About & FAQ’s
Dandy Architecture is about photographing structures — both interiors and exteriors — how they were intended to be viewed, experienced and lit. I work closely with architects, independent contractors, construction firms, and interior designers to ensure all intended details are present in my final images. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, the area of service for Dandy Architecture is throughout the continental United States.
Who I Am
A camera has been in my hand for 20+ years, and I’ve worked in various genres of photography. Love light, composition, perspective, clean lines — bringing it all together. Been into architecture and design (background in graphic design and logo identity) for many years, and I’ve assisted several architectural photographers in South Florida, while shooting for editorial and honing my retouching skills in-house for Color Lab of South Florida.
In 2004, I relocated to Indianapolis, where I’ve photographed headshots for numerous individuals and businesses, and in 2007, I began working with TKO Graphix as in-house photographer, photographing cars and architecture for TKO Graphix in Plainfield, Indiana. I now exclusively serve my sizable and growing client base, providing headshots and architectural photography to both individuals and small to mid-size businesses.
I also enjoy photographing landscapes and doing street photography, and I’ve been doing a lot of black & white phone photography, which can be viewed on Instagram (@joshhumble, or @dandyarchitecture for color architecture).
Thanks for considering my work, and let me know how I can help YOU for your next spectacular new structure or interior that needs photographed. And if you’re an architect or interior designer or in a related industry, join me on Architizer.com, Archilovers.com, Archinect.com or Houzz.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are frequently asked questions, and please contact me with any other questions. ALWAYS glad to help!
What’s the difference between Architectural Photography and Real Estate photography?
Architectural photography is more meticulous and thorough. It takes more time per view (image) to get things just right and the cost per view is much higher as a result. Each view is meticulously scouted and leveled often with a tilt-shift lens for perspective control, multiple exposures made, and supplemental lighting sometimes used. This kind of work is best for finished product for architects, interior designers, construction firms, high-end editorial, etc., and the amount of views or final images requested for a finished job could range from 1-10, though occasionally more.
Real Estate photography is more about quantity, and while the images need to be great, not as much detail can be put into the finished work. This is meant more for Realtors, property management, home and apartment listing services, etc.
I provide architectural interior and exterior photography, as well as real estate photography.
Do you offer RAW photos?
I don’t offer RAW or unfinished photos. First, a RAW photo or file isn’t what many think. A RAW file is like a tiff or jpeg file, but it’s pure data from the camera and can’t be opened or used without specific software. Most people are actually asking for an unfinished or non-retouched image. I don’t offer these either, as most images DO NOT come straight from the camera ready to go. An image may require some or a lot of editing. One common technique I use to balance light is HDR (“High Dynamic Range”), which requires a minimum of 3 separate exposures to make one final balanced image. They are blended in the post process and no single image is fully exposed properly. Providing unfinished work reflects poorly on all of us. It’s like asking a baker to give you a half-cooked cake. A specialist’s process is unique to them, and the post process is just as important as lighting, composition, etc.
I’ve had some bad retouching done before. How can this be avoided?
Examining a photographer’s portfolio is a good way to avoid bad retouching. If their work is well-polished but natural looking, they’re likely great to work with. Some retouching and cleanup is necessary in most commercial photography. A GREAT photographer will either do it themselves, or have a professional retoucher handle it. Either way, they should know this part of the craft well. I’ve spent nearly as many years studying this separate but integral art as I have photography itself, and it should be treated just as importantly. Any cleanup of trash in the image or uneven pavement should look natural and Photoshop shouldn’t be evident. It should never look fake or blurred. As well, lighting, exposure, and color casts should all be balanced.
How many proofs do you offer in your pre-scouting sessions?
I don’t promise a quantity of proofs, as I don’t know what I’m working with until I arrive at the project. The final images are what we’re going for, and working off a quantity quota for a project I’ve yet to explore is a bit unrealistic. If an architect wants 5 different areas photographed, I would start by getting roughly three different views (2 angles and 1 straight-on), plus any other interesting views or details shots. More specifics are discussed with the on-premise representative and I can then have a better idea. The proofs are rough snapshots to know what views I need to set up, light, etc on the shoot date scheduled separately.
Scouting is available locally, though client provided rough images for projects outside the local area commonly suffice.
*RUSH services may not be available during peak production times.