Mike Kelley (Page 5) | Architectural Photography Almanac

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

by Mike Kelley

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!),

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

by Mike Kelley

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

by Mike Kelley

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.

Should You Use Artificial Light for Architectural Photography?

by Mike Kelley

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

by Mike Kelley

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

by Mike Kelley

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

by Mike Kelley

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

by Mike Kelley

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

by Mike Kelley

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?

by Mike Kelley

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

by Mike Kelley

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

by Mike Kelley

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?

by Mike Kelley

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.

Can We Use Your Picture(s) in Our Book? Only If You Pay Me

by Mike Kelley

It’s an email I get weekly. “My name is John and I work for this massive publisher, and we love your image of that thing. We’re creating a book for our client, and want to use your beautiful image as a spread in the book – can we get permission?” I’m always happy when publishers, corporations, or individuals want to use my images in their books.

I am An Architecture Photographer – Ask Me Anything!

by Mike Kelley

I recently participated in an open forum on Reddit, the self-proclaimed “front page of the internet.” The idea of the thread was “ask me anything,” a popular interview-type format where readers submit questions about anything under the sun for the host to answer.

Review: Put Your Camera Anywhere With a Platypod

by Mike Kelley

Over the past few years, my gear bag has been reduced to the absolute bare minimum. This is to make my traveling life easier, to reduce weight so my herniated disc doesn’t flare up every third minute, and to keep breakage and repair troubles far away – after all, the less things there are to break, the less things break.

Having Trouble Getting Paid? Here’s Some Inspiration and Help

by Mike Kelley

It’s a struggle that every creative professional deals with all too often, especially early in your career: chasing invoices, non-responsive clients, unauthorized usage of assets, the list goes on. Here I’ve compiled some of my favorite links and videos that will help you light a fire to get paid for your work – and if nothing else, will inspire you to re-write those contracts so you never get yanked around again!

Dear Appy: When to Drop the Lawyer Hammer, Pretending to Be Tony Soprano

by Mike Kelley

KH Asks: Can you explain how you handle copyright infringement across multiple platforms including social media? It seems incredibly easy for a business to steal work and use it for their gain. I noticed on your personal website there are no watermarks.

How I Deal With Instagram as a Professional Photographer

by Mike Kelley

Instagram can be an incredibly powerful tool, but also a very annoying, almost disheartening thorn in your side. While it has great promotional value, the flipside is that it is rife with image theft, copyright infringement, enough vagaries to make your head spin, and the unavoidable irritation that comes with constantly comparing yourself to others.

You Can’t Fight Without an F-You Fund

by Mike Kelley

When it comes to negotiations, as a photographer (or any freelance artist, for that matter) you’ve got to master the art of not being emotionally invested in the outcome – something that is nearly impossible to do. But without it, you’ll never be able to break free of difficult clients and underpaid gigs.