Dane Alonso | Architectural Photography Almanac

Mastering Haze: Farzad’s Nifty Technique for Controlling Artificial Lights

by Dane Alonso

Back in March, Farzad of Nimkat Studio based in Tehran reached out to me with something intriguing. He mentioned an efficient technique to eliminate haze and crazy highlights in interior photography. And just last week, he finally shared the video with me.

AI is Here to Stay: Say Hello to Photoshop’s Generative Fill

by Dane Alonso

Let’s be honest removing/adding objects in our work is time-consuming and complex and the available tools in Photoshop were… not so good. But that might be a thing of the past thanks to Photoshop’s new tool: Generative Fill. The AI narrative is everywhere right now, however you needed third-party programs like DALL-E to really integrate AI capabilities into our workflow (check out Kyrre Sundal post on the topic ).

Check Out This Lightroom Tips and Tricks Compilation

by Dane Alonso

Youtube can be a great learning source for photographers, however, I find that the algorithm constantly recommends click-bait videos with yelling presenters that might not be for everyone. Last week I stumbled upon a video worth sharing by Landscape Photographer Christian Möhrle in which he compiles Lightroom tips and tricks in a comprehensive way.

Editing a Photo in Under 2 Minutes using Capture One’s Magic Brush

by Dane Alonso

One of the most overlooked features of RAW processing software is the ability to create masks based on color values. Lightroom has recently introduced Range Masks, a feature that I constantly use on my edits. As a response, Capture One has come up with a new feature in the latest software update: the Magic Brush.

PiXimperfect’s Take on Luminosity Masking With Lumenzia

by Dane Alonso

When it comes to Photoshop tutorials and luminosity masking software I have two clear favorites: Unmesh Dinda and Lumenzia. It was a no-brainer to share this PiXimperfect video featuring an extensive review of Lumenzia.Unmesh’s teachings are extensive and clear.

CamRanger 2: A Non-Tethered Shooter’s Review

by Dane Alonso

What are the key factors that drive architectural photographers to shoot tethered? I have been shooting untethered for the last 3 years and the question has popped up more than once in my mind. Recently there was an opportunity here at APAlmanac to do a review of the CamRanger 2 (Thanks Dave!)

Ever Wanted To Take Vertical Photos With Your Drone? Here’s The Work-Around!

by Dane Alonso

Being a newcomer to drone photography, I was quite upset to know that my Mavic 2 Pro was not able to snap vertical photographs right off the bat. Luckily the workaround for the situation is a rather simple one, and one already known by most photographers — creating a vertical panorama.

‘You Who Look’ – A James Turrell short Documentary on Light and Perception

by Dane Alonso

James Turrell is an American artist recognized for his work with light and space. This LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) produced documentary shares his personal background and experiments with light as a medium that creates spaces and alters perception.

On Architectural Filmmaking with Juan Benavides from FILMATICA

by Dane Alonso

Juan Benavides is a Mexican architect and filmmaker currently based in the Netherlands.He describes himself as someone working in and around architecture. This acknowledgment allows him to shift across his various creative interests, engaging in projects that range from architectural design and academic research to videography, photography, and music.

Reducing Haze with Lumenzia: A Quick Tutorial For Dealing With Overhead Lighting

by Dane Alonso

Lately, I have been shooting corporate interiors. The projects are usually well lit common spaces or executive offices next to a window. The rest of the spaces are mostly lit with artificial light. Although I typically like shooting with natural light only, on these projects, I must turn on and feature the practical lighting as a design element.

ArcDog Blends Motion and Stills to Document Zumthor’s ‘Shelter For Ruman Ruins’

by Dane Alonso

One of my first posts featured my visit to one of the first projects ever built by Peter Zumthor: The Shelter for Roman Ruins in Chur, Switzerland. Recently, the Youtube algorithm redirected me to an ArcDog’s video featuring an architectural film of the same project.

Quarantine Challenge: Rendering One of My Own Photographs

by Dane Alonso

Have you ever had a client ask you to take a photo that looks like a previously made render? I bet that most of us architectural photographers have been confronted with this (at times impossible) task. As a result of quarantine boredom, an interesting thought occurred to me: What if I were to invert this process, trying to replicate one of my actual photographs using a rendering program?

Creating a Postcard Portfolio

by Dane Alonso

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a portfolio? Normally I would think of a digital portfolio or — if budget allows — a printed book. However, during the quarantine, I made some test prints that were accidentally about the size of a postcard.

Breaking Down Printing Concepts with Mitch Boyer from Nice Art Prints

by Dane Alonso

This is a shootout to the Nice Art Prints Youtube channel by Mitch Boyer. Unfortunately, I just discovered that the channel has not been updated since July 2020 due to business closure. However, it stands as one of the best resources out there for people interested in knowing more about printing.

Geared Head Review: Arca Swiss Core 75

by Dane Alonso

Finally! A review of the latest Arca Swiss geared head — the Core 75 — a.k.a the mini-cube, or the cylinder. The Core 75 is a strong contender to join the ranks of the ultimate geared head among the D4 and the C1 Cube. Even with the amount of marketing around the Core 75, it is still difficult to find accurate information or a review delving into its features and functionality.

Capture One 21: Big Update?

by Dane Alonso

When it comes to RAW photo editing software there are two major players: Lightroom and Capture One. I am always open to learning new software and I have tried to transport my whole editing process from Lr to C1 a couple of times before. C1s latest upgrade had a lot of marketing around it, so I decided to check the new features.

Tim’s Vermeer: A Documentary on how to Paint as Accurate as a Camera

by Dane Alonso

Previously I shared a video about six artists to study for architectural photography. Johannes Vermeer, the 17th-century Dutch master, was at the top of that list. More recently I watched “Tim’s Vermeer”, a documentary about one peculiar academic of Vermeer’s work.

Behind the Monitor: Three Apps That Improve My Architectural Photography Workflow

by Dane Alonso

Let’s be honest. Many of us spend more computer time than we would like to admit. Having an efficient workflow in the office allows us to free up more time for sessions — plus your eyes and back will thank you for it! In this post, I share three apps that are essential in my in-office workflow.

Creating Spaces Through Photography: Duoseries by Denisa Balaj

by Dane Alonso

Meet Denisa Balaj, a Romanian architect based in Switzerland and the creator of Duoseries. We crossed paths in 2015 during my studies at the University of Liechtenstein, since then I have been following her project. Duoseries is a photographic project that builds new spaces through the combination of two or more photographs.

Zupagrafika: The Studio Celebrating Modernist and Brutalist Architecture

by Dane Alonso

David Navarro and Martyna Sobecka are the founders of Zupagrafika, a creative studio based in Poland celebrating modernist architecture, design and photography in a unique and playful way. Since 2012 David and Martyna have been traveling, photographing and illustrating post-war modernist and brutalist architecture, especially in the former Eastern Bloc.Their