There are a few things I’ve learned about shooting interiors since I started blogging. It’s different than photographing people. In a way, I think photographing interiors is easier…you can take your sweet time setting up the shot and don’t have to rush to try to capture a certain look or moment before it’s gone. But interiors can be hard too! So I wanted to share my top 10 tips for photographing interiors.
1. SHOOT IN NATURAL LIGHT.
This is the number one tip I have for you (whether you’re shooting interiors or people, really). Turn off the lights and open up the windows. Try to plan your photoshoot for a time when there’s a lot of natural light coming in.
2. USE A TRIPOD.
This has made such a difference for me, especially in situations where there wasn’t much natural light available. Using a tripod means you don’t have to try to hold your hands steady, so you can keep your ISO low (around 200), and still get a photo that’s nice and crisp.
3. USE THE 2 SECOND DELAY WHEN YOU’RE USING A TRIPOD.
If you’ve already been using a tripod but notice that your photos still come out blurry sometimes, try setting your camera to a 2 second delay. That way, the camera isn’t shaking from you pressing the button and is totally still by the time it takes the photo.
4. LINE UP THE EDGES.
Take some time to line up any straight edges with the edges of the photo (as best as you can). Yes, you can straighten the photo up later by cropping it, but it’s so much easier if you’ve already squared up the lines when you take the photo.
5. DON’T BE AFRAID TO HIDE THE NOT-SO-PRETTY STUFF.
The human eye will edit out things like cords, outlets, recycling bins, etc. The camera will not! So don’t be afraid to move a piece of furniture a little bit over to hide an outlet, or tuck a lamp cord away for the shot. I’ve heard people complain that this makes house tours less genuine, but I don’t agree. When you’re shooting your home, you want it to look it’s best! If you were getting your engagement photos taken and you had a blemish, you would probably cover that thing up, am I right? So don’t be afraid to cover up the imperfections you notice as you’re setting up your photo.
6. DO A LITTLE BIT OF STYLING.
Similarly, don’t feel silly about styling the room, even if it’s not necessarily how it normally looks. Think of this like getting dressed up for those engagement photos. You want your house to look extra pretty! Buy some fresh flowers, put a bowl of lemons on the dining table and put away all the shoes at the front door except your favorite pairs, etc.
7. TAKE BOTH FULL ROOM SHOTS AND DETAIL SHOTS.
Take some photos of the room in it’s entirety, then get up close and personal with some of your favorite details. Having a variety of shots is much more interesting than a bunch that are shot from the same distance away. After all, people are naturally curious. When I see a room that looks really interesting and beautiful, I like to see some detailed close-ups than give more information about the elements that make up that room. Likewise, if I see a detail shot that I really love, I always want to see the full room that it lives in, to get some context!
8. MOVE THINGS IF NECESSARY TO GET THE SHOT YOU WANT.
Speaking of taking full room shots, this is one of the biggest challenges in a small space (ahem, my house). I often end up backed all the way up to the opposite wall to get a photo–and when I took photos of our bedroom, I was actually in our hallway, shooting through the door. If you find that you need to get further back but there are things blocking your way (or blocking the shot), move them! It can seem like too much effort to move a chair or a side table just so you can get a shot that’s a little further back, but I think it’s worth it. A little bit of extra room can make a big difference.
9. REVIEW YOUR PHOTOS AS YOU GO, AND ADJUST WHAT YOU DON’T LIKE.
I hardly ever get it exactly right on my first shot. Try your best to get everything styled and lined up, then take the photo. Now, before you go on your merry way, pause and look at the photo. Is there anything you don’t quite like about it? Is it too over-exposed? Is there a rotten banana in the background? Take the time to fix whatever it is that you don’t like…then take another shot. Don’t move on until you have the photo you want.
10. SIMPLE ANGLES ARE USUALLY THE BEST.
Interiors are pretty straightforward, and people don’t usually look at house tours to see some avant-garde photography–they want to see the room itself. I personally hate fish-eyed photos where the edges look distorted. I also hate when people try to shoot things from “interesting” angles that are too distracting. It’s fine to try some photos from a different point of view–from directly above, from an angle, etc. But if you try to get too artsy, either with the angle or with some crazy filter, I can almost guarantee it won’t turn out as well as if you just kept it simple.
About the Author
Aileen runs a lifestyle blog called At Home in Love, where she talks about inspiring interiors and doable DIY projects. She lives in Seattle with her husband Ben.