Using tungsten and fluorescent indoors

[yobenny]

I have been studying building photography a bit, I am hoping to pick up some projects producing photo layouts for real estate sales.
Adjusting the camera and shooting in raw can fix some problems, but I am seeing situations where more light is needed and flash is not the right color.
Some rooms and environments look much better with tungsten or already have mostly fluorescent lighting.
It may be more work than some want to do, but I just think I see that using more light, and the right light, in many situations makes an image that is superior to any camera or adobe adjustments.

I am pondering how to assemble a lighting tool kit that is versatile and can produce several colors of light and varying degrees of intensity. It's more work and expense, but when looking for an edge in a service, this looks like one that isn't being exploited very much, at least in the real estate listing that I have seen. (we are currently shopping ourselves)
When you see a good layout, you can instantly tell it, even if you arent paying attention to what they actually did to create it, and I think this projects a positive feeling about a property that will entice more investigation.

Anyway I appreciate any insight into this.

[PhotomanJohn]

Benny - Often speed lights come with colored filters to modify their output to approximate either tungsten or fluorescent lights. Filter kits are also available if your flash did not come with them. As far as intensity, the output of the flash can be controlled manually and modifiers like umbrellas can be used to spread the light as needed. All this can also be done with studio strobes which have a lot more output but more to carry around.

John

[yobenny]

How do you get your best performance and value out of these? Does this type kit seem feasible?

Lighting Kit

[shreds]

There are many tricks and techniques utilised by those who do this regularly, but in addition to adding coloured light particularly with Pocket Wizards, do consider what HDR can bring to the table for you. (Although in the UK, I have noticed a typical over-saturated intensity starting to show itself, even at the hi-end of the market and it looks dreadful.)

[yobenny]

All of the HDR that I have seen simply looks HDR, it is over done. I do think it has potential but am yet to try and work with it.
It seems tough to get that bigger than life sensation out of HDR without overdoing it.

[HaseebM]

The 600 EX RT comes with two clip in filters. I find the HDR merging with PaintshopPro does not over do the effect.

[Manfred M]

All of the HDR that I have seen simply looks HDR, it is over done. I do think it has potential but am yet to try and work with it.
It seems tough to get that bigger than life sensation out of HDR without overdoing it.

That is likely because most of the HDR people show uses some form of grunge filter and that has unfortunately become the most common form we tend to see.

Some HDR can look quite realisitic, especially if it is applied tastefully. There are a lot of other tone mapping schemes available that do not overdo it.

[Polar01]

Benny: here is an HDR image, you know it is because there is no way in heck that it could be done another other way, with out a lot of lighting equipment. I have been told by a number of people who shot in that building and use it a lot that is looks just like that to the human eye. It is all in the way that you do it, with time and practice it is not that hard to get the outcome that you want.

Cheers:

Allan

[William W]

Excellent Skills Allan.

WW

[inkista]

You could also use exposure fusion instead of HDR. I use enfuse (via the LR/Enfuse plugin in Lightroom) rather than HDR, because I'm so damn lazy. No tonemapping required.

[pnodrog]

Benny it is a bit hard to offer any advise on the lighting until you tell us what camera you decided to go for and what level of the real estate market you are shooting for. At the low end it is almost run in then run out for the photographer and you certainly do not want to be lugging more than a couple of flash units. Not many vendors are prepared to pay for a 2-3hr photography session. However occasionally a premium property with a matching marketing budget does crop up and warrants a far longer visit or even a return visit for evening shots etc. So you will need to factor in how much time you have for set up etc in making the equipment choice.

[pnodrog]

Just came across this site http://photographyforrealestate.net/ that may be worth looking at.

[yobenny]

Thanks for the link a $24/hr shoot rate sure is depressing I wont get out of bed for that..........

I am moving to the florida coast where there are some pretty high priced abodes, condos, vacation rentals, and normal housing that isnt beachfront.
There is some high end work there I am pretty sure.
But $100 for a 3 hour shoot well I have better things to do that that honestly...
I am still looking at the 800E but wondering if I shouldnt just find an older full frame instead.

[pnodrog]

Thanks for the link a $24/hr shoot rate sure is depressing I wont get out of bed for that..........

I am moving to the florida coast where there are some pretty high priced abodes, condos, vacation rentals, and normal housing that isnt beachfront.
There is some high end work there I am pretty sure.
But $100 for a 3 hour shoot well I have better things to do that that honestly...
I am still looking at the 800E but wondering if I shouldnt just find an older full frame instead.

Hi Benny - over here which is a completely different market the medium level auction properties tend to have an advertising package that includes $150 to $400 worth of photography. The very upper end of the market may even include aerial shots, evening shots etc and may run to several thousand dollars plus costs. However the bulk of work is at the lower end and you need to rush in grab the shots and then rush out to make it worthwhile but I understand it can be reasonably worthwhile.

[William W]

I use enfuse (via the LR/Enfuse plugin in Lightroom) rather than HDR,

Thank you. Valuable info.

WW

[rpcrowe]

It is said among real estate folks here in the USA that ten percent of the agents make ninety percent of the money. I have seen some very schlocky (that's a technical photographic term, isn't it) images even for properties running a million U.S. Dollars or more.

These days with the Internet bringing in many of the customers, good images to advertise your property seems like the way to go. After all, the commission on a million dollar sale is sixty thousand dollars to be split between listing and selling agent or totally for one agent if he does both. It seems to me that a sixty thousand dollar sale might be worth a few hundred dollars in advertising costs...

[Rob Ekins]

Benny,
Also take a look at the photography for real estate Flickr group.

Lots of good info there on all aspects of the industry.

And take a look at Lighting interiors by Scott Hargis. Well worth the money.

Scotts Blog is not bad either..


Robbie.