My Top Tips for Getting Those Interior Photos Just Right…
Over the years I’ve really tried to hone in on my photography skills when it comes to taking interior photos. My home is something that I’m very proud of and I love to show it off. Especially on the blog and on Instagram. And you lovely lot seem to enjoy them too.
I get asked a lot about how I take photos, what I use and any hints and tips that I do to take these photos. I always give a little of what I can when asked. However, I thought it was time to put all my tips into one place. So here is my guide to taking interior photos. It’s a long one, I’ve been writing it for a while. So grab a cuppa, get comfy and let’s dive in…
GETTING THE RIGHT GEAR.
First off, let’s talk equipment. When you’re starting off, I don’t think you need all the fancy equipment under the sun. Truly, I only use my big camera for the blog. Any photos you see on Instagram are taken on my iPhone. However, once you finding your feet and wanting to invest in some bigger equipment, then there are a few things that I would recommend.
Firstly, let’s start with the camera. My camera is a Canon EOS 750, which doesn’t seem to be available anymore. However, the nearest thing I’ve found that is similar to mine is the Canon EOS 250D. Along with this camera, I use the kit lens and also this really nice pancake lens. This lens gets super focus and sharpens the image to perfection.
Along with these, I do use my tripod a lot, especially to get a shot that is straight, This is the tripod I use and is worth the investment. I also like to use a remote control, usually when I’m taking shots where I am in the shot.
Once you’ve got the equipment, now is the time to take the interior photos.
SHOP MY PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT.
FINDING THE LIGHT.
For me, I love a light, airy photo so having the right light is crucial. More importantly, it’s essential for me to use natural light. That is how you get those airy photos. For me, I don’t have any lights turned on and I shoot in the daytime only. That way, I’m not a risk of having that yellow hue.
My home has really large windows, but the how sits on an angle. So the back of my house is south-west, while my home is north-east. This means my kitchen has some gorgeous lighting, however, it can be too bright when the sun is at its fullest. For my living room, it’s the opposite. If it’s cloudy then the room looks gloomy so I need all the light. Knowing the direction of the rooms that you are photographing will help you know when is the best time to take the photos.
Sometimes it’s hard to avoid the sun. With this, I have made myself some presets in Lightroom that allows me to play this and create some gorgeous, striking shots.
STYLING THE ROOM FOR PHOTOS.
Now, when I talk about styling a room for an interior photo, I’m not talking about clearing the clutter from one room to another (though this does happen too). What looks beautiful in real life does not always translate in a photo. Sometimes I think the way a room has been styled looks amazing. And then once the shot has been taken, I look at it and it’s completely different. Sometimes the decor looks sparse, furniture is awkwardly spaced and the artwork is off in its own world.
So when it comes to taking an interior photo, I will start scooting furniture around and grouping objects that look too close in real life, but look amazing in the photo. Take the below shots of my living room. The coffee table was moved up tight to the sofa and in the photo, it looks like there’s a perfect space to walk around. I also like to fill corners that look a little sparse. Don’t be afraid to move things and take test images. Just because it looks funny in real life, doesn’t mean the shot is going to be amazing.
EDITING IN LIGHTROOM.
I always shoot my interior photos in RAW, as it allows me to edit the image as much as possible. Once the image has been taken, then it’s time to edit the image in Lightroom. Lightroom is one of the best tools that you can subscribe to, I use it almost every day along with Photoshop. The subscription I’m signed up for is under £10 a month so it’s very budget-friendly.
From there I use a preset. Presets are nothing to be ashamed of (I know there’s a bit of a taboo when it comes to using them on Instagram). They help me get the image just right, as you can see from the before and afters in this post. The presets I use are from Studio McGee. Spenny but 100% worth it. They help enable lens correction and get the brightness and colour just right for each photo.
You can spend time buying a preset. However, I have spent money on buying them for them to be not right, especially the cheap ones. Personally, I would spend time creating your own that doesn’t distort the image too much. When it comes to interior photos, you want everything to look as natural as possible in real life.
Within Lightroom, you can bulk edit your photos. However, I like to edit each photo on its own, as you don’t know how the presets are going to look on each photo. I like to give each photo the care and attention it needs so it turns out great.
REMOVING UNWANTED OBJECTS.
Listen, there’s a little photoshopping that goes on in each image. Sometimes your photo needs a little help. Mostly, it’s dust and little bits that I’ve missed when setting the room up for the shot. One quick click of the heal tool on Lightroom and it’s like I’ve vacuumed my home in a second.
Along with the bits, I also remove things like spotlights and unwanted bits in my home. I live in a rental home and there are some bits that I want to hide, like those pipes in the wall of my kitchen (see below). Again, I come in with my healing too and say goodbye to them. Sometimes your photos need a little lift, help and TLC.
KEEP COLOURS TRUE TO LIFE, BUT GIVE THEM A LITTLE LIFT.
I like to make sure that each photo is edited to not look like it’s edited. I like colours to look as natural as possible, but also give them a little pop. With this, I like to play with the hues. Switching up the saturation, turning down the vibrancy. Where possible, I will not play with the colour of objects, but sometimes, if something is looking a little orange or yellow, I will need to tweak those colours individually.
It’s all about the little tweaks. A little goes a long way.
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