When you build your career as an interior designer, nothing is more important than the way you present the final product to both your clients and the world. With so many options for consumers to choose from when it comes to designing an interior space, it’s never been more crucial to have the best visual representation of your work to gain more work and make a name for yourself. Photographs of your work shows your capability, your experience, the quality of your work and so much more.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn about every step of the process, ensuring you not only understand the importance of high-end interior design photography but also have the tools and knowledge to make decisions that will elevate your brand to new heights.
Table of Contents:
- What is Custom Interior Design Photography?
- Why custom and not conventional?
- In-House Design Photography is not Enough
- You get what you pay for – selecting the right photographer for you
- The perfect shot is perfectly curated
- How to maximize your investment in Interior Design Photography
- Collaboration – You aren’t the only one who made this project happen
- Conclusion
What is Custom Interior Design Photography?
Simply put, custom interior design photography is photos of the projects and spaces that you had a hand in creating. Surprisingly, there is so much untapped potential in interior design photography. Yes, many interior designers have professional photos of their spaces taken, but many do not use the photos for marketing purposes (we will explain the “why” below!) and that can be such a missed opportunity! When sourcing for new clients, you want to showcase your work and stock photos or photos that don’t align with your brand and show what you can create.
The images you invest in are yours and can be used by no one else–without your permission. Think of all the possibilities when you have professional photos of the spaces you designed! Don’t rely on stock imagery to represent your capabilities.
Why Custom and Not Conventional (Stock)?
Stock photographs are convenient and affordable, but are they the best tool for marketing your brand? With potentially dozens of individuals involved in making the product come to life, your photography of the finished piece should be reflective of the efforts it took to get there.
Custom imagery of your projects means that the beauty of each design element can be captured in its fullness – from the largest facades to the smallest details. The best custom photography can give a potential client the feeling that they are walking through one of your buildings on a tour, right from the comfort of your conference room.
When you curate your photographs, they work for you! With the investment into custom interior design photography, you create your own library of tailored imagery. You have various images available for use that reflect the quality of your work that you can place into whatever needs you have in the future.
In-House Architectural Photography is Not Enough
With so many options for capturing photos these days, you might be asking yourself, why should I invest in professional photography when I (or my team) can do it myself? In most scenarios, using a marketing or in-house team to shoot your work may not be the most wise. Even if they have years of experience in their field, there’s so much more to know that non-photographers wouldn’t even think of, so it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
Interior design photography, just like most types of photography, is an art. Your professional will have all the knowledge and tools to get the most out of your photos. They will know what time of day to shoot, what lighting is best, and what angles to shoot from. They will think about which direction the building is facing, how to utilize the windows and natural light best, when to use artificial light, and when to focus in and out. These are just some of the examples of areas you may miss if you take your photos in house.
You get what you pay for – Selecting the right photographer for you
Finding the right photographer is important no matter what your project is, but we would argue when investing in an area like interior design, it’s absolutely dire that you choose the right one. There are thousands of incredibly talented photographers in the world to choose from, but knowing their specialty and seeing a portfolio of their work to make sure they are skilled in interior design photography is at the top of the “importance list”. Photographing weddings, or families or products are all very different from capturing curated interiors. Each are experts in their field and you want to make your selection as such.
When talking with a potential photographer, be sure to ask for a portfolio of their interior work. Pay attention to style, the spaces they’ve designed and if they fit the overall look you are trying to achieve for your brand. If you have a project already in mind, consider “courting” a number of photographers. Have them scout locations with you and give examples of work they’ve done in a similar type of environment. Feel comfortable to ask for references if needed.
The Perfect Interior Shot is Perfectly Curated
It’s important to think about the overall shot from beginning to end, and this means selecting a photographer who has the skills, or the team members, to achieve that image every time. A great photographer will prep the area as much as possible before a shoot, but there ultimately is only so much you can manipulate in front of the camera. That’s where post production comes in.
It’s easy to make digital adjustments like color correction, but any bigger changes that stand out in a shot should be handled by the team you choose, as well. Things like removing stray wires, filling in windows, or cleaning up electrical outlets. All of these changes add so much professionalism and crispness to a photo. At Studio 13, we work with industry professionals who have decades of experience working specifically on interior design projects. With more than three decades of experience, there’s likely nothing you would ask us to do that we haven’t done for a client before.
How to Use your Investment in Architectural Photography to the Fullest
Investing in custom photographs for your business is a huge opportunity to showcase your company and your brand. You spent the dollars on the images, why not use them every chance you get? Your website is a great place to start, as that’s likely where a ton of your potential clients will review your work first. But it doesn’t have to stop there! You can craft personalized portfolios, use images for marketing, social media, submit for publications, or use as office artwork.
Be proud of the investment you make in these photos and display them wherever it makes sense for your brand!
Collaboration
As most of us know, it takes a village to get the final product in any photo large architectural project. Interior designers, architects, builders, home goods crafters, flooring contractors, lighting companies, the list goes on. Collaboration is key and can also offer a big benefit when investing in custom photography. With so many hands in the bucket to create an end result everyone is pleased with, it gives the opportunity to share the expense of custom photographs. If more than one company involved in the project could use photographs to market their business, why not split the cost? A worthwhile expenditure.
We frequently work with companies who choose this method to achieve the shots they want and make it more cost effective. We can easily work with all teams to decide what shots are priority for each line of business to make sure everyone is happy in the end.
Conclusion
Throughout this article, you’ve learned new things about the world of custom interior design photography. You are now armed with all the knowledge you need to take the next steps in creating photographs that enhance your brand and reflect the high quality work you and your team complete every day. So what are your next steps? If you’re ready to learn more about what we do, check out our portfolio, or request a quote. We would love to work with you!
