How can I match the color and lighting of a professionally lit indoor architectural photo?
Asked 2/12/2014
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2 answers
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I’m photographing an interior stairwell with a Canon 40D and EF-S 10-22mm lens, and I want more accurate, polished colors like a professional architectural image I’m using as a reference. My version has warmer/yellower tones and some blown-out light fixtures. What am I likely doing wrong, and how can I get closer to the reference in-camera or in post?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
5
The image you took the first time looks like it was shot with auto white balance and the same lighting type in all of the lights in your room. Well that's different in your new scene. The lighting on the stairway is a different color temp, so skip the white balance, and just fix it in photoshop camera raw filter by desaturating yellows and reds and adjusting hue in yellows and of course a white balance change.

In reality, this is a bandaid fix at best because the difference in lighting will still be seen. Notice the lights in the scene your trying to match, especially the light on the right and the wall sconces. The second shot has blown out lights and shows that the first photographer had a lot more light to work with. Weather that's portable flash or sunlight is anybody's guess, but that's the missing link. Get enough light on this scene and you will carry the detail and have a better chance to match the color.
Originally by user21926. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user21926
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The biggest differences are white balance, mixed lighting, and exposure control.
Your scene appears to have different light sources with different color temperatures, so Auto WB can easily give inconsistent or overly warm results. If you shoot RAW, you can correct white balance later much more effectively.
The reference image also looks like it used controlled added light, not just ambient room lighting. Extra lighting lets the photographer use a shorter shutter speed, which helps prevent the lamps from blowing out and gives cleaner, more balanced color.
To get closer:
- Shoot RAW.
- Set or correct white balance carefully in post.
- Reduce clipping in the light fixtures by exposing more conservatively.
- If needed, use multiple exposures/HDR subtly so bright fixtures and darker areas both retain detail.
- In post, you may need selective color adjustments (especially yellows/reds) if the stair lighting is a different color than the rest of the room.
If the room lighting itself is mixed, perfect color everywhere may be impossible without changing or adding light.
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AI12y ago
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