Preparing for the Location Shoot

Scheduling - Who Should Do It?

This is completely a judgement call on your part, and several factors figure in:
- Your confidence in your photographer’s communication skills
- You relationship with either the building occupant or owner
- Whether you’re going to be in attendance at the shoot (if you’re not going to be there, why try to coordinate the other two parties?

Scouting - Should You?

There are three types of scouting:

• You and the photographer are both present on site. This is the most ideal situation to ensure the exact views and details of an image are exactly what you’re envisioning, but can also be the most expensive. 
• You have the only photographer (or one of his/her assistants) go to the site. They take rough scouting images based on a floor plan/site plan with a shot list and angles for images identified. Those images are sent to your office for review, feedback, and approval for the final photography shot list. The margin for error in you achieving exactly the shot you want increases with this option, since you’re not there on site with the photographer. 
• You provide rough images. These have been taken previously by yourself or someone on your staff and generally accompany a floor plan/site plan given to a photographer identifying angles and specific details provided. The chances of not receiving exactly what you anticipated is increased further, as the photographer will have never visited the site before the day of final photography and can’t plan for potential issues that may impact the shoot that would otherwise be identified during a scouting visit. 

Which type of scouting is also a judgement call based on several factors:

• How confident are you in the photographer understanding what images you want or details to highlight from just a conversation or a floor plan diagram? 
• How critical are the images to your portfolio? If these are going to be “flag ship” images, then the more critical it is that you be there to ensure your vision is captured in the images 
• Is it a cost effective decision for you to also be at the shoot if it is not local to your firm’s main office? 

NOTE: Reshoots are expensive and can be irritating to all parties involved, so, if at all possible should be avoided, and the best way to avoid them is a scouting session.

Props/Models - Do You Need Them?

This is question that has a lot of variables for you, and can often be determined by a scouting trip with the photographer:

• How important are the photographs to your portfolio? If these are just documentary images, the extra cost of pro acquisition/rental can be minimized. 
• If this is an exterior shot, and the new landscaping is either not grown in, or hasn’t been installed yet, would renting plants for the shoot make the image match your vision? 
• What kind of use is the interior space? Obviously, if it is a restaurant, you would want table settings. If it is a computer lab, have the workstations already been installed? 
• Would the use of people in your image create a sense of use and scale? Using people in your images can potentially dramatically increase the costs associating with creating the image, especially if talent needs to be hired for the shoot. 

Individual Site Considerations

• Availability - when will be site be completed or accessible by the photographer? 
• Security - is the any special security/access requirements to the site or the facility? If the site requires security clearances or coordination with facility management for access, this needs to be incorporated into your schedule as well as that of the photographer. 
• Time of Day/Week for Building Occupant - Is there a best time to access a site for the convenience of the facility owner/occupant as well as to achieve the images you had in mind. If you’re photographing a medical facility, is there a slower time of day or day of the week for the photographer to be present and minimize the impact on the patients? If a weekend shoot works best for the building occupant, what would be the additional cost of a building representative to be on site during photography? 
• Time of Day for Images - What time of day would be best for optimal natural lighting both interior and exterior? Are you looking at a dusk shot, but some interior shots would be best when taken in early morning sun?

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com

866-722-9506

We Have an Estimate – Now What? Controlling the Cost of a Photographic Assignment

A photographer’s estimate is based on the information you provided about the scope of work of your project. Just like your bidding process for your own projects, there may be questions, clarifications, and negotiations. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to negotiate, but just always negotiate in the same manner in which you would want to be negotiated with... fairly. When you ask the photographer for something, be prepared to give something.

Have your annual budget and number of projects in mind. Many photographers are willing to negotiate fees on one project, when there are multiple projects added to the original agreement. You’re familiar with this, the quantity discount. But, be prepared to contract all of these projects at the time you’re offering it, because nearly every single photographer has been burned on the promise of “future work” if you “cut us a deal” now, and the future work never materializes.

There are areas in which you can trim your costs, but always remember, the photographer has included these items in their estimate for a reason, and probably has already tried to keep these charges to a minimum in order to land your project. If you want to negotiate down the lighting rental charge, remember that this may impact the quality of the final image. If you’re looking at the number of assistants required, this may increase the amount of time the photographer has to be on site since set up may potentially take longer with fewer crew members.

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com

866-722-9506

Understanding the Estimate

The most common question an architectural photographer is asked, “How much will it cost?” But unfortunately, that question is usually asked without much detail about the project. Very few architectural photographers have a “Price List” because of the nature of each and every project is different. There is also not a “pay scale” for architectural photographers because images are not a commodity. Finally, identical services from two different photographers will charge a completely different set of fees.

Just like your design rates quoted in your proposals for projects, that number isn’t what the individual architect or designer takes home as their pay. Just like your firm, architectural photographers have overhead: cameras, computers, software, vehicles, lighting, office space, equipment, etc. The fees you see in an estimate aren’t just the charge for clicking a shutter.

All photographers are performing a balancing act between providing the most exceptional images possible while still providing you the most value for your project.

Elements of an Estimate

Though every Estimate is different, there are usually three basic components:

Creative Fee

Some photographers perform their services on a “Day” or “Half Day” rate, while others work on a “per shot” basis. This component also can be broken down by Photographer and Digital Artist (post production).

Usage Fee

You would not allow your General Contractor, or your Client, to take your designs for a building and build another building using them, and thus profit from it. Those are your creative designs and they are owned by your firm. The same holds true for your architectural photographs, the photographer lets you use them, just like you… for a fee.

Copyright of images is usually retained by the architectural photographer, unless specifically granted in the Terms and Conditions of your contract. Most photographers register their images with the US Copyright Office and to violate that copyright can be an expensive prospect. Some photographers do offer the copyrights to their images to their clients, but in doing so, they usually charge for this transfer.

Usage varies also according to how you are going to use the image. If you are going to use the images only for in-house documentation purposes, the usage would be relatively low. However, if you were going to use it on a billboard for paid advertising purposes, the Usage would be quite high because your potential financial gain from that image is a lot higher than the construction progress images in your file cabinet.

NOTE: To protect your firm, you need to be sure that you understand clearly the terms and conditions of usage of the images of your project. If you don’t understand something in the Terms and Conditions, ask the photographer, they will be more than happy to explain them, and if necessary, adjust them to meet your needs. However, this pay increase (or decrease) the Usage charges on the estimate.

Expenses

These are generally set expenses incurred by the photographer. Typical examples include:

• Assistants
• Lighting or Other Equipment Rental
• Location Scouting (either by the photographer or an assistant)
• Props
• Travel
• Media
• Permits

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com

866-722-9506

Thanks to All That Attended AIA Presentation "Working with an Architectural Photographer"

We would like to thank everyone who attended the "Working with an Architectural Photographer" program we presented at the AIA-Kansas City offices on Thursday the 25th. It was a great crowd and we were thrilled to help so many of you with questions about the process of commissioning architectural photography.

Just in case you missed it, we went step by step through the process including:

• identifying projects you want photographed,
• what specifically about the project you wanted (and don't want) photographed,
• how to obtain as accurate an estimate as possible,
• how locate the right photographer,
• what to do to prepare for your photography,
• types of scouting,
• what happens at the shoot
• what goes into the post production of your images
• methods of delivery
• how to continue the relationship with your photographer
• explanations of what usage is, including editorial usage
• how to save money on your photography

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com

866-722-9506

Location, Location, Location

The often quoted real estate saying, "Location, location, location" applies to successful architectural photography as well. Choosing the best angle for your project involves selecting the best point of view that tells the complete story of your design vision. That viewpoint may be from across the street, on a bridge, from another building or even from the water. Take the time to walk the perimeter (if possible) of the building, maybe look at the possibility of the roof of a neighboring building, or just from an office window nearby.


So, don't always opt for the easy, straight on "mug shot" of a structure. Unimaginative, and potentially will not show off your subject to the best ability, unless a documentary shot is what you're looking for.

Whether you were there or not, and whether we are your photographer on a project or not, if you have any questions or comments about commissioning architectural photography, please feel free to drop us a line anytime. We'd be happy to help!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer
Photographer
R2 Photography, LLC
r2-photography.com

866-722-9506