Interior Photography Checklist
Attract new clients with appealing photography of your work. David Duncan Livingston, a top interior and architectural photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, has years of experience photographing high-end residential spaces for design pros.
COMPOSE
Before you begin taking photos, walk around the room and take a fresh look. Livingston says that since designers create a mix of materials, interior architecture, and palette in their work, he composes his shots to highlight how the elements come together in the design.
STAGE
Keep your props simple. The idea is to take a photo that is not just a stark, empty room; a selection of books, candles, or bouquet of flowers can do the trick. Once you start shooting, keep the props in the same place for continuity
MAIN OVERALL PHOTO
The most important picture to capture is a straight horizontal shot looking to each room. This establishes the room’s layout and main features and lets people see the space in total.
SECONDARY OVERALL SHOT
Your next photograph also should show the overall space but from a different angle. This will allow viewers to understand the circulation in the room.
FOCAL POINT SHOT
One of your close-ups should be of the room’s focal point. In kitchens, it would be the sink area; in a living room, it may be a fireplace or a staircase.
DEDICATED AREA PHOTO
If there’s a dedicated area within a room, you’ll want to photograph this as well. This could be an eating area in a kitchen or a sitting area in a master bedroom, for example
FIXTURE OR APPLIANCE SHOTS
Nice features to photograph in kitchens and bathrooms can include a standout stove, lighting fixtures, statement tubs, or a beautiful faucet. These can allow the gallery of photos to look cohesive with focused photos on features that are a smaller part of the other comprehensive room shots.
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