I wanted to talk today about interior photography. This is also one segment of photography, which I really enjoy. It isn’t unusually that landscape photographers also have passion for interior and architectural photography. The reason is that you need very similar or the same gear depends on your own individual style.
When you are working in some real estate business, agency for accommodation, hotel, hostel or even if you have your own apartments for rent you know how important is the real good picture to attract guests to rent or buy your apartment/house. I love to use natural light while I’m taking a picture, if it’s not possible, then I use a flash. You need to know well in which position is a house/apartment situated so you can use a full potential of the property. There isn’t a lot of information about these kinds of photography. I’m not the professional, but I’ll tell you some tips which have helped me during the learning process.
In order to take good picture you need to know how set up your camera according to the light. Use as much as you can natural light and watch out for the shadows. I always shoot in manual mode, then I have much more freedom and better control which look I want to achieve.
Use a wide lens I have started with the standard lens, but I have luck for managing do everything first two years with that kind of lens. Recently, I’ve bought used wide angle lens because these kinds of lens are very expensive I bought 10-24 mm Nikon lens. In case, you are a Nikon user you will probably ask yourself why not 12-24mm. That is also a good lens, but I think when comes to the interior you need wide angle as you possibly can go. This is also something that depends on your personal style too. You have also Sigma 8-16 mm, my opinion is that is too rounded and I don’t like that kind of finish on pictures, but that it’s just me. Maybe, for you will be perfect. Do your homework and when you see it you’ll know that it’s it.
You’d need also a good tripod and don’t buy cheap because in the end you will spend more on the cheap ones in order to buy a good quality tripod for next 10 years. It’s OK if you don’t have a lot of money you can always watch for the used ones. For example, I’ve bought a used one and the condition is like a new and I have saved good amount of money. Only be patient in your research, I’ve tripod from Rollei C6i and I’m extremely satisfied. Tripod is important to make sure your camera is still, blur photos aren’t cute in interior photography. Have you ever wonder how photography can shoot photo that you can see through the window? The secret lie in the tripod and exposures.
When you see some house/apartment you need to vision in your mind how you want to look final product. For me it is helpful that I first see everything around including lighting and the views, then I prepare my gear for photo shoot. You also need to be polite to the owner sometimes I just take a picture of something that isn’t in my vision, only to be polite to them and in some way make them happy and incorporate it with my vision. They really appreciate it. For me isn’t a common case that I’m alone, so I can have a peace to see and do everything, but this is also OK I’m used to peopling and everything.
The final thing is you need to know your camera like your pocket. Without knowing your camera you won’t reach full potential of the space or your camera. Shoot a multiple time each space in different positions. Why? Maybe, you’ll change your mind in the post-processing and regret, why I didn’t do that. I’ll show an example of one photo at my beginning and from this year and you could see the improvement. With practice to the perfection.
I’m still in a learning process, so if you have some tips for me please feel free to put them in the comment below. I hope you have found this post helpful. I have linked the products that I have mentioned if you are interested in seeing the price and details. 😉 😎