Correct photography of interior design: Light conditions and camera settings

Every room looks different from every angle, softer in warm light nuances and more angular in “cold” light with rather bright lighting. These and other effects can be used for sales purposes or as rental offers when taking photographs of the interior. However, even the most effective advertising shots should still remain close to the actual saleable reality.

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Planning

When planning the photographs, a distinction must be made as to whether the images are to be used for sales purposes or to provide a rental example. Interested parties looking for a rented apartment can be inspired by an inhabited impression with personal accessories. Nevertheless, the sofa and coffee table should not be full of crumbs or leafed through TV guides. Vases, candy bowls and pretty tablecloths are better draped on and over the furniture. That looks cosy and yet neat and tidy.

Prospective buyers have hardly any sense for family photos in the background of a sales picture or for personal objects of the current residents. This target group prefers a room with only a few, attractively arranged pieces of furniture, with little table or bed linen, at most with sales-promoting, because elegant window decorations. Maybe it means a little bit more effort to make a room more neutral than usual for the shooting. For the sales presentation, however, this is worthwhile, as potentially more visitors will request a real tour.

Photographically staging space and interior

In general, professionals do not recommend open-air photography during the bright midday hours. For the staging of a well-lit interior, however, this is exactly the perfect chance for a bright impression of the interior and the room conditions. Light directions from the door to the window are advantageous, preferably without curtains or with decoration drawn clearly to the side. Flowers on the window sill can underline the light effect picturesquely – but only if they are not proliferating large plants that look rather shady from the outside.

Where the incidence of natural light is unfavourable, warm white room light – as bright as possible – can help. Under no circumstances should the interior be photographed with a flash. This can accentuate edges and margins unnaturally and makes the room appear optically cooler. A dim light in the bedroom may be pleasant for your own rest period – it doesn’t belong on a good sales photo of the room. Because the brighter the room is presented, the more such a photo arouses the interest of potential buyers or new tenants.

Technical equipment

Basically, photographs of the living room can also be taken with a proper mobile phone camera. However, it is better to use a digital camera with various settings. The images of such good technology are high-resolution and can be post-processed on the PC to achieve better contrasts or to conceal small image errors, for example. If the appropriate technology is available, a fixed installation should also be selected for shak-free photos. Tripods are best suited for this. In addition to the technical equipment, the correct shooting angle in the room is also important.

In general, potential tenants or buyers want to see rooms as extensively as possible. This can also be shown photographically in a normal-sized room. For this purpose, the camera is placed in a corner of the room in the direction of the window or light with a favourable setting. The different room directions then seem larger but still realistic. However, this trick of perspective works better if the room is not overloaded with furnishings in the direction of view. Moving a chair or an armchair can work optical wonders for this.

5 Tips for professional interior photography

A photo shoot for interiors needs to be well planned. With the right camera technology, favourable settings and the most natural light possible, appealing photos are possible, which encourage more interested parties to take a look. The choice of viewing angle and the detailed interior design also make a room look advantageous and further. This video explains very well in five points how you can take real interior photography with your camera.

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Crash Course Indoor Photography

In just 10 minutes, Justin will show you how to set the stage for a room. It is not only an art to be able to use portrait photography or outdoor photography. Even as a hobby photographer, you should learn how to use indoor photography and bring space and light in harmony. Photographing interior design is becoming more and more important in this time and a part of the real estate industry. So it is an advantage to know how clean a room can be.