Beautiful light shines across a stunning building that buzzes with meaningful activity. The environment around is clean, tidy, and full of commuters, happy cyclists and well dressed families walking into a sunset... The perfect architectural photograph would look something like that.
Rarely images really look perfect straight out of the camera. But for most parts, architectural photographers have to deal with challenges that defy careful preparation. Sunsets fizzle out, pedestrian traffic ceases before the light is right, and there is always someone parking a red car in the middle of the hero shot.
When I edit images, I aim for a healthy middle ground between lively clutter and sterile perfection. The sum of many small changes allows me to create emotionally impactful images that stay true to the nature of the architecture.
Below, you can find a few examples of how I approach common editing challenges.
A polarisation filter helped reduce unwanted reflection while enhancing detail and colour throughout the image. Distracting wiring and electric socket in the centre of the frame was removed to focus the viewer on simple composition. Colour adjustments in the light helped to further refine this edit. Overall, a dozen little changes allowed me to subtly shift the focus on the architecture.
It's always difficult to frame an interior photo without any distraction, like wire, spotlights, decoration or, like in this picture, the bathroom fixture.
Here I fixed the align of the photo and removed the toiled and the small cabinet above it with cloning techniques as well as the switch next to the sink. As a final touch I added in some quality light and adjust color temperature and saturation.
Simple images often present the greatest editing challenges. This off-axis shot has differently coloured light sources competing with each other and a very lifeless flooring. In addition the client choose a bedding too strong for the composition, so I have to make it more cohesive to brand identity of the firm. The final image addresses these issues in a natural fashion while restoring detail in previously flat areas.
The house of the client was completed in time but the garden is way behind in the works and it will be ready in about 8 months, so we needed to find a way to show how it's going to be. Finding some fake grass and adding the shadows and color correction was the main focus of the editing here.
Images like this one, requires a lot of work, since everyhting is still a construction site. Starting with some alignment and color adjustment, I move to the more intense cloning part almost immediatly. Removing unwanted electric wire and pole was the main goal, but I also provided a file without sewer cover and with the sidewalk cleaned. Adding the grass was the last thing to give a more refined look.