DRONE INFORMATION
∙ There is no extra fee for drone shots! It is just billed for time at the same rate like photography and videography.
∙ Please let me know if you would like drone shots, and I’ll check to make sure the property is cleared by the FAA for any flight restrictions.
∙ Some locations close to airports require FAA authorization prior to flying a drone - these locations require 1-6 weeks to wait for a response from the FAA.
MY TECHNIQUE & PROCESS
My method of balancing light sources and framing the composition results in the crisp and vibrant interiors you can find in my portfolio. I make sure to preserve the ambiance of a space while using my own lighting to make the room pop and come alive. If you're curious about the technical details, I break it down in a more concrete manner below...
THE LIGHTING
There are three sources of light when photographing an interior space: (1) Window light, (2) light from fixtures and lamps, and (3) my own flashes:
(1) I set my camera settings so that the window light isn't so overpowering that the windows appear as a washed-out pure white. I make sure that the green trees and blue skies are visible through the windows.
(2) The light bulbs from fixtures and lamps usually stain the walls and furniture with a particular color temperature. This color casting occurs because the camera "perceives" and records the color temperature that different bulbs emit as different colors. For example, tungsten bulbs stain orange, fluorescent bulbs will stain green, and CFLs vary by type. For that reason, I make sure the camera settings are set so that the light from fixtures and lamps is bright enough to show off that they're there, but not enough to color cast the space around them.
(3) At this point, the camera can see detail out the windows and the fixtures and lamps are a minor source of light indoors. The interior is still dark so I light it up with my flashes. The flashes are a daylight balanced color temperature which preserve the true colors of a space's walls and furniture. They also cause colors to pop and details to be crisp. The flashes appear natural and won't have that harsh "flashy" look.
The balance of the three aforementioned sources of light can be adjusted to suit your brand. For example, some interior design companies prefer the "washed-out window with contrasting shadows look" which can feel cozier or more rustic.
THE COMPOSITION
The appearance of a space completely changes with the angle of view, so I carefully consider and choose the angles that complement the room. Without going too deeply into an abstract explanation, I look for a certain flow in the room formed by the room's shape and furniture/structures within. I use wide-angle lenses that can capture small bathrooms and walk-in closets. I usually shoot as wide as I can to embellish, but not so wide that it misrepresents the space. Shooting too wide also makes the photo be majority ceiling and floor which looks strange.
EXTERIORS
Exteriors can be photographed at the same time as the interiors, or I can come back later in the day during sunset. Photographing exteriors during or right after a sunset results in the most spectacular shots of a home or building. I use my lights to light up the exterior of the home to give it clarity and pop. Relying only on natural light for an exterior leads to a flat and uninspired image. The combination of a vibrantly lit-up home with the backdrop of a colorful sky from a setting sun results in absolutely stunning imagery.
ABOUT JEEHEON
My name is Jeeheon Cho and I'm a San Diego based photographer and videographer.
I'm originally from the Boston area and studied at Bowdoin College in Maine. After college, I moved to Boulder, Colorado to climb and be a ski bum. I then spent the next few years traveling and exploring photography whilst living abroad in various countries including Nepal, Thailand, and Japan.
I'm known for my crisp and vibrant photographs created by balancing a space's ambient light with off-camera flashes. Preserving the ambient light maintains the space's ambiance and mood, while the off-camera lights make the space and objects within pop and come alive with vibrancy.
When I'm not spending time with my lovely wife and our 2 dogs, I love to travel, play golf, support Tottenham Hotspurs (☹️), collect puer teas, brew craft coffee, play guitar, ski Colorado's backcountry, eat Korean BBQ, and shoot film.