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Aurum

Journal

Useful things, written plainly.

What this work actually costs, how to brief it so the first draft lands, and why some images read as photographs while others never will.

What a planning authority actually wants from your render
Latest8 min read

What a planning authority actually wants from your render

Planning imagery is judged on accuracy, not beauty. What assessors actually look for, why flattering renders get challenged, and where the money is wasted.

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What architectural rendering actually costs, and why the range is so wide
9 min

What architectural rendering actually costs, and why the range is so wide

What architectural rendering really costs, from $250 budget images to $2,500 premium frames — what drives the gap, and which tier your project needs.

When to photograph a finished building, and when to render it anyway
7 min

When to photograph a finished building, and when to render it anyway

The building is finished, so why would you render it? There are four situations where rendering still beats photography, and several where it does not.

The seven tells that give a render away
7 min

The seven tells that give a render away

Most people spot a render in two seconds but cannot say why. Here are the seven specific tells, and what separates imagery that reads as photography.

What to send a rendering studio so the first draft is close
6 min

What to send a rendering studio so the first draft is close

The files and information that separate a usable first draft from three rounds of expensive backtracking. A checklist for architects and developers.