Mike Kelley (Page 6) | Architectural Photography Almanac

Ask APA: The Perpetual Access Problem, Giving Away the Raws, Assistant Fees

by Mike Kelley

D Asks: How does one find out exactly who owns / manages a building? Ask your client if they know, or know someone who knows. Failing that, walk inside and speak to whoever is at the front desk. Make up a good story, or tell the truth, depending on the neighborhood you’re in, and get a business card of someone you can contact.

How to Deal with Security Guards: Making an Architectural Photography Book, Part Three

by Mike Kelley

Any photographer who has tried to take pictures in any moderately urban environment is familiar: the security guard, keeping us safe from the “terrorists” with cameras, protecting the interests of “the man” from purported “liabilities,” and whatever other nonsense boogeyman they’ve dreamt up that doesn’t exist.

Ask APA: Hourly Hotel Rooms, Making Dope…, Clipped Reds, and Ovaltine

by Mike Kelley

R asks: When trying to expand and grow your network and brand as a photographer, do you think “mailers” with a small handwritten note can work or what do you suggest to getting more clients to work with you?In the past I think this worked, today, not so much.

How to Travel as a Working Photographer

by Mike Kelley

Getting paid to travel is simultaneously the single most amazing thing and single most overrated thing about being a working photographer. On one hand – exposure to new cultures, places, food, languages, and photo subjects is incredible. On the other hand, when it goes wrong, it can go very, very, wrong and make you question why you even bothered saying yes to the job in the first place.It’s

Ask APA: Your Architectural Photography Questions…Answered

by Mike Kelley

Over the past few weeks, APA has…grown…a little bit, into something I’m beginning to feel slightly proud of. In the background, I’ve gotten many questions about architectural photography from our small but fiercely interested reader base. Rather than let these questions slowly fall into the fires of Mount Doom, ah, I meant page two of our gmail account, I thought it would be great to begin to publicly answer them.Starting

How To Create An Architecture Photography Book: Part Two

by Mike Kelley

In part one we touched on the pre-production process for my book New Architecture Los Angeles. In today's article I'll tell you a little bit about the gear I used and how the day-to-day shooting process went. Spoiler: traffic. Lots and lots of traffic.

Interview: Darren Bradley, The Global Mid-Century Modern Specialist

by Mike Kelley

Darren Bradley: TED talker, Dwell cover boy, global traveller and book author. Not bad for an architectural photographer! I met Darren a few years ago at an AIA award ceremony and instantly found him fascinating; so I couldn’t be happier to make this interview happen.

We need that by Monday: How To Deal With Rush Turnarounds (Hint: You shouldn’t)

by Mike Kelley

A notorious sticking point for any photographer, the rush turnaround can be a great tool in your bag or it can turn into a living nightmare that threatens to create a rift between you and your client. Over the years I’ve been able to transition from the rush turnaround being a dreaded ‘ugh’ moment into something that is relatively effortless.I

How To Create An Architecture Photography Book: Part One

by Mike Kelley

For some reason photographers are obsessed with being published, I am a photographer, ergo, am obsessed with being published. It feels good, it looks pretty, and it makes your photographs real, as in a tangible thing that other people hold and look at and say “wow” like Owen Wilson.

Project of the Week: Owen Raggett / W Xian by AB Concept

by Mike Kelley

I saw this project by Singapore-based photographer Owen Raggett and immediately raised an eyebrow and mouthed “holy shi—“. It’s kind of mind-blowing from both an architecture and photography standpoint, and I couldn’t resist sharing Owen’s exemplary photographs of the project.W

Interviewing Brooke Holm: Seamlessly Blending Art and Architecture

by Mike Kelley

Brooke Holm has carved out a successful career for herself shooting exactly what she wants, where she wants, and the results are beautiful. She effortlessly blends personal fine art projects with interior and architectural commissioned works in a sublime and delicate style, becoming a highly sought-after photographer in markets around the world.Based

The Most Powerful Compositional Tool: The One Point Perspective

by Mike Kelley

It’s a question I find myself explaining over and over again to aspiring photographers and it’s quite simply one of the most powerful tools available for improving the compositions and quality of your photography. It’s not even limited to architectural photography either, in fact artists and photographers alike benefit from taking advantage of the one point perspective.I

Project of the Week: Kat Alves / Donald Joseph Architect

by Mike Kelley

Project of the Week for February 23rd comes to us out of Northern California. Named Granite Bay and set in a rolling California landscape, the project makes use of the site’s topography to soften its contemporary hard-edged appearance and reveal its size gracefully.

Humor: Architectural Photography Bingo

by Mike Kelley

We’ve all been there and to deny it is just an outright lie. Whether it’s “can you just photoshop that” or “I promise the contractors will be gone by the time the shoot happens,” you’ve got to roll with the punches and over my career I’ve turned to humor to do so, otherwise someone would be scraping me off the floor of another five-over-one apartment somewhere.I

The Ultimate Geared Head Review: Arca Swiss D4 vs C1 Cube

by Mike Kelley

There are really only two tripod heads to consider if you want to use the best of the best: the Arca Swiss D4 and the Arca Swiss C1 Cube. The worst thing about them is you’re spending over a thousand dollars on something that doesn’t actually make you a better photographer, but the best thing about them is that they make it so much easier to take pictures I don’t even know how I’d begin to go back to the cheaper options.So

Understanding Your Clients: What Does an Interior Designer Actually do?

by Mike Kelley

I’d love to pretend that this goes without saying, but it’s incredibly important to actually understand what our clients do in order to deliver the best possible images to them. There is so much more goes into interior design than just making a space “pretty,” especially when you are considering commercial, civic, and other large-scale projects.

Project of the Week: Adam Letch / SAOTA

by Mike Kelley

This Project of The Week brings us to Cape Town, South Africa, where we find a project shot by Adam Letch. Adam is a photographer specializing in architecture and interiors who’s primary markets are Africa and Europe. The residence, called “Beyond,” and designed by renowned South African firm SAOTA, is set on a difficult site overlooking Lion’s Head, a well-known landmark in Cape Town.

The Biggest Wastes of Money in My Photography Career

by Mike Kelley

I already know that this is going to be a controversial article, but it’s something I have to get off my chest because I look back and almost feel guilty about how much money I have spent on these things. The photography industry is full of products that you may or may not need and separating the wheat from the chaff is going to be important when you’re watching where your money goes.