Any one do residential exterior photography for developers. You know the ones where they light the whole enchalada . . . kinda makes them look like a resort . . . what lights do you use . . . quartz, incandesant, flash with warming filter? What whatage if quartz?

Any samples . .

Thanks

whatage?

that's a good one!

wouldn't it be easiest to match your lights to the color temp of any existing lights? or just add whatever type of lights you want if there aren't any at the location?

quote:

Originally posted by John MacLean Photography:
[qb] whatage?

that's a good one!

wouldn't it be easiest to match your lights to the color temp of any existing lights? or just add whatever type of lights you want if there aren't any at the location? [/qb]

That's what I'm asking what do you guys do? Do you use quartz, plain old light bulbs or do you use flash and warming filters.

If quartz what wattage do you use 1000s, 500s, 250s or a combination?

I am trying to figure out how to do it . . . within their price range.

What time of day are you planning on shooting? dawn, dusk, night?

The time will dictate how much power you'll need to use, along with the existing lighting, size of the house and the distance from the lights to the house.

I personally don't like to light an exterior to look like what you're describing. IMO, it tends to look over-lit and not very natural or appealing. Just as I don't like to see interiors lit from the floor upward. It just looks out of place to me.

quote:

Originally posted by John MacLean Photography:
[qb]

I personally don't like to light an exterior to look like what you're describing. IMO, it tends to look over-lit and not very natural or appealing. Just as I don't like to see interiors lit from the floor upward. It just looks out of place to me. [/qb]

Agreed,

They will be dusk shots and the company I'm bidding against is pretty good at making them look natural.

Homes are two story and about 60' - 90' wide.

I was thinking a row of about 6 10'x10' scrimms with 2 1k w/s flash heads on each scrim for fill and some tungston up lights mixed in for highlights.

I think the flash will get me to f8 and my time will be about 15th.

I havn't much experience with tungston for exterior.

My intent is not to under bid but I always over bid these.

quote:

Originally posted by piktour:

I was thinking a row of about 6 10'x10' scrimms with 2 1k w/s flash heads on each scrim for fill and some tungston up lights mixed in for highlights.
[/QB]

You might want to contact a movie/grip company...Six 10x10s to shoot a house? For real? I'd pay good money to see that shoot!

.

This is why you should test or know what your doing before you try to pull this off. I have shot all types of houses day, dusk and night.

Day = Strobe, I have used up to 20 or more lights if the house does not have direct sun

Dusk and night = Tungsten I use 20 - 30 lights from 16 Omni's, 2 Tota's, 3 pro lights and lots of different bulbs.

http://www.johngibbel.com/exteriors.html

Or you can hire me to do it for you.

www.pixjohn.com
www.johngibbel.com

quote:

Originally posted by John Gibbel:
[qb] This is why you should test or know what your doing before you try to pull this off. I have shot all types of houses day, dusk and night.

Day = Strobe, I have used up to 20 or more lights if the house does not have direct sun

Dusk and night = Tungsten I use 20 - 30 lights from 16 Omni's, 2 Tota's, 3 pro lights and lots of different bulbs.

http://www.johngibbel.com/exteriors.html

Or you can hire me to do it for you.

www.pixjohn.com
www.johngibbel.com [/qb]

Thanks for the response John, your work is nice but I am trying to do this without all the shadows.

My thoughts were to just fill the subject with soft light and put a few key lights in for specific architectural details.

Be careful its not to flat. You could use a row of Tota lights across the house and get a flat look. Have you seen any samples online that has the look you want.

If you want flat, you could also shoot available light and add a few small bulbs to highlight area's.

quote:

Originally posted by John Gibbel:
[qb] Be careful its not to flat. You could use a row of Tota lights across the house and get a flat look. Have you seen any samples online that has the look you want.

If you want flat, you could also shoot available light and add a few small bulbs to highlight area's. [/qb]

Not really flat but any shadows will convey landscape and architectural lighting that isn't really there.

Lately I've been using a combination of exposures, daylight and tungsten. HERE is an example. My technique is to hopefully keep it from being noticeable as to what's what. I'm not going to disclose the details, but you could probably figure it out. I don't like strobe, because I can't see it. And it's not as controllable, nor have I ever seen it look like part of the existing home lighting.

I've been using strobe exclusivley.

Here is an example of 3 10x10 scrimms with about 3k WS at camera left and 2 setups for fill behind the camera. There is a single scrimm with 1k ws just to the camera right of the building. Post to feather out the highlights in the forground.

http://www.terryorourke.com/fresno_architecture_photography/index.html
I know I'm making this sh?&# more difficult that it needs to be.

Personally I think the 10x10 is way over the top for that type of shot. You could get the same look with Tota's and not have to deal with the elements of rigging 3 10x10. Tota's give a very soft fill light.

What is a 10 x 10 going to give you at that distance over a strobe with a reflector and just diffusion over it? Have you played around with different lights?

Terry,

You could have shot that w/o any additional lighting, but the post time would have been longer.

I have to disagree and agree with JG though. Point source Tota's will never have the character of a 10x10' silk, but I agree that your setup is way overkill.