Be strategic with your photos, too.
You start with a creative strategy when developing concepts for your advertising and design pieces. Apply that same process for stronger photography. Who is the target audience? Who are you competing with? What’s the objective, the rational appeal, the emotional appeal, the tonality?
A good example is the difference between real estate photography and architectural photography.
Real estate photography:
Targeted at people interested in buying a home or commercial space.
Objective is to sell property.
Intended to show size and space. Shot with an ultra wide angle lens and sometimes objects can get distorted as the wide POV makes the space look as big as possible. The focal point is often “the whole room.”
Short life span for photos - usually only used until the property is sold.
Done quickly. Minimal lighting set up. Shot HDR and a whole house can be shot in a few hours.
Usually has the light fixtures turned on to show all the available lighting.
May not include furniture. May be completely empty.
Exteriors give information about the property size and features. Show that it has a garage. Show that it has a big back yard, etc.
Tone is informational.
Real Estate style scouting photo.
This is a scouting photo, but it’s more of a real estate style in that it shows the space as big as possible. I’m against the wall with the camera and shooting at 11mm. Objects are distorted. Typically I like to shoot really wide quick scouting photos when I do the initial walk-through. I then go back to the studio and think about the focal point, where the sun will be, what’s the best POV to show the important features of the space, etc. and then I have a good idea of what I’m going to do at the actual shoot.
Architectural style final photo.
This is the finished photo of the living room. Very intentionally arranged, styled, framed and lit. We even shot the flowers and stripped them in on the TV over the fireplace. While this is mostly lit with natural light, there is also a wall of 4x8 foam core V-flats stretched out at camera right to fill in the dark areas of the furniture. A strobe bounced off the v-flats lights the wooden arm chair table and there is also a strobe lighting the wall with the framed prints from across the room.
Architectural photography:
Targeted at people interested in the lifestyle aspects of a space. Could be potential customers for an architect or an interior designer. Could be executives choosing a resort or convention center for a company conference. Architects, interior designers, furniture and fixture manufacturers, hotels, resorts will use these images to showcase their projects for their portfolios or to market their services or their properties. May also be done for editorial pubs and targeted at readers to help showcase design trends, new products, etc.
Objective is to feature design details and capture the mood and feeling of a space.
Intended to convey a lifestyle. Includes detail photos of fabric textures, lifestyle items, design features. Has a focal point and uses lighting and composition to accent that focal point.
Images can have a long life span.
Takes significant time commitment and budget to shoot. Ideally includes working with stylist(s). An art director may be commissioning the work with defined parameters if an agency is involved or if the photos are for a publication. Lots of consideration is given to lighting and the position of natural light at various times throughout the day and is often an intended design feature of the architect that needs to be shown. Artificial light fixtures are usually turned off. One photo may take 2-3 hours or more.
Includes furniture, carpets, art, and any props that can help visualize the feeling of a finished, thoughtfully designed space.
Exteriors strive to convey feelings more than specific information. How would this feel to come home to at night?
Tone is emotional
Both of these types of photography are similar—making images of spaces, buildings or properties. But strategically, they are completely opposite. Different clients and different target audiences. Different objectives and different tactics to achieve those objectives.
So when your client calls and wants help getting photos of their new office space, or anything else, start with the strategy questions for stronger photos. By talking through the strategy you’ll be able to more effectively deliver the images the client needs and set appropriate budget expectations.
Following are galleries of some architectural style interior design shoots I did for Anna Forkum Interiors recently. Interior Design, styling, and art direction by Anna Forkum.
Farm House - Nashville
Dallas House - Nashville
