Displays on Display

Ever try to photograph another device's screen and get frustrated when you see wavy lines and glare instead? A common phrase used in many smartphone advertisements is “Screen images simulated,” meaning that post-production effects are used to avoid this result. I had this challenge photographing a recent projector and screen installation by Diversified at a local office building.

Part of the process of photographing screens involves experimenting with the lighting in the space to be photographed. I'll take lots of trial shots with the blinds up or down, the lights brighter or dimmer, and other small modifications to reduce the amount of glare on the monitors and reflective surfaces. This is all much easier to accomplish without other people around, so I shot these spaces over a holiday break, when no one would be around to object to all the lighting changes.

Here, the display creates the illusion of a conference room extended to include the video participants. Now that's hybrid work!

After that, a little bit of editing magic makes the screens look as vivid and sharp as if you were there in person.

It's also possible to swap in another image on the screen entirely, as long as you remember to update any reflections!

Blinds up or down? Post-production edits make the projected image clearly visible either way.

Even in a tiny conference room, the right lighting conditions can help avoid unwanted reflections in the glass.