphoto.com</a></p>
<p>My Behance Portfolio can be seen here: <a href="https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger">https://www.behance.net/peterjsieger</a></p>