Science Center Revisit
My last attempt had some issues with lighting. The exterior lighting didn’t turn on in time and the interior lights were on motion sensors that turned off after 5 minutes. Needless to say my assistant was tired from activating the lighting on 3 floors. The end results came out fine but too much contrast for what I desired.
These lighting issues are becoming more common as buildings are designed with conservation of energy in mind. We had to find the right people to help adjust the motion sensors inside and also turn the exterior lights on earlier. The second attempt worked out well and below you will see the difference.
The choice between the two images is a matter of preference. The first image has more pop with color but the second image is more subtle and shows details that the architect may want to see.
1st Attempt Photographing Science Center
2nd Attempt Photographing Science Center
Personally, I like your first “attempt” it’s got all the detail anyone could want and a strong, dramatic presentation.
If anything I would have shot when the light was 1/4 or 1/2 brighter rather than the 1 1/2 of your second “attempt.” Balancing the interior and the exterior exactly results in no emphasis on the interior lighting effects.
Your instincts are good, go with them.
I should point out that the architect was more concerned about not having a strong bluish cast on the metal portion of the building. This required getting the shots with more daylight left. Yes the first photos is more dramatic but it came down to getting a shot for the client’s preference to see more detail and toned down on highlights.
Does the client’s request make a stronger image? Maybe not, but the building wasn’t my creation so I guess opinion may vary based on content vs visual appeal.
Both images are terrific. I like the darker sky of the first one, but I like the look of the building, particularly the metal parts, better on the second one.
Thanks for the comment Jim. I have the same opinion as what you mentioned. It was the reason I did both versions because the client had a preference. I should go through some outtakes and see if I can find the best of both, perhaps a subtle in between.
I also like the first picture better. However the more I look at the second picture, the more impressed I am with it. The detail is fantastic along with the balance between interior and exterior light. The house on the left is very distracting in the second picture.
Good job, I like the first one. Must have been tricky getting all the perspective errors corrected.
Thanks for the comment. The perspective was the easy part because I use a perspective control lens that works great with low distortion. Seem like most people prefer the first photo and it’s probably because it has more color punch and contrast. The second one was for the client because he wanted the metal as neutral as possible which is difficult.
Just came across your blog, and it’s interesting reading and great photographs. Love the light in the second photograph!