Color management in architectural and interior photography
Architectural and interior photography is not just about capturing buildings or spaces, it's about conveying an atmosphere, an emotion, a vision. And at the heart of this transmission, colour plays an important role. Precise management of colour is essential for faithfully reproducing the nuances, textures and atmosphere of a place.
Camera sensors interpret light and colour differently to the human eye. Our brains have the ability to automatically compensate for variations in colour caused by artificial lighting, something that cameras are not very good at doing. What's more, each camera sensor has its own way of rendering colours. Without any colour management, the colours captured are likely to be disappointing.
Why is colour management so important in architectural and interior photography?
The right colours ensure that the final rendering matches reality, highlighting the work of architects and designers. Colours also influence our emotions. Warm tones can make a space feel welcoming, while cool tones can underline a sleek modernity. So it's important to capture the mood of the space.
What does effective colour management involve?
It involves managing colour at every stage of photographic production. To achieve this, all the elements in the colour chain need to be mastered:
- The Colour Space used for the shots. To obtain a wider range of colours, I use the Adobe RGB space.
- The ICC profile of the camera. Using a colorchecker, I created a specific colour profile for my camera. This profile is used in my Lightroom software to faithfully interpret the colours.
- A regularly calibrated monitor is essential. It will enable colours to be displayed accurately. It must be capable of displaying the Adobe RGB colour space. My screen is an Eizo 27’ graphics screen that is calibrated every week.
- The software used. It must be able to handle Adobe RGB. The colour settings will give the desired result. Of course, this can only work if the whole colour chain is under control, especially the screen calibration.
Once the colour chain is in place, all that remains is to manage the white balance for each shot, a process whose aim is to neutralise the dominant colour of the light sources in a space or location.
To do this, I use a neutral greyscale. It's a very precise method. As the grey is neutral, all you have to do is neutralise it in the photo processing software.
Managing colour in architectural and interior photography is imperative. It allows me to control the process from start to finish, and thus to obtain high-quality photographs.
Architectural and interior photography before white balance |
Architectural and interior photography after white balance |
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