Photography skills to improve cg archviz

[Stephen Hughes]

Hey guys,

 

I don't post much on here, but thought it would be a good place to start with my dilemma.

 

I have been doing archviz for the best part of 6 years and the more i get into it i'm starting to see that photography, and obviously architectural photography in particular, seem to be what set the very best arch-viz artists apart from the rest. Anyone can learn to model and texture a building in max, but i think the lighting and composition is what really adds the art aspect to it, and makes the finished image a work of art, or not.

 

Anyway, i assume most of us would fancy ourselves as artists in some way, so i'm wondering if there are any tutorials / videos / books / courses out there tailored to the composition and lighting aspects of arch-photography??

 

I've tried to get hold of a few books but they all seem to be about which SLR lens to use, and what camera buttons do. Since we can control all these aspects, and the weather, at the click of a few buttons in our virtual spaces, this info is of very little relevance.

 

I have no background in photography, but wondered if anyone here has taken courses in photography to improve their archviz? Peter Guthrie is a great example of someone who i feel uses his photographic background through his cg work.

[RyderSK]

I realized this very early.

 

What I found useful was various photography blogs, no names from memory though. Looking through Arch Daily on daily :-) basis helps too.

Perfect Composition for Digital Photography from Tim Cooper is useful too, but it does not specialize at architectural photography, useful nevertheless.

Color Theory from Gnomon was extremely useful too.

 

Real life courses are good too, I am planning on taking one.

 

You're right on that best arch visualizers are also photographers, works of Peter Guthrie and Bertrand Benoit are like.... thousand times better than rest of the community together. CG Archviz is most of the time such a kitch ! it's unbielievable. I think it's because it's easiest for "non-reallife-artists" (lack of better term...) to integrate into.

 

Being good at traditional arts such as drawing, painting and photography is fundamental for me if one wants to be truly good. Mastering the technique isn't important, it's the understanding of it, the feeling for the art, having good eye.

 

 

Edit: One name came to my mind. Fernando & Sergio Guerra . Check their work, they specialize solely in architectural photography and also write quite about it.

Edited December 10, 2011 by RyderSK

[RyderSK]

I'll put this up as second post. Just checked Ronen Bekerman's blog and there was mentioned this guy. Nic Lehoux.

 

Incredible portfolio, every pictures makes me wish to take camera and go on a architectural trip somewhere.

 

http://www.niclehoux.com/

 

Edited December 11, 2011 by RyderSK

[Bruce Hart]

I'll put this up as second post. Just checked Ronen Bekerman's blog and there was mentioned this guy. Nic Lehoux.

 

Incredible portfolio, every pictures makes me wish to take camera and go on a architectural trip somewhere.

 

http://www.niclehoux.com/

 

QUOTE]

 

thanks for sharing the link. There's some beautiful stuff on there

[egmehl]

Those pictures by Nic Lehoux are great, I'm definitely putting him in my list of people to keep up with.

 

Another to look at that I really love is Scott Frances, http://www.scottfrances.com/

 

Anyone else have favorites to share?

[RyderSK]

Those pictures by Nic Lehoux are great, I'm definitely putting him in my list of people to keep up with.

 

Another to look at that I really love is Scott Frances, http://www.scottfrances.com/

 

Anyone else have favorites to share?

 

 

I swear those first few pictures looked like visualizations :- D

 

Incredible photos there

[egmehl]

You're right, I've been confused by those too - they are the only ones in his portfolio with that style.

[Camby1298]

As far as books, I've enjoyed reading Michael Freeman's Photography Books.

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=michael+freeman

[Greyfish]

I have thought the same thing regarding photography as I do love the medium but have never jumped

out there and looked for some formal or informal training until recently.

 

I've found that the attention to color, lighing and just some of the terms used in photography have helped

me gain a better understanding of my training in archviz. I'd call my self an intermidiate 3ds max user and have finally

found the time to take my work and skills to the next level and learning some photography and actually starting

to turn it into a hobby has helped greatly.

 

Good luck on the journey. Love to see what you come up w/ some day.

[neil poppleton]

There are several good monthly photography magazines on sale, worth reading.

[ronll]

As you've found, there are not many books specifically on architectural photography "how to", and when you do find them they may only have one or two chapters on comp, lighting, color, etc. Too much about equipment. And one of the enduring ironies is that the good architectural photographers work very hard at keeping people out of their photos. Yet in our business, the clients always seem to insist on MORE people. I really detest putting people in images except sometimes one or two for comp or scale.

 

Look for a couple of books by Norman McGrath and others by Michael Harris. Not much but it helps.