Photographing interiors

I have spent many years, one way or another, dealing with property – from Commercial Property to Facilities Management. I am delighted now to also be photographing properties. For me interiors are particularly rewarding and at times, challenging. Composition is one aspect but this can be for nought if I have not managed the lighting. Balancing artificial light with natural light is tricky because they create different colour castes – they have different colour temperatures.

I often work for a local estate and lettings agency, PLM in Bolton. This allows me the opportunity to work with a variety of properties from modest to less modest! I have developed a “feel” for whether a property will photograph-well. This is often not just based upon the volume of space I have to work within but more about the characteristics of the space itself. Naturally if the vendor has put some effort into providing a tidy and uncluttered environment, it can be easier for me to see the wood for the trees. The most challenging shots are in new or unfurnished properties. These require potential buyers to use their own imaginations, something many of us simply can’t easily manage. As a real-estate photographer I work with my clients, Marilena and Alison, to attempt to create a “story” wherever possible.

One of my more recent clients, Gordon Moon Suites, has been refurbishing town-centre, above-retail, accommodation. I was invited to capture the sense of space and create stylish-images that supported “life-style” living in fully-inclusive, managed flats. Customers can rent these apartments for a weekend or longer and be located in the town-centre. As well as creating images that showed-off the space, it was important that I developed images that were practically informative i.e. they showed the scope and whereabouts of the flat’s facilities.

I find that in shooting interiors in general, taking the images from just above waist-height (about 1m high) works most effectively in providing a pleasing image. As I am using a Nikon 16-35mm f4 lens at the 16mm end of things, it is vital to keep the lens horizontal. Due to the characteristics of ultra-wide lenses any deviation from the horizontal, pointing up or down will cause the increased convergence of verticals. Often an unwanted look. A good tripod can help to ensure your shooting from the horizontal. Much of lens correction is now carried out in Lightroom or other editing suites.

Got to dash as, I am just off to take some more images with PLM……next time exteriors