A composite image is when multiple exposures (individual photographs) are made of the same view and meticulously blended together in post-production to create a final, balanced image. Combinations of ambient light, supplemental lighting, light/dark brackets, and anti-glare exposures--usually consisting of 5-20 photos--are all used in one file. Each photograph has a specific portion of it “painted” in to expose the desired section and keeping the rest hidden. These layers are then methodically stacked on each other and melded together to create the perfect mix. Each high production composite image takes around 30 mins to capture on-site and around 1-3 hours per image to edit in post. The goal is to accurately portray the space to how you see it in real life.

This method is not to be confused with an HDR (high dynamic range) image, however, aspects of HDR techniques are combined with hand-crafted light painting to create a composite image. In HDR photography, you can only work with the light that is available which can sometimes limit the control you have of the characteristics of light. Not to go full-on photo nerd or anything, but in photography, there are four main characteristics of light: quantity, quality, color temperature, and direction. By adding in my own lighting (in combo to the ambient or natural light available), I am able to control these characteristics much more carefully and creatively. This is ideal in interior photography especially because we deal with many different types of textures (fabric, wood, glass, plastic, etc.) in one image. and As a result, I can use them to my advantage to create a more balanced and natural feeling image of the space. 

I take my editing very seriously and rarely outsource it. One, because I really love to do it; and two, because to me, my editing is what takes my photographs and turns them into art. Each image I deliver is hand-crafted and meticulously edited to create a beautiful, final image of your space. Here’s how I break it down:

• BASIC EDITING = color, clarity, and perspective correction.

• STANDARD EDITING = removal of "code" items (i.e. sprinkler heads, exit signs, floor cores, etc.); clean up minor wall blemishes; removal of minor debris, reflections, loose wires, branches, etc.

• EXTENSIVE EDITING = Examples include (but aren't limited to): removal of major elements (i.e. signage, people, furniture, cars, etc.), rebuilding/replacing any structural elements, removing excessive power lines or other exterior distractions, changing colors or textures, cleaning up excessive wall or ceiling damage, importing additional graphics (i.e. artwork, TV’s, props, etc.), etc.

All images include basic editing. All composite images include standard editing and one additional round of editing after a client review session. Extensive editing is not included and an hourly rate will apply due to the time commitment needed to complete them.

This depends on many factors, but typical turnaround time is two to four weeks to complete final images due to the complexity of post-production required for this type of photography. Factors that affect my turnaround time:

• Size of the project - you can expect a multi-day shoot to take a few weeks to edit, but some smaller jobs can be finished faster.

• My current editing queue - I edit all of my images so if I’m backlogged, I will let you know and try my best to give you an accurate completion timeframe. Typically I have anywhere from 3-6 projects in my editing queue at a time.

• Editing requirements - if many images will require extensive editing, it will slow down the process. There have been multiple times when it took me an entire day to edit one image!

• Client feedback speed - sometimes once proofs are sent, clients get busy or they are awaiting an executive decision, which means I sit and wait to begin editing until decisions are made.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW —> My style is not a churn and burn solution. If you need images the next day, definitely ask to see if it’s possible, but in most cases, I might suggest you look elsewhere. Although it would be amazing, you wouldn’t expect a perfectly cooked filet mignon from a drive-thru, right?

I understand that quality photography is a considerable investment, but it’s a vital necessity in today’s online digital environment. I don’t really offer discounts so the first solution is value engineering. Do you really need 25 images of the space? Or will 10 creatively composed images tell the story in a similar fashion? Break it down to the bare essentials and go from there.

If you are still having trouble swallowing the cost, I would encourage you to team up with other vendors or companies and arrange a cost-share agreement. Ultimately, this reduces the cost for everyone involved. Trust me, most vendors will recognize the cost and time-saving potential of sharing a shoot rather than scheduling, waiting, and paying for a separate shoot.

Cost-Sharing is the ultimate secret weapon in architectural and interior photography. Ultimately, this reduces the cost for everyone involved.

In architectural and interior photography, it’s common for many different partners—architects, designers, builders, product manufacturers—to all have a stake in the success of a project. Therefore, cost-Sharing is the ultimate secret weapon to ensure everyone’s success. By setting up a cost-share agreement, I’m able to offer additional licenses to these other stakeholders, which helps offset photography costs for everyone involved. This cost-sharing model creates more value for the project as a whole and allows the imagery to work harder and go further.

Additionally, photo shoots can be very disruptive to an occupied office or active public space. Therefore, in order to reduce the amount of disturbance, it’s often beneficial to hire one photographer to come in one time in order to satisfy the needs of many vendors at once. This also opens the doors to collaboration and all the vendors to get the specific images they need.

Ideally, this is all arranged PRIOR to the shoot. The main hiring client determines the core shotlist and then other vendors can make requests to add on if the need something different.

For every party that adds on to gain access to the images, I add 30% to the total creative cost of the project, add that to the total production cost, then the total amount can then be split at your discretion between all the participating parties. Ultimately, this reduces the cost for everyone involved. Trust me, most vendors will recognize the cost and time-saving potential of sharing a shoot rather than scheduling, waiting, and paying for a separate shoot.

Check out this example:

An architect hires me to shoot their latest project and the total creative cost of the project = $5,000. The architect gets the general contractor on board and agrees to share the cost so that they have access to the images as well. So…

• 30% of $5,000 = $1,500

• $1,500 + $5,000 = $6,500

• $6,500 / 2 = $3,250 each

• Result = $1,750 cost savings to the original client (roughly 35%)

Then...the furniture dealer hears about this amazing deal and wants in as well. So we add another 35% to the original cost and it looks like this:

• 30% of $5,000 = $1,500

• $5,000 + $1,500 (for the GC) + $1,500 (for the furniture dealer) = $8,000
  $8,000 / 3 = $2,667each

• Result = $2,333 cost savings to original client (roughly 46%)

So the savvy architect just reduced their portion by almost half JUST by bringing in two other companies to split it with them. It’s a win-win. The only catch is to make sure this is all agreed upon PRIOR to the shoot. Otherwise, any 3rd party that wants access to the images after the shoot is over will have to purchase the images separately based on a per-image price structure.

Moral of the story: get others involved early as an incentive to help everyone involved!
 

• Reduce the total number of images you think that you need. I know you want the entire space captured, but sometimes only 3-5 images are needed to highlight the most important features. Most often, 4 fantastic photographs outweigh the marketing value of 20 snapshots taken on your smartphone. Remember, it’s your credibility and brand that is at stake so if you post nonuniform and low-quality images in attempts to showcase your beautiful work, clients may, unfortunately, make snap judgments. With professional photography, your potential customers will recognize your attention to quality and will want to work with you.

• Do you have multiple projects that you are either behind on photographing or will need to have shot in the future? Wait until you have 5 projects ready and take advantage of my multi-project discount. Buy 4 and get the 5th one for free resulting in a 20% savings. Who doesn’t love a good BOGO deal, AMIRITE?

NO. The photographer owns the copyright forever and any improper use or sharing the images with 3rd parties can result in copyright infringement.

PROTIP: You should always triple check with your photographer or make sure you have it in writing what you can and cannot do with ANY photograph or creative material that you use for your business. Doing this could save you and your company a lot of money, a potential lawsuit, and a lot of headaches.

Probably not—and here’s why.

In photography, copyright is the legal ownership of the images. It’s the core asset that allows photographers like me to stay in business, since I don’t sell physical products—the images are the product. When you request a copyright buyout, you’re asking to own the images fully and exclusively, which means I can no longer license them to others or even use them in my own portfolio. Because of this, copyright buyout pricing reflects the lifetime value loss of those images—not just the time it took to create them.

The good news? Most clients don’t need to own the copyright to get the flexibility they want.

My standard license already covers the most common marketing uses: your website, social media, award submissions, email campaigns, and more. The only things it doesn’t include are third-party sharing, paid advertising placements, and high-profile editorial use.

If you need broader usage, I offer expanded license options—like unlimited usage across all media—without the added expense (or complexity) of a copyright buyout.

Why does this matter?
Especially in architectural and interior photography, projects often involve multiple stakeholders who all benefit from the images. By retaining copyright, I’m able to offer licenses to these additional vendors, creating a cost-sharing model that helps keep your photography investment reasonable.

When a copyright buyout is requested, the client is asking to fully own the images outright. This means the photographer forfeits all rights to license the work to other parties or even use the images for their own portfolio or marketing. Because of this, a copyright buyout is priced to reflect the lifetime value loss of the work—not just the time and cost of the initial shoot.

As a general rule, copyright ownership typically costs around three times the total price of the shoot to account for this forfeiture of future value.

If you’re unsure which option makes the most sense for your project, I’m always happy to talk through it and find the right fit for your needs.

Believe it or not, I get this question on a DAILY basis…and YES it is. I have never died my hair once. Well, that’s not entirely true….when I was 16 I got blonde highlights and let’s just say…poor decisions were made.