How to prepare for your first interior photo shoot
We all have to start somewhere. So this one is for all those interior designers out there that are getting their very first projects photographed. If you are reading this, that means that you are finally ready to invest time and money into making sure that your project(s) are captured properly by a professional. I am here to guide you through a few important steps in picking who you will hire and then getting ready for the big day. Because I can promise, it will be a big day!
Entering the world of design, I am sure you have quickly found that it is not as glamorous as it looks from the outside. Deisgners are masters in the art of schlepping. They have masters in arranging and rearranging and thinking and resourcing and researching and contacting and ordering and buying. And then invoicing and schlepping some more and managing and ALL THE THINGS. After all the work, sweat and tears that go into designing and finishing a room, it is so important to have your project photographed. By a professional, not a cell phone! Finding the perfect person to showcase your work requires some social media and website visiting. You need to google or search hashtags for interior photographers in your city and then pour over their work. Pay attention to how many different projects they are showcasing on their sites. Look at their compositions, their light (so important!!!), even note if their vertical lines are straight. Are their pictures pretty or pretty weird? Are they photographing rooms similar to yours or are they more of an architectural photographer? You will want to find a photographer who is photographing projects similar to yours. Every artist (including you)has a voice. Do you like their voice? Interior photographers don’t come cheap. It is important that you budget in for this very important part of your project.
Once you have found your photographer, they will want to communicate with you. A phone call will be scheduled and they may inquire about your project’s story, the size, the available light, your goal in having it photographed. They will want to know if it’s for your website, social media content, or ask if you are trying to get the work published. They will ask if you need a stylist or will you be styling your own room? They will even ask what orientation you need the majority of the photographs in, portrait or landscape. Some may want photographs of the space and some even do walk-throughs before the big day. The entire process is a definite collaboration, so don’t be afraid to speak up and share as much information/needs/wants as possible. .
You will want to do several walk-throughs of the space beforehand. It is important to take notes on what you will bneed to bring the day of the shoot (if you are not hiring a stylist). I can tell you the most important things to have on hand are stacks and stacks of hardcover books or magazines, tons of accessories, like little metal boxes, candles, vases, busts and literally almost hundred flowers. You can never have too many flowers. Know that what looks great to the human eye in a room may not translate well to camera. So those extra accessories and flowers are going to be able to fill your spaces so nicely…and take hours to place them just right. Ha!!
My last piece of advice is to be prepared for a loooong day if you are shooting more than one room. Make sure you drink lots of water and take a lunch break. All that thinking and moving and arranging is exhausting and you will be spent by the end. Enjoy the process, though, and be SO PROUD that you have just had your work photographed!!! Your creation is forever documented and that is an awesome thing. Good luck!!
