I had the pleasure of photographing this luxury show home for Precision Homes. Here are some of the key things I consider during a shoot, to ensure spaces are thoughtfully captured.
Natural perspectives
Picture yourself in the below photos – sitting, walking through the bedroom door and swimming! All these photos are taken at common eye levels to help the viewer imagine themselves in the space.
Artificial light
To draw focus to different features in the space and highlight lighting design, these photos pay particular attention to the artificial lighting used. The lights that are illuminated are very carefully chosen. These choices help to move the viewer through the space and show off various key features without overwhelming the eye.
These photos of the open plan kitchen/dining/living room really demonstrate how artificial lighting choices can influence a space. The eye will naturally settle on the lights. The lights that are illuminated are positioned within the golden ratio of the images.
Natural lighting
“The sun never knew how great it was until it hit the side of a building.” Louis Kahn
Natural light is a core element of most spaces. The interaction of natural light with the space influences the way you feel. Photographing a building means taking the time to discover the best natural light. This can mean capturing the front of the building at various times of the day and checking interiors regularly as the light moves.
Photographing exteriors during different time of the day can significantly alter the feel of a photo. The best approach is to have a variety of photos that can be used for different promotional applications. The two photos above are perfect for a bright lifestyle magazine, whereas the photo adjacent – taken in the early evening, is more dramatic and better shows the exterior lighting concepts.
Stairs
These photos showcase the sculptural nature of the staircases in the house.
Details + crops
Visually describing a space means looking for interesting vignettes, reflections and unusual perspectives. These perspectives inspire the viewer and give an exciting and unique tour of the space.
Spaces are often photographed almost entirely with a wide angle of view. Although in some instances this perspective is useful, it’s not naturally how we view a space. Overuse of this view, particularly for design and architecture photography, can risk losing sight of the designers intent.
Thoughtful design details, like this poolside shower, can easily get lost in a wider photographic perspective.
Finishes
Choosing particular angles and lighting can help to highlight various surfaces.
Photoshop edits
Shoots are often booked in advance, and despite best efforts, sometimes a part of the space has yet to be completed. Perhaps the garden shrubs are still fledgling or a lawn needs a little more colour. This is where Photoshop can come in handy, to describe the space as it soon will be. Look around the top left of each photo below and see if you can spot the difference.
A glass door was inserted into the top left of the cabinet.
A pelmet was added above the entrance to the bathroom.
Did I mention the cinema room?
Here it is, settle back and smell the popcorn – enjoy!
