The Interior & Architectural Photography Guide
Your project photography can be used for many years to come to showcase the best interior and architectural aspects of your property for your business. Whether it is to display your aesthetic, give people a feel for your property, or attract new business - knowing the End Game for your project can help you plan and prepare for the photoshoot. Below are some common questions I get when planning for an architectural or interior shoot for a property.
How many photos of my property should I take?
The number of photos you should get will very widely for the size of your project. A Residential Project during a single-day shoot will typically yield 12 quality photos. And a larger Commercial project may require a 2-day shoot to get 24 quality photos.
should i get vertical or horizontal photos of my property?
The architecture, interior design, and furniture arrangement will usually dictate the aspect ratio of a particular project, but where and how the photos will be displayed is very important as well. If you know for sure the photos will only be used for Instagram, planning for a vertical 4:5 aspect ratio will be the way to go, which also works well for Websites on an iPhone.
If the photo will be used for a full page add in Architectural Digest, then plan for a horizontal 3:4 aspect ration works best, as well as works better for your website on a Desktop screen. Photos can also sometimes be taken in a way that allows for multiple aspect ratio crops from a single photo.
How do I ensure good lighting in my interior or exterior spaces?
This can vary quite a bit, and is something a photographer will help with. Talking through camera angles and lighting during a location scout or pre-shoot meeting is essential. If you start with explaining to the photographer what you like about different rooms and design elements, they should be able to help develop a clear plan for camera angles and lighting.
How should I style the space ahead of time?
The style and staging of your interior or exterior of your project should “Tell A Story." Is this a home for a family? A bachelor? Someone who wants solitude? Someone who wants to entertain hosts? Getting a clear picture for the end use case of the home will help make styling choices.
What is the process for scheduling a shoot, notifying the property owner & preparing the space ahead of time?
The first thing I usually recommend is to get a few dates from the property owner where you and the photographer can have full control over the space. There should be no gardeners or construction workers in the background outside, and no members of the family working from home.
Once you have several dates, keep a carefully eye on the weather. Depending on the location selection and property, you may want a misty overcast day, or a clear, bright, sunny day. Use weather apps to help get a clear idea of the temperature, cloud coverage, chance of precipitation, humidity through the entire day. Weather can change quickly, but generally locking down a shoot 2 to 3 days in advance provides enough security.
what Other things should I know ahead of time to prepare to make sure the shoot is successful
Pre-Production, which means planning ahead of the day of your photo shoot, often makes or breaks a shoot. I often recommend planning 5x more than you think you need to. There are always going to be some unexpected challenges, but the more you prepare, the more you can stay focused on thinking creatively, rather than worrying about logistics throughout the day.