Amazing Steven. This isn't a "UA-cam tutorial" but a university-class lecture which is priceless. Seriously. On all of UA-cam, this material is unmatched. And I agree with you wholeheartedly; you can give your client 100 daytime images and one taken at dusk. They won't even notice the other 100. Blue Hour shots are the time of the day where architectural icons live. Can't wait to hear your wisdom in the UAE!
Greetings from Cape Town, South Africa. Absolutely brilliant. All of your video presentations are simply brilliant and I love your digital book. Thank you
You're very welcome. Many of my students in the School of Architecture have made architectural photography a significant part of their work and they spend considerable time improving their skills. They find that the discipline helps them in many ways with their design work. So, I encourage you to embrace that passion.
@@stevenbrookephotography I started with street photography, but when I started Architecture school, the two only compliment each other and take the experience to the next level. As a human being, these two fields bring very interesting perspectives to trivial subjects.
Greetings from Germany Steven. I've recently stumbled over your channel - and sucked up a lot of helpful information right away. Actually I am more from the field of product and still life photography, but I discovered landscape for me, and now architecture. It's something I'll definitely try after seeing a lot of your videos ( and just purchased your book ). Cudos and many thanks for the in-depth explanations, really appreciate you putting this out. Have a good one!
Btw Steven, I've learned a new way of shooting and processing dusk (Blue Hour) shots where I no longer need to compromise between tungsten or daytime white balance in my photos. With advanced luminosity and chromatic maps, I can blend two exposures, captured with balance for tungsten and daytime into one which appears totally natural and in perfectly tonal harmony, inside and outside. It takes a bit of work, but the results are next level.
Thanks for checking in on this, Beno. I would welcome knowing your workflow as I have seen your remarkable and stunning twilight/evening shots of the architecture in Dubai.
nothing short but amazing! so much good information by the master himself. You are such a great inspiration (I never can get rid of the vertical on the side anymore hahaha)
Great work thx! On a budget starting out again …should I buy 5ds or any other recommended- e.g. pentax,Olympus or sony for architecture low light and travel/landscape ?
You may be able to find a 5DS at a reduced price as these have been phased out in favor of mirrorless cameras. I favor Canon because of their exceptional perspective-control lenses. When you are budgeting, purchase the very best lens that you can afford. As I have suggested many times before, if you are planning to concentrate on architecture, the 24mm Perspective-Control lens is the best lens to start with.
This is such a great video! Thank you so much! I have a question-how many exposures usually in a final shot? I tried to found the video how to layer them in Photoshop, but I couldn’t.
The number of exposures I ultimately use depends on the extent of the overall contrast. If I have to conjoin very bright areas with very dark ones it usually takes 3 or 4 exposures layered together to achieve the desired image. You can find the LAYERING explanation here: ua-cam.com/video/EdQLSi20ExM/v-deo.html
Thank you so very much for sharing your expertise. I found this to be one of the most fascinating and informative videos I've ever seen. Only having ever attempted one evening shot several years ago, I came upon this video in a search because I'm now very interested in developing the skill to accomplish taking this type of shot and achieving a high-quality result. I have only one question that wasn't addressed in this video which is the type of lenses (assuming more than one was used) used to do these shots (e.g. 24mm f/2.8). I look forward to your reply. Thanking you in advance...
Thank you for your note, Kenneth. My workhorse lens is my 24mm Canon perspective-control lens. That said, I have used all my other lenses for night shots. One note of caution: the wider the lens - say, a 17mm - the greater the chance for a flare from a light close to the lens ( a street lamp, for example). You often have to manually stop down your lens to see it (the depth-of-field button does this). If you have a flare, you have to either shield the lens (very carefully with an ultra-wide lens like a 17) , or move to a new location.
Thank you Mr. Brooke. Just the other day I was hoping to see an in depth twilight/night video from you. Will you ever use a polarizer at night or twilight despite the longer exposure times?
I have used a polarizer in the “middle period” between sunset and true evening. Depending on the elevation I’m photographing, I do this to darken the sky prior to switching the color balance to 3200 when the sky is dark enough without the filter. I’m always on tripod with a shutter release cable, so the longer exposures are not a problem.
Hello Steven. Regarding residential dusk/night photos, how often do you feel the need to bring in some additive lighting? I've noticed many residential buildings are as well lit on their exterior like many commercial/industrial buildings.
This will seem heretical to some, but I rarely bring out my lights. If the landscape architects have done their work, there is usually enough exterior lighting for the dusk/evening shots. However, If sufficient exterior lights are lacking, I adjust my timing and bracketing and use layering to achieve the result I want. Remember, too, the highlight dodge can do wonders to accent areas of the landscape that are insufficiently lit - and much more conveniently than using additional lights. (Please check out my video on the Highlight Dodge.) In the winter months, when the days are short and time available for dusk/evening shots is reduced, it’s simply too inconvenient to be dealing with additional lights.
There is not a specific section on long-exposure photography. However, for such long exposures, the following are critical: (1) a rock-solid tripod and a secure camera-to-tripod connection. (2) A cable release, either attached or remote, to avoid any possible vibration when taking the exposure. (3) Long exposures can produce some digital noise; this can be removed post-production with Photoshop, or with a Photoshop plug-in such as Topaz AI De-noise. (4) If you are making a series of exposures for a layered image, HDR-processors like Luminar NEO provide a means of eliminating ghosting in trees, etc. caused by the long exposure. (5) Artifacts such as car lights, blurred people, etc can also be carefully removed post-production. For the record, I would rather make the longer exposures than to use a wider f/stop (loss of depth of field) or an increased ISO (a potential increase in digital noise, especially in the shadows).
please see this video: ua-cam.com/video/EdQLSi20ExM/v-deo.html. starting at 15:34 two exposures; dark exposure layered over lighter one; eraser tool to open the shadows
Is your daylight vs tungsten wb the clearly show the examples? All photos are miles ahead of what I can do but I was just wondering why you never go to let’s say 4400 kelvin ?
This is a good question, Alex, If I am photographing a room predominantly lit by daylight but with enough incandescent lights turned on to warm up significant areas (I have recommended this in a separate video), then standard ‘daylight’ balance will not work as well as, say 4800 or 4500. At 5500, the areas lit by incandescent lights will be much too warm. If I were to set the WB to 3200 for the incandescents, the areas lit by daylight would be much too cold. So, somewhere in the mid to high 4000 range is probably best. Using Live View, you can set your WB and see how it looks. If the overall look is too cold, lower the WB; if it seems overly warm, increase it. This is best accomplished with a camera that can control color incrementally in degrees-K. Otherwise, you have either daylight, overcast, shade, or incandescent. These will be compromises at best. But, keep in mind, too, that if you are shooting RAW files (which you should be shooting) you can fine-tune the overall color temperature in Camera RAW. You can also adjust the saturation of any particular color channel in Camera Raw. Once you bring it into Photoshop, specific areas that are still not to your liking can be selected and the color corrected with Color Balance, Selective Color, and/or Hue/Saturation, depending on what you are trying to correct. I hope this is helpful.
Thank you for these. I have been doing real estate photography, I think at a higher level than most, but I want to move into Architecture. I want to slow down and produce even better images than I can with an agent waiting for me to finish. One question, which may have been discussed, now that most places have LED lighting, how do you compensate for night shots. My blending changed dramatically when I started using another app called "lightspectrum EVO" ( I think that is its name). For every angle in every room, I point my phone in the general direction and it tells me all of the light sources and their combined color average. It made my exposure blending so much better. I wonder if I could use it for this? Get all of the other checklist items done and then point the phone at the overall seen and dial in the exact number like I do in real estate? Anyway, just curious what you think about LEDs now being predominate and how to compensate. Thanks again. I am glad I found your videos and I will be buying your ebook! Do you do hands on mentoring/teaching?
When you are in the field (and time is usually precious) control of color temperature, particularly at night with light sources of varying frequencies, is definitely difficult. And, yes, the increased use of LEDs has made this more challenging. Here is how I manage - and this admittedly is not everyone’s MO. I use my LIVE VIEW and adjust the color temperature in-camera to as close to the desired color as possible. (All things considered, I suggest a warmer rather than a cooler tonality.) I do not take various readings because that takes too much time. I know that In CAMERA RAW, I can fine-tune the overall color. If there is one color channel that is off-color, I can control that with SELECTIVE COLOR. If there are specific areas that are off-color (mercury lights and such), I know that I can control them in post-production with localized selection and the HUE/SATURATION controls. (I discuss these techniques in my book and in my course.) I do the same thing for interiors, especially when I have a room that is lit by a combination of daylight, incandescent, and possibly mercury (industrial spaces). Usually, no one setting will be perfect. I get as close as possible, knowing that I can correct everything in post-production. Because of my teaching and shooting schedules I don’t at present have time for private consultation. That is why I have developed my 46-chapter course that I believe will have everything you need to help you produce professional architectural photographs. I guide you through every step from the art historical background, to taking the photograph, to processing. I even include some tips to running a business. You may access it here: tinyurl.com/StevenFundamentals Good luck with your work. I admire your desire to improve the quality of your images.
Amazing Steven. This isn't a "UA-cam tutorial" but a university-class lecture which is priceless. Seriously. On all of UA-cam, this material is unmatched. And I agree with you wholeheartedly; you can give your client 100 daytime images and one taken at dusk. They won't even notice the other 100. Blue Hour shots are the time of the day where architectural icons live. Can't wait to hear your wisdom in the UAE!
mr.master you are amazing. thanks for the priceless lesson.
Thank you for the in-depth video. Very informative 👏
I really liked the Seaside photo. Very subtle.
Greetings from Cape Town, South Africa. Absolutely brilliant. All of your video presentations are simply brilliant and I love your digital book. Thank you
I loved that magic blue! Thanks Sir
Well explained in full details. Please keep them coming. Thanks
High-value video, waiting for your next one, keep the good work
Great! a full lesson in details like no other to find! Thx a lot - Your experience is the key for succes here!
Great information. I’ve watched it twice already. Your always informative and many thanks for being so.
Very inspirational and informative.
Great video, very useful, your content is rich, crisp and easy to understand. Thank you
One of the very best, Steven. Thank you.
Another superb video. A great lesson. Thank you.
as always, much appreciated for taking the time to put these videos out
As an architecture student who is also passionate in photography, I appreciate the level of details and information of this lecture! Thank you!
You're very welcome. Many of my students in the School of Architecture have made architectural photography a significant part of their work and they spend considerable time improving their skills. They find that the discipline helps them in many ways with their design work. So, I encourage you to embrace that passion.
@@stevenbrookephotography I started with street photography, but when I started Architecture school, the two only compliment each other and take the experience to the next level. As a human being, these two fields bring very interesting perspectives to trivial subjects.
The magical moment when light is perfect :)
We live for that moment!!
Greetings from Germany Steven. I've recently stumbled over your channel - and sucked up a lot of helpful information right away. Actually I am more from the field of product and still life photography, but I discovered landscape for me, and now architecture. It's something I'll definitely try after seeing a lot of your videos ( and just purchased your book ). Cudos and many thanks for the in-depth explanations, really appreciate you putting this out. Have a good one!
Du bist herzlich Willkommen. Und vielen Dank, dass Sie das Buch gekauft haben. Ich hoffe, es hilft Ihnen bei Ihrer Arbeit.
Btw Steven, I've learned a new way of shooting and processing dusk (Blue Hour) shots where I no longer need to compromise between tungsten or daytime white balance in my photos. With advanced luminosity and chromatic maps, I can blend two exposures, captured with balance for tungsten and daytime into one which appears totally natural and in perfectly tonal harmony, inside and outside. It takes a bit of work, but the results are next level.
Thanks for checking in on this, Beno. I would welcome knowing your workflow as I have seen your remarkable and stunning twilight/evening shots of the architecture in Dubai.
@BenoSaradzic I would love to hear about that work flow as well. Sounds amazing.
absolutely amazing❤
Thank you for viewing. Please subscribe if you haven't, yet.
Very helpful. Thanks😍😍😍
nothing short but amazing! so much good information by the master himself. You are such a great inspiration (I never can get rid of the vertical on the side anymore hahaha)
Sir, you are one of the best teachers I know of!!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and great video !!
Thank you, Ruud. Much appreciated.
Amazing breakdown on composition I wish this is a college credit takeable course online!!!
Thanks for your note. I, too, wish it were available as a credited course.
Great work thx! On a budget starting out again …should I buy 5ds or any other recommended- e.g. pentax,Olympus or sony for architecture low light and travel/landscape ?
You may be able to find a 5DS at a reduced price as these have been phased out in favor of mirrorless cameras. I favor Canon because of their exceptional perspective-control lenses. When you are budgeting, purchase the very best lens that you can afford. As I have suggested many times before, if you are planning to concentrate on architecture, the 24mm Perspective-Control lens is the best lens to start with.
This is such a great video! Thank you so much! I have a question-how many exposures usually in a final shot? I tried to found the video how to layer them in Photoshop, but I couldn’t.
The number of exposures I ultimately use depends on the extent of the overall contrast. If I have to conjoin very bright areas with very dark ones it usually takes 3 or 4 exposures layered together to achieve the desired image. You can find the LAYERING explanation here:
ua-cam.com/video/EdQLSi20ExM/v-deo.html
Thank you so very much for sharing your expertise. I found this to be one of the most fascinating and informative videos I've ever seen. Only having ever attempted one evening shot several years ago, I came upon this video in a search because I'm now very interested in developing the skill to accomplish taking this type of shot and achieving a high-quality result. I have only one question that wasn't addressed in this video which is the type of lenses (assuming more than one was used) used to do these shots (e.g. 24mm f/2.8). I look forward to your reply. Thanking you in advance...
Thank you for your note, Kenneth. My workhorse lens is my 24mm Canon perspective-control lens. That said, I have used all my other lenses for night shots. One note of caution: the wider the lens - say, a 17mm - the greater the chance for a flare from a light close to the lens ( a street lamp, for example). You often have to manually stop down your lens to see it (the depth-of-field button does this). If you have a flare, you have to either shield the lens (very carefully with an ultra-wide lens like a 17) , or move to a new location.
Thank you Mr. Brooke. Just the other day I was hoping to see an in depth twilight/night video from you. Will you ever use a polarizer at night or twilight despite the longer exposure times?
I have used a polarizer in the “middle period” between sunset and true evening. Depending on the elevation I’m photographing, I do this to darken the sky prior to switching the color balance to 3200 when the sky is dark enough without the filter. I’m always on tripod with a shutter release cable, so the longer exposures are not a problem.
Question - you didn't mention artificial lighting. Did you use any on the photos in this video?
Hello Steven. Regarding residential dusk/night photos, how often do you feel the need to bring in some additive lighting? I've noticed many residential buildings are as well lit on their exterior like many commercial/industrial buildings.
This will seem heretical to some, but I rarely bring out my lights. If the landscape architects have done their work, there is usually enough exterior lighting for the dusk/evening shots. However, If sufficient exterior lights are lacking, I adjust my timing and bracketing and use layering to achieve the result I want. Remember, too, the highlight dodge can do wonders to accent areas of the landscape that are insufficiently lit - and much more conveniently than using additional lights. (Please check out my video on the Highlight Dodge.) In the winter months, when the days are short and time available for dusk/evening shots is reduced, it’s simply too inconvenient to be dealing with additional lights.
@@stevenbrookephotography Thank you for your thoughtful replies. They are appreciated.
Steve, I've only seen that you bracket images but do you ever do flash composites?
I haven’t used flash composites in my work. But I do know that it can be used successfully.
Hi, is there anything on long exposure photography in the book?
There is not a specific section on long-exposure photography. However, for such long exposures, the following are critical: (1) a rock-solid tripod and a secure camera-to-tripod connection. (2) A cable release, either attached or remote, to avoid any possible vibration when taking the exposure. (3) Long exposures can produce some digital noise; this can be removed post-production with Photoshop, or with a Photoshop plug-in such as Topaz AI De-noise. (4) If you are making a series of exposures for a layered image, HDR-processors like Luminar NEO provide a means of eliminating ghosting in trees, etc. caused by the long exposure. (5) Artifacts such as car lights, blurred people, etc can also be carefully removed post-production.
For the record, I would rather make the longer exposures than to use a wider f/stop (loss of depth of field) or an increased ISO (a potential increase in digital noise, especially in the shadows).
can you explain post-processing in ps with multiple exposure layer and erase tool
please see this video:
ua-cam.com/video/EdQLSi20ExM/v-deo.html.
starting at 15:34
two exposures; dark exposure layered over lighter one; eraser tool to open the shadows
Is your daylight vs tungsten wb the clearly show the examples? All photos are miles ahead of what I can do but I was just wondering why you never go to let’s say 4400 kelvin ?
This is a good question, Alex,
If I am photographing a room predominantly lit by daylight but with enough incandescent lights turned on to warm up significant areas (I have recommended this in a separate video), then standard ‘daylight’ balance will not work as well as, say 4800 or 4500. At 5500, the areas lit by incandescent lights will be much too warm. If I were to set the WB to 3200 for the incandescents, the areas lit by daylight would be much too cold. So, somewhere in the mid to high 4000 range is probably best.
Using Live View, you can set your WB and see how it looks. If the overall look is too cold, lower the WB; if it seems overly warm, increase it. This is best accomplished with a camera that can control color incrementally in degrees-K. Otherwise, you have either daylight, overcast, shade, or incandescent. These will be compromises at best. But, keep in mind, too, that if you are shooting RAW files (which you should be shooting) you can fine-tune the overall color temperature in Camera RAW. You can also adjust the saturation of any particular color channel in Camera Raw. Once you bring it into Photoshop, specific areas that are still not to your liking can be selected and the color corrected with Color Balance, Selective Color, and/or Hue/Saturation, depending on what you are trying to correct.
I hope this is helpful.
Thank you for these. I have been doing real estate photography, I think at a higher level than most, but I want to move into Architecture. I want to slow down and produce even better images than I can with an agent waiting for me to finish. One question, which may have been discussed, now that most places have LED lighting, how do you compensate for night shots. My blending changed dramatically when I started using another app called "lightspectrum EVO" ( I think that is its name). For every angle in every room, I point my phone in the general direction and it tells me all of the light sources and their combined color average. It made my exposure blending so much better. I wonder if I could use it for this? Get all of the other checklist items done and then point the phone at the overall seen and dial in the exact number like I do in real estate? Anyway, just curious what you think about LEDs now being predominate and how to compensate. Thanks again. I am glad I found your videos and I will be buying your ebook! Do you do hands on mentoring/teaching?
When you are in the field (and time is usually precious) control of color temperature, particularly at night with light sources of varying frequencies, is definitely difficult. And, yes, the increased use of LEDs has made this more challenging.
Here is how I manage - and this admittedly is not everyone’s MO. I use my LIVE VIEW and adjust the color temperature in-camera to as close to the desired color as possible. (All things considered, I suggest a warmer rather than a cooler tonality.) I do not take various readings because that takes too much time. I know that In CAMERA RAW, I can fine-tune the overall color. If there is one color channel that is off-color, I can control that with SELECTIVE COLOR. If there are specific areas that are off-color (mercury lights and such), I know that I can control them in post-production with localized selection and the HUE/SATURATION controls. (I discuss these techniques in my book and in my course.)
I do the same thing for interiors, especially when I have a room that is lit by a combination of daylight, incandescent, and possibly mercury (industrial spaces). Usually, no one setting will be perfect. I get as close as possible, knowing that I can correct everything in post-production.
Because of my teaching and shooting schedules I don’t at present have time for private consultation. That is why I have developed my 46-chapter course that I believe will have everything you need to help you produce professional architectural photographs. I guide you through every step from the art historical background, to taking the photograph, to processing. I even include some tips to running a business.
You may access it here: tinyurl.com/StevenFundamentals
Good luck with your work. I admire your desire to improve the quality of your images.