Once you have perfected and styled your space, you'll probably feel proud and want to photograph it (errr... share it with your Instagram followers). There's no shame in the game.
Do you hire a professional photographer? Not quite (that’s a conversation for another day). Do you take the photos yourself? Bingo! With the glory days of technology, it’s easier than ever to create beautiful and professional photos without expensive gear. Throughout this chapter, we’ll go over mobile phone (you heard that right!) photography hacks and editing tips to make your photos shine like the pros. You’ll be on your way to stunning photos in no time.
Once you have perfected and styled your space, you'll probably feel proud and want to photograph it (errr... share it with your Instagram followers). There's no shame in the game.
Do you hire a professional photographer? Not quite (that’s a conversation for another day). Do you take the photos yourself? Bingo! With the glory days of technology, it’s easier than ever to create beautiful and professional photos without expensive gear. Throughout this chapter, we’ll go over mobile phone (you heard that right!) photography hacks and editing tips to make your photos shine like the pros. You’ll be on your way to stunning photos in no time.
Once you have perfected and styled your space, you'll probably feel proud and want to photograph it (errr... share it with your Instagram followers). There's no shame in the game.
Do you hire a professional photographer? Not quite (that’s a conversation for another day). Do you take the photos yourself? Bingo! With the glory days of technology, it’s easier than ever to create beautiful and professional photos without expensive gear. Throughout this chapter, we’ll go over mobile phone (you heard that right!) photography hacks and editing tips to make your photos shine like the pros. You’ll be on your way to stunning photos in no time.
Once you have perfected and styled your space, you'll probably feel proud and want to photograph it (errr... share it with your Instagram followers). There's no shame in the game.
Do you hire a professional photographer? Not quite (that’s a conversation for another day). Do you take the photos yourself? Bingo! With the glory days of technology, it’s easier than ever to create beautiful and professional photos without expensive gear. Throughout this chapter, we’ll go over mobile phone (you heard that right!) photography hacks and editing tips to make your photos shine like the pros. You’ll be on your way to stunning photos in no time.
Consider how contrast and colors work together in your space. Contrast is the difference between two (ore more) items in a composition, aka what you're shooting. And if you need a refresher on color, you can always refer to our Color Theory course to dive deeper into the subject!
Although amazing through the human eye, an item with a lot of detail can sometimes read as cluttered when photographed. When choosing pieces for a photo, try playing with bold, simple shapes. Try incorporating oversized items as they will read clearly and be defined in the photo.
Choosing a focal point, aka one piece in particular that you would like to show off, gives the rest of your creative process direction. Have an amazing vase you’d like to highlight? Everything else in your photo should support that piece. This means taking out little knick-knacks that will clutter the photo. When in doubt, try removing another “focal point” piece that might be fighting for the spotlight.
There is only so much editing you can do to a photo to “fix” it. Do yourself a favor and make sure that your scene is styled and cleaned as much as possible in person before you photograph to save time and energy when editing. Sometimes, it’s easier to fix things in person than on your phone.
One place to start is to make sure your items and furniture are clean. Here are a few of our favorite tips and tricks for furniture cleaning and revival.
⭐ Brass: Bar Keeper’s Friend is now your friend. It comes in different mediums, but our personal favorite is the soft cleanser. Put it on a paper towel, wipe off your brass pieces, and be amazed. Make sure to rinse the brass with water or Windex afterward, as the cleanser will leave a residue. For stubborn items, soak in the soft cleanser.
⭐ Wood: Minwax Stain Pens come in many different colors to match a variety of woods. Use them to fill in dings and scratches in your wood pieces. Your camera (and eyes) will never know what happened!
⭐ Sharpie: Use a Sharpie or a lacquer stain pen for black lacquered pieces (looking at you, vintage lovers).
⭐ Windex: An obvious lifesaver for cleaning things like mirrors and glass items!
⭐ Vacuum/Lint Roller: Lint roll your upholstery items (yes, we are that crazy person telling you to lint roll your pillows). You will be amazed at the difference it makes! Especially if you have very dark or very light pieces. Black and white upholstery will show everything.
There is only so much editing you can do to a photo to “fix” it. Do yourself a favor and make sure that your scene is styled and cleaned as much as possible in person before you photograph to save time and energy when editing. Sometimes, it’s easier to fix things in person than on your phone.
One place to start is to make sure your items and furniture are clean. Here are a few of our favorite tips and tricks for furniture cleaning and revival.
⭐ Brass: Bar Keeper’s Friend is now your friend. It comes in different mediums, but our personal favorite is the soft cleanser. Put it on a paper towel, wipe off your brass pieces, and be amazed. Make sure to rinse the brass with water or Windex afterward, as the cleanser will leave a residue. For stubborn items, soak in the soft cleanser.
⭐ Wood: Minwax Stain Pens come in many different colors to match a variety of woods. Use them to fill in dings and scratches in your wood pieces. Your camera (and eyes) will never know what happened!
⭐ Sharpie: Use a Sharpie or a lacquer stain pen for black lacquered pieces (looking at you, vintage lovers).
⭐ Windex: An obvious lifesaver for cleaning things like mirrors and glass items!
⭐ Vacuum/Lint Roller: Lint roll your upholstery items (yes, we are that crazy person telling you to lint roll your pillows). You will be amazed at the difference it makes! Especially if you have very dark or very light pieces. Black and white upholstery will show everything.
There is only so much editing you can do to a photo to “fix” it. Do yourself a favor and make sure that your scene is styled and cleaned as much as possible in person before you photograph to save time and energy when editing. Sometimes, it’s easier to fix things in person than on your phone.
One place to start is to make sure your items and furniture are clean. Here are a few of our favorite tips and tricks for furniture cleaning and revival.
⭐ Brass: Bar Keeper’s Friend is now your friend. It comes in different mediums, but our personal favorite is the soft cleanser. Put it on a paper towel, wipe off your brass pieces, and be amazed. Make sure to rinse the brass with water or Windex afterward, as the cleanser will leave a residue. For stubborn items, soak in the soft cleanser.
⭐ Wood: Minwax Stain Pens come in many different colors to match a variety of woods. Use them to fill in dings and scratches in your wood pieces. Your camera (and eyes) will never know what happened!
⭐ Sharpie: Use a Sharpie or a lacquer stain pen for black lacquered pieces (looking at you, vintage lovers).
⭐ Windex: An obvious lifesaver for cleaning things like mirrors and glass items!
⭐ Vacuum/Lint Roller: Lint roll your upholstery items (yes, we are that crazy person telling you to lint roll your pillows). You will be amazed at the difference it makes! Especially if you have very dark or very light pieces. Black and white upholstery will show everything.
There is only so much editing you can do to a photo to “fix” it. Do yourself a favor and make sure that your scene is styled and cleaned as much as possible in person before you photograph to save time and energy when editing. Sometimes, it’s easier to fix things in person than on your phone.
One place to start is to make sure your items and furniture are clean. Here are a few of our favorite tips and tricks for furniture cleaning and revival.
⭐ Brass: Bar Keeper’s Friend is now your friend. It comes in different mediums, but our personal favorite is the soft cleanser. Put it on a paper towel, wipe off your brass pieces, and be amazed. Make sure to rinse the brass with water or Windex afterward, as the cleanser will leave a residue. For stubborn items, soak in the soft cleanser.
⭐ Wood: Minwax Stain Pens come in many different colors to match a variety of woods. Use them to fill in dings and scratches in your wood pieces. Your camera (and eyes) will never know what happened!
⭐ Sharpie: Use a Sharpie or a lacquer stain pen for black lacquered pieces (looking at you, vintage lovers).
⭐ Windex: An obvious lifesaver for cleaning things like mirrors and glass items!
⭐ Vacuum/Lint Roller: Lint roll your upholstery items (yes, we are that crazy person telling you to lint roll your pillows). You will be amazed at the difference it makes! Especially if you have very dark or very light pieces. Black and white upholstery will show everything.
There is only so much editing you can do to a photo to “fix” it. Do yourself a favor and make sure that your scene is styled and cleaned as much as possible in person before you photograph to save time and energy when editing. Sometimes, it’s easier to fix things in person than on your phone.
One place to start is to make sure your items and furniture are clean. Here are a few of our favorite tips and tricks for furniture cleaning and revival.
⭐ Brass: Bar Keeper’s Friend is now your friend. It comes in different mediums, but our personal favorite is the soft cleanser. Put it on a paper towel, wipe off your brass pieces, and be amazed. Make sure to rinse the brass with water or Windex afterward, as the cleanser will leave a residue. For stubborn items, soak in the soft cleanser.
⭐ Wood: Minwax Stain Pens come in many different colors to match a variety of woods. Use them to fill in dings and scratches in your wood pieces. Your camera (and eyes) will never know what happened!
⭐ Sharpie: Use a Sharpie or a lacquer stain pen for black lacquered pieces (looking at you, vintage lovers).
⭐ Windex: An obvious lifesaver for cleaning things like mirrors and glass items!
⭐ Vacuum/Lint Roller: Lint roll your upholstery items (yes, we are that crazy person telling you to lint roll your pillows). You will be amazed at the difference it makes! Especially if you have very dark or very light pieces. Black and white upholstery will show everything.
There is only so much editing you can do to a photo to “fix” it. Do yourself a favor and make sure that your scene is styled and cleaned as much as possible in person before you photograph to save time and energy when editing. Sometimes, it’s easier to fix things in person than on your phone.
One place to start is to make sure your items and furniture are clean. Here are a few of our favorite tips and tricks for furniture cleaning and revival.
⭐ Brass: Bar Keeper’s Friend is now your friend. It comes in different mediums, but our personal favorite is the soft cleanser. Put it on a paper towel, wipe off your brass pieces, and be amazed. Make sure to rinse the brass with water or Windex afterward, as the cleanser will leave a residue. For stubborn items, soak in the soft cleanser.
⭐ Wood: Minwax Stain Pens come in many different colors to match a variety of woods. Use them to fill in dings and scratches in your wood pieces. Your camera (and eyes) will never know what happened!
⭐ Sharpie: Use a Sharpie or a lacquer stain pen for black lacquered pieces (looking at you, vintage lovers).
⭐ Windex: An obvious lifesaver for cleaning things like mirrors and glass items!
⭐ Vacuum/Lint Roller: Lint roll your upholstery items (yes, we are that crazy person telling you to lint roll your pillows). You will be amazed at the difference it makes! Especially if you have very dark or very light pieces. Black and white upholstery will show everything.
Styling is where you can show your design style and voice. Have fun with it! There are a few tips that can help support your photos, no matter your style.
This tip may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised! Hiding your clutter doesn’t always mean BIG pieces. It can also mean hiding little things, like your cable cords.
Play with light! Shadows and magic hour can be, well… magic. You can also photograph with a light source behind you for bright photos or beside you for a moodier feel.
Move things further away from each other than you'd think. Sometimes the way we have things set up in “real life” for real functional living doesn’t always photograph the same way. Play with the spacing of the items to give them room to breathe in your photograph. For example, try pulling the chairs out from the table or separating the side table and your sofa. We don’t want it to look like there is anything “growing” out of another object that isn’t supposed to be.
Imagine this. You’re sitting on the beach watching the sunset. What are some things that we can observe? The focal point of the sun, the contrasting textures of the water, the sand, and the soft clouds. We see the neutral colors of nature supporting the bright burst that is slowly resting on the horizon. This leads us to our next tip…
Try mixing textures like nature does to see how a silky texture can contrast with metal, how a soft blanket works on wood, and how a linen towel frames your dishware. We wouldn’t normally put a dish towel under our dinner plate, but in a photo, it can really help tell a story.
Taking photos of your interior styling isn’t just for posting on Instagram! It can be valuable for tracking your progress as a stylist (this is one of the best parts), identifying problem areas and coming up with creative fixes, and creating memories.
Before you jump in to get all your favorite shots, make sure you take a few test photos. Don’t forget to wipe your camera lens before you get started. There’s nothing worse than thinking you got “the shot,” only to find out your finger marks were on the lens.
When looking at what you are about to photograph through your phone, try tapping on the screen in the light and dark areas to see how your phone will change the brightness. We don’t want anything to be blown out. A photo is all about the lighting!
Try different angles. Photos that are taken at eye level will read the most successfully to your audience, as that is how they would see your space if they were there in person.
Make sure your photos are straight. Your phone will give you guidelines when taking a photo. Use these! You can try lining them up with a wall, lamp, or any other straight object in your space to help you take a photo that is level and straight.
Photo editing apps are great for that last-minute zhuzh before sharing your photos with the world. Sometimes even natural lighting and excellent styling needs retouching, and that’s okay! We recommend trying VSCO, Adobe Lightroom, or Photoshop Express for removing blemishes to tweaking your brightness/contrast settings.
These photo and editing tips are subjective. The great thing about design is that it is uniquely you! Go wild —play around with different features, filters, and edits. Try different layouts and different lighting. But most importantly, have fun and make it your own!
Source:
Interior Photography Tips - Julie Dumas Rose
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