Capturing the Charm of Pembroke House

​​Introduction: Photographing Pembroke House Interiors:
I recently had the wonderful opportunity to photograph the interiors of Pembroke House, a charity organization. The staff requested these photographs to help showcase the spaces for potential renters, whether individuals or teams, who might use the facilities for various purposes.

Planning and Approach: Capturing Balanced Exposures:
When approaching this project, I knew the importance of capturing well-balanced images, especially in real estate and interior photography. One of the common challenges is achieving the perfect exposure, where the interior looks vibrant, but the windows aren’t blown out or overexposed. To tackle this, I employed a technique where I take multiple exposures: one with an optimal interior exposure and another with a darker exposure to retain details in the highlights, particularly the windows. If I noticed any interesting elements in the scene, such as unique furniture or decorative items, I would slightly adjust the exposure and enhance texture and clarity to make these features stand out.

Preparing the Space: Setting the Scene:
Before I start shooting, I always make sure to tidy up the space to ensure it looks its best. Once everything is in place, I set up my tripod and mount my camera, ready to capture the scene. As mentioned, I take multiple shots at different exposure levels, which allows me to later blend them in Photoshop. This technique helps in correcting overexposed areas, especially around the windows, by layering the brighter exposure over the darker one and carefully masking in the areas that need improvement.

Camera Settings: Achieving Optimal Results
For this project, my camera settings were crucial. I set the ISO to 200 to minimize noise and add a touch of depth to the images. The aperture was set at f/5.6, allowing ample light into the lens—essential for interior shots, especially in spaces with limited lighting. Without access to external lighting, I relied on natural light, adjusting the shutter speed between 1/15 second for brighter shots and 1/30 second for darker ones. These settings, combined with a sturdy tripod, enabled me to produce well-exposed and sharp images.

Overcoming Challenges: Tidying Up the Space:
One of the challenges I faced during the shoot was dealing with clutter, particularly in the upstairs computer room. The room had messy shelving and exposed computer wires, which were difficult to conceal since they were hanging loosely with no easy way to tuck them out of sight. Despite this, the overall experience was enjoyable. Most of my previous architectural photography focused on exteriors, as interior photography often requires permission from property owners or staff.

My Workflow for Editing Interior Photographs:
When editing interior photographs, I start by importing multiple exposures of the same scene into Photoshop—typically one light and one dark exposure. The first step is to align these images by selecting both layers, going to the "Edit" tab, and choosing "Auto-Align Layers." This ensures the exposures are perfectly aligned.

Next, I focus on correcting overexposed areas, such as windows or bright spots on the floor. Using the Polygonal Lasso tool, I select these areas and save the selection for later use. Then, I add a mask to the top layer. Remember the key principle: "white reveals, black conceals." I use this technique to mask the overexposed areas, revealing the correctly exposed layer underneath, which balances the image.
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To address any unwanted colour casts, like the yellow tint from indoor lighting, I use the "Selective Colour" adjustment. By selecting the affected area with the Polygonal Lasso tool, I can adjust the colour sliders to reduce or remove the unwanted tones. Finally, I refine the image by masking or unmasking specific areas, ensuring that the lighting and colour are consistent throughout.

Favourite Shots: The Church and Garden Spaces:
My favourite shots from this project were of the church and the outdoor garden space. These images turned out beautifully composed and well-exposed. The colours in the garden, particularly the plants and the recliner, appeared rich and vibrant, while the church walls had a pleasing balance of light and shadow.

Conclusion: A Successful Project and Future Plans
Overall, I consider this project a great success, and I look forward to more opportunities in real estate and interior photography. I’m also excited about the possibility of doing event photography for Pembroke House in the future, especially now that I have upgraded my camera body and lens.