Architectural Photography Almanac
A resource for working professional photographers and design industry professionals featuring news, commentary, equipment resources, and original articles
For the years I worked in sales and marketing, there was a principle I kept in mind that I learned early on in my career: people do business with people they like. Barbara Corcoran from ‘Shark Tank’ has a fantastic quote related to this…
“If people like you, they’re going to want to do business with you.
Several weeks ago during a conversation with a prospective home builder client, I was asked “what’s the difference between you and [redacted] real estate photography?” Now, to be honest, the builder was trying to push my buttons a bit to see how I would respond. See, when I quoted him my rates, he did a total per image breakdown and found out that what he would potentially be paying me for just one photo, is about what he pays this RE photography company to shoot an entire house!
We all know that awful, sinking feeling at the end of a long day when the client says, “Oh hey, can we just grab one more quick shot?” When I had a day rate, those feelings of defeat, exhaustion, and frustration were real. Since I switched to billing hourly, those conversations go something more like this:
Client: “Oh hey, can we just grab one more quick shot?”
I love seeing the brilliant ideas photographers put into place on their websites, Instagrams, or mention in forums. I’ve noticed that the ones I’m particularly drawn to have less to do with how to make great photos, and more to do with how to run a great business. They typically deal with copyright, marketing, and setting client expectations.
The topic of licensing as it relates to photography can be confusing, and rightfully so. It’s not the easiest subject to understand and very few people are thoroughly familiar with the topic. Unfortunately, because of this unfamiliarity – many individuals and businesses make assumptions and end up using or distributing photos that they’re really not supposed to.
Like many, I started my photography business without a clue of where I wanted to take it, without a support system, and quite frankly, without enough cash in my bank accounts. I was a frustrated artist in a dead-end job, looking to create a brighter future for myself. I also wanted to enjoy what I did, rather than dread every morning commute that led me to a cubicle.
Behind-the-scenes content is some of the most enjoyable and informative to consume in my opinion. I love seeing how other photographers go about their business and find this is a great way to quickly pick up new ways of working that I may be able to incorporate into my own work.
Along those lines, everyone’s favorite modern furniture distributor, Design Within Reach, created a short time-lapse film showcasing how they go about creating their product imagery from the ground up.
Nick Merrick and Steve Hall have been photographing architecture longer than most readers of this blog have been alive (myself included). When you think of some of the most important architectural projects of the last 100 years, Merrick and Hall have probably been there, creating photographs to share the stories of these projects with the world.
While he isn’t specifically in the architectural or interiors niche, Joel Grimes is an impressive photographer.
His portraits, landscapes, and composite images are of the highest quality. You could think of him as a performer in the Champions League of Photographers (sorry, I am European, so translated for my American friends: the Superbowl).
You just wrapped up an amazing shoot and delivered the images to your client, who loves them as always. A week or two later, you’re contacted by a publication asking to use the images in a story they are running.
This is awesome! You’re over the moon and swelling with pride. But wait – what should you charge for publication usage of your photos?
One of my goals for the new year is to endeavor to figure out what the heck an NFT is, and how, if at all, it could affect or benefit my work as a photographer. As luck may have it, a serendipitous scroll through my Instagram feed led me to a recent article on the subject by one of our favorite photographers here at APAlmanac, our good friend Peter Molick.
Images play a major role in defining how we come to know architecture and interior
spaces. Because photography is pivotal in understanding the built environment, choosing a professional to photograph your project is a most important consideration.
If you’re an architectural photographer looking to have an excellent new year of jobs with good client experiences, communication, and expectations, we have an awesome tool for you!
Ok, full disclosure…I got out of the real estate photography game a few years ago. But like myself, I would assume many architectural photographers used real estate as a launching pad for their professional careers. Via some other local photographers and “people watching” certain Facebook groups, I still keep my ear to the ground somewhat on this genre.
Just writing about my first book – Budapest Architecture – here makes my heart beat fast.
Before I jump into sharing the how behind this project, I think it is important to tell you the why. Since you’re reading this post on Mike Kelley’s APALMANAC, I assume you’ve already come across his book New Architecture Los Angeles.
How can you make a living by doing what you love – for us, that’s taking photos of buildings and interiors – while there are thousands of others doing the same?
For me, there is only one answer to that question: learn how to add value to the business of your client. There are many different ways to make an impactful difference that allows you to stand out from your competition.
Coming off the heels of our recent article sharing Andrew Keithly’s excel macro to help speed up the process of filling out your copyright registration form, I thought it would be prudent to share another video with a more comprehensive breakdown detailing the process of copyright registration (in the US) – a start-to-finish explanation beginning with image prep all the way through the registration process.
For U.S. based photographers, registering your images with the US Copyright Office will put you in the best possible position to claim any damages for any illegal use of your images. Submitting images in this way will register your claim to their copyright and then record your claim to its public database.
To make architectural photography your profession, you need to have more than just the skill to take beautiful photos. To make a living from it, you must be well aware of the value of your service. To build a viable practice as an architectural photographer, it’s important to know how to increase that value.
An APA reader asks: I was hired by a development company to photograph a handful of specific angles of a project that is completed. The images were delivered to the original developer client, and they are happy with them. I’ve already been paid for the job and figured it had been put to rest with everyone involved being happy.
Marty C. asks: “If I am photographing a building or a house with artwork on the walls and a magazine wants to publish the images, are there copyright concerns regarding the artwork on the walls?”
Excellent question, Marty. In short, there are certain considerations you should take into account when incorporating other creative works into your photographs.
Matthew Anderson
Shawn Talbot
Lexi Taciak
Natalia Robert
Justin Szeremeta
Mike Kelley
Rob van Esch
György Palkó
Ramon Portelli
Brandon Vogts