Dealing with Problem Lighting
Lighting Techniques | 8 min read
Not every room has beautiful natural light flooding through large windows. Some of the most challenging property photography situations involve difficult lighting conditions. Here's how to handle them.
These are common in older properties, basements, and north-facing rooms.
The classic property photography challenge. The dynamic range can exceed 10 stops.
When daylight (cool) mixes with tungsten bulbs (warm) and LED strips (variable), you get an unpleasant colour mess.
Bathrooms, utility rooms, and some hallways have no natural light.
Mirrors, glass shower screens, glossy worktops, and polished floors can all cause problems.
Key Takeaways
- Dark rooms need bounce flash and potentially higher ISO
- HDR or flambient solves the bright window / dark interior challenge
- Mixed colour temperatures can be fixed with gels, selective editing, or by turning off lights
- Windowless rooms rely entirely on flash, make it soft and even
- Shoot at an angle to avoid reflections in mirrors and glass