Mike Kelley | Architectural Photography Almanac

One Of The Fastest Ways To Become a Better Photographer

Mike KelleySeptember 10, 2019September 10, 2019 4

Sorry, I'm clickbaiting you here. There are a few oft-repeated phrases that will help you to "become a better photographer." These platitudes include things such as placing yourself in more interesting situations, concerning yourself (a true master, of course) with the qualities of light rather than gear, slowing down to make better photographs, speeding up to make better photographs, and on and on. I'm here to tell you that the single most important thing is...

Rendered Images Disqualify Project From Final Stage of Dezeen Awards

Mike KelleySeptember 9, 2019September 9, 2019 0

In the ongoing discussion of renders vs. reality, a very keen-eyed Dezeen viewer noticed that a shortlisted project for the 2019 Dezeen Awards was actually a render, not a photo. As renders improve more and more every day, is this something that will begin to permeate architecture awards and photography contests?

What’s Your Excuse for Not Mastering the Pen Tool?

Mike KelleySeptember 5, 2019 6

It’s 2019, y’all. There is no excuse for not knowing how to use the pen tool in Photoshop. It’s an absolutely essential part of any retouching workflow for architecture photographers and I still know lots of people who struggle with it, even though it’s as easy as pie. If you haven’t mastered it already, I’m going to show you how you can learn it inside and out in one hour or less.

The Best Time of Day, Protecting Your Intellectual Property, Purposefully Not Shooting The View

Mike KelleyAugust 30, 2019August 30, 2019 2

NC Asks: If a company never paid me and is using my image, how can I prove that I took the image and how do I decide how much to charge them for each image that they illegally used?

The easiest way to do this (in the United States, at least) is to register your images with the US Copyright Office as soon as is reasonably feasible.

Which Tilt-Shift Lens Should I Buy?

Mike KelleyAugust 26, 2019August 26, 2019 16

This is one of the most frequently asked questions I receive and the answer is rather simple. Yes, you should buy them. All of them. No, it doesn’t matter which one you start with. You’ll see soon enough that you need them all.

In-Depth Critique Of Professional Architecture Photography

Mike KelleyAugust 15, 2019August 15, 2019 6

A few weeks ago I met up with the guys from Fstoppers and we released a ‘Critique The Community‘ video focusing on real estate and some architecture photography. For that video, Fstoppers readers submitted images and Patrick Hall and myself sat down and rated them. This time, I wanted to up the ante a little bit and take it more seriously – hard to believe, I know – but I think we made a very informative and helpful video as a result.

Staying On Top of Current Architectural Photography Trends with Rob van Esch

Mike KelleyAugust 13, 2019August 13, 2019 0

What do clothing, music, cars, houses, and architectural photography have in common? They all go through trends; many of them arguably cyclical in nature. Rob van Esch is an experienced architectural photographer based in Amsterdam who recently created the e-book “Trends in Architectural Photography” which focuses on the recent shifts in the way architecture is photographed.

Three Links I Love: Shooting at Night, Elon Musk Won’t Give Credit, and the Problem with Perfection

Mike KelleyAugust 8, 2019August 8, 2019 5

What happens when you are so obsessed with a perfect result that you neglect finishing the piece altogether? What happens when you spend an extra half hour on set perfecting an image only to miss the great light happening elsewhere? Why don’t interior designers ever photograph things at night (they used to!), and for some reason, Elon Musk absolutely refuses to credit artists when he “borrows” their work.

I Didn’t Brush My Hair Before Critiquing These Photos, but The Content’s Still Valuable

Mike KelleyAugust 6, 2019August 6, 2019 4

I recently teamed up with Patrick Hall from Fstoppers to critique some real estate and architecture images for the once-a-year critique I do with them. These images are submitted by the Fstoppers community and while we focused on and asked for people to submit real estate-based images, I still think that this critique is valuable if your primary interest is in architecture and interiors photography.

Photographer Vlad Feoktistov Designs a Dream Career Across Russia and Asia

Mike KelleyAugust 6, 2019August 8, 2019 10

Vlad Feoktistov is an emerging talent based in Sochi, Russia, who makes his living photographing homes, hotels, and neoclassical Stalinist resorts, among other things. Vlad’s story is somewhat unique in our field and I couldn’t help but want to share it with everyone. Vlad and his career serve as a reminder that there are opportunities around us no matter where we are located and that architectural photography is a truly global phenomenon.

Should You Use Artificial Light for Architectural Photography?

Mike KelleyAugust 2, 2019August 3, 2019 5

Yes, no, maybe so! There are so many specific use cases and I get asked nearly daily. "Why did your style change?" "Did you use lights on this?" "Wow I love this natural style you're using nowadays" "Why don't you shoot like you used to?"

Architectural Photographer Heather Conley on Shooting Around Weather

Mike KelleyJuly 31, 2019August 3, 2019 2

In a contrasting approach to my post about intentionally shooting during bad weather, photographer Heather Conley delivers a great vlog-style narrative video discussing her approach to selecting a shoot day based on weather. Heather is a successful architectural photographer based in Connecticut who has worked for a wide range of clients photographing a variety of project types.

Shooting in “Bad” Weather Results in Great Pictures, so Don’t Be Afraid of It

Mike KelleyJuly 25, 2019 7

Every single photographer has rescheduled a shoot due to weather – that’s just a universal truth in this profession. But I don’t think you should reschedule when bad weather is predicted – I think you should embrace it and accept whatever comes your way to create more interesting photographs.

Without Clear Boundaries, You Will Not Be a Successful Photographer

Mike KelleyJuly 22, 2019July 22, 2019 21

Your phone rings while you're on a shoot. Do you answer? Someone re-posts an image of yours on Instagram without permission. Do you tell them to take it down?

Do You “Get” Architecture? If Not, The B1M May Help a Little

Mike KelleyJuly 19, 2019July 20, 2019 7

In order to be a great architecture photographer, one must, well, understand architecture. One of my favorite high-quality resources on the web that has helped me understand our subject matter better is Youtube channel “The B1M,” which bills itself as the definitive channel for construction – and there is plenty of interesting architecture talk to be found there as well.

On Assignment: Sangha Resort in Suzhou, China in 10 Pictures

Mike KelleyJuly 18, 2019July 20, 2019 5

I recently returned from a trip to China where I was tasked with photography an epic resort – and I don’t use that word lightly. With hundreds of rooms, private villas, and drool-worthy penthouses, it was an assignment I won’t soon forget. I’ll get around the posting a full trip report when I come up from air after another whirlwind travel schedule, but here is a taster of what’s to come.

Client Lists, The Disappointing Lowel Gl-1, CamRanger 2: Where Are You?

Mike KelleyJuly 18, 2019July 20, 2019 3

SD Asks: My question is..if you do a TFP with someone, for instance a museum, would you write that museum on the clients list on your website?

A Conversation with Architect Eric Reinholdt and Photographer Trent Bell

Mike KelleyJuly 9, 2019July 9, 2019 2

Photographer Trent Bell and architect Eric Reinholdt recently teamed up to make this video and and the result is a rare insight into both the mind of an architect and a photographer. Eric as designer and Trent as his long time photographer have a great relationship and it shows; and the insight provided by their creative relationship is very valuable.

Photographing the Broad Museum: Making an Architectural Photography Book, Part Four

Mike KelleyJuly 8, 2019July 8, 2019 5

One of the most recognizable buildings I had the chance to photograph for my book New Architecture Los Angeles was the Broad Museum, a beautiful project in downtown LA designed by Diller Scofidio+Renfro. As it’s literally one of the most photographed subjects in the entire city, I wanted to make sure I created images that were actually different than everybody else’s.

How Can We Improve APA and Make It More Helpful?

Mike KelleyJuly 6, 2019July 6, 2019 15

I started this blog in an effort to help architectural photographers learn about the business of photography, be inspired by the best work and photographers in the world, and share information about retouching, equipment, and techniques. And even though it's been just a few short months, I want to know what we can do more of to make it a better resource for readers.