The expectations and demands of high-quality architectural photography have changed over the years and the architectural photographer must adjust his techniques, especially with regard to interior photography. Architecture is always evolving; to quote the great architect Louis Sullivan; “form follows function” and as new building materials, such as energy-efficient UV glass, become more available, they can make form and function of architecture more practical. Many architects, especially in the picturesque Southwest, are now designing homes with expansive windows to visually bring the exterior views of the landscape into the home, which while highly photographic can also be a challenge for an architectural photographer. This is especially true for architectural photography in very picturesque areas where many high-end residences and buildings are being constructed in the natural environment. An architectural photographer and an interior photographer will have many situations that will demand, as a compositional element, the ability to capture both a well-lit interior and the beautiful exterior view of the desert.
The best lighting technique to solve this problem is for the architectural photographer to use high-power strobes to balance the exposure from the bright exterior to the interior; otherwise, the exterior landscape scene would be overexposed beyond recognition. The f-number for the exposure is based on the strobe light output and the vibration speed is determined by adequate outdoor exposure; there is a point where one can maintain just the right amount of ambient light and still maintain an outside view by subtly fine-tuning the speed of the shudder; Generally, the most natural look is to keep as much indoor ambient light as possible. It is also important to keep the exterior view clearer (1/2 – 1 step above the bottom) so that it does not appear unrealistic. If time or budget makes a full lighting setup impractical, pretty good results can also be achieved by using some lower wattage, more ambient lights, exposing the interior and exterior separately, then masking and combining exposures in Photoshop. . Try setting up just a few lights and lighting only part of the room, then move them to light another part, until you get the lighting effect you are looking for, then combine the exposures in Photoshop. In any case, it is preferable that the exposure of the exterior view is as close as possible balancing it with the strobe light to simplify the masking process.
Another way to balance your indoor exposure to outdoor light is to shoot at a time of day when the outside is relatively dark, or at least within the range of indoor light exposure. Depending on the situation, this can happen when most of the outside is in deep shadows, on a cloudy day, or very early or late in the day when the light is not too strong. When photographing in the southwest, it may be possible to achieve this balance in the afternoon during the monsoon season, when it normally gets cloudy for a few hours; plan your views accordingly. Many years ago, an indoor photography lighting system could be comprised of continuous light sources; 250 to 500 watts daylight blue flood lamps (which were rated at 4200K when new). These were placed in lamps, recessed ceiling sconces and simple reflectors. This technique produces a soft indoor light that balances fairly close to the color temperature of daylight; however, one would have to use the pre-exposure technique of shooting in the right conditions or at the time of day when the outside light was not too bright if “turning off” the outside view was not acceptable.
Lighting is a critical factor in quality architectural and interior photography and should be viewed as a key component that is no less important than composition, color, and contrast. When the architectural photographer finds himself in a situation that demands that the views of the exterior landscape be integrated with the interiors, a masterful lighting technique is essential, allowing total control of both interior and exterior exposures.