Inspired Tethered Setups: Architectural Photography

“Architecture is a visual art, and the buildings speak for themselves.” – Julia Morgan, American architect

Classical or contemporary; architectural photography can be as challenging as it is rewarding. We spoke to three professional architectural photographers to learn more about their gear, setup, and what drives them to get the perfect shot.

Justin Van Leeuwen, Ottawa, Canada – https://www.jvlphoto.com

I would describe my style of architecture/interior photography as…  My photography consists of high-quality, portfolio level, residential architecture and interiors. It’s fairly “mathematical” in it’s tone, documenting a spaces natural lines and spaces. My favorite piece of gear is…         I’m not sure I could do what I do without my Canon 24mm ƒ/3.5 Tilt-Shift Lens. 95% of my work is done on that. I could swap cameras, computers, filters, and cables but give me that glass! My favorite piece of Tether Tools gear is…           The Tether Tools AeroTab L4 holds my Surface Pro 4 perfectly (with room to spare for larger tablets in the future) letting me put my computer at any level, in any place I need it on a shoot. https://tethertools.com/product/aerotab-universal-tablet-system-l2l4/ What’s on your photography gear shopping list in 2016?           Honestly? I’m going to try and keep it simple. I’m VERY happy with my kit right now so, save for a 5DMKIV or some other revolutionary piece of hardware, I’d maybe like to go on vacation instead of buying something for once. The best advice I can offer a fellow photographer would be… Only buy what you absolutely need, there are people with less than you doing so much more: be like them. And when it’s absolutely time to up your game, you’ll know exactly what it is you need to build your kit.

Stephen Karlisch, Dallas, Texas – https://www.stephenkarlisch.com

I would describe my style of architecture/interior photography as…  My interior style is very classic.  Straightforward, normal views, normal angles, nothing extreme.  Most of my work is in camera, very little post.  I like to use light to dictate what is important in an image, if possible, and highlight the key elements the designer is hoping to showcase.   My favorite piece of gear is…      Tough question, there are a lot of favorites.  I think I’d have to start with a lens, and I use the Canon 24-70 2.8L II for almost 90% of my images.  I rarely go super wide, or longer than 70mm, so its something that makes the shoot easy since I”m not constantly changing lenses, filters, etc.  I can concentrate on other things.  I shoot primarily on a Sony a7rII now, and I love that I can still use this lens.      My favorite piece of Tether Tools gear is…    TetherPro USB cable! Making this cord orange was what turned me onto Tether Tools.  I instantly know if I have the cord packed and people seem to see it better on set.  Smart, smart, smart!       

TetherPro USB 2.0 to Micro-B 5-Pin

What’s on your photography gear shopping list in 2016?      An Alpa with a new 100MP Phase Back would be nice, but not practical at this time, so I’ll go the other direction and say the new Sony a6300.  I’m venturing more and more into motion, and having more tools that capture 4k are essential.  Form factor is insane.       The best advice I can offer a fellow photographer would be… Spend money on travel, personal projects, before dropping it on advertising.

Damian Tsutsumida, Los Angeles, California – https://www.tsutsumidapictures.com

I would describe my style of architecture/interior photography as… Simple, natural, clean, consistent. We focus on allowing the space being captured  to speak for itself, with a strong emphasis on composition and detail rather than “flashy” lighting techniques. My favorite piece of gear is…     Nikon 24mm PCE lens. Essentially the most versatile lens in our arsenal. Generally speaking, all of the Nikon prime lenses are extraordinary. My favorite piece of Tether Tools gear is…  

The Case Relay for our Nikon D810’s is such a great addition, especially when the camera needs to stay stationary for long periods of time with virtually no movement or shift.

Case Relay Camera Power System

What’s on your photography gear shopping list in 2016?    

Gitzo Series 5 Systematic 6X Carbon Fiber tripod- Giant…beats standing on a van or renting a lift!  

The best advice I can offer a fellow photographer would be… Never stop learning, work with people you like and respect, stay humble.