I don’t have to tell you how much planning is required to finesse a flawless photo shoot for your completed interior design project. Or do I? If you find your photo shoots do not come off as you expect, it could be because you are not preparing enough.
The prep time determines whether your photo shoot is a flop or a success. Therefore, you can’t wait until the last minute to throw it all together. The more prepared you are, the more confident you become. And the more likely it is that you will enjoy a picture-perfect day!
Let’s review the essential preparation steps to help you finesse a flawless photo shoot that meets your goals.
Research and Schedule the Photographer
Before you book a photographer, consider the purpose of your photo shoot and what you want to accomplish. This ensures you hire a photographer who shoots in a style that aligns with your goals. For example, if you hope to attract press coverage, media outlets want an “editorial” look.
Review the photographer’s past work. Determine whether you feel their portfolio reflects the editorial style you desire. Photography is an art, and interior design photography requires photos with an aspirational tone that speaks to the right audience. This is very different from real estate and personal brand photography.
Architectural photographers focus on the room’s light, details, and aesthetic appeal. And real estate photographers focus more on the space itself. If you want attention for your projects, the photo composition must highlight the room’s features while showing how everything works together to create livable spaces.
Prepare a Shot List
Photographers are professionals who expect to arrive at a photo shoot with everything ready to go. They are also expensive. So, it’s more cost-effective to ensure that their time is spent snapping shots instead of standing around as you decide what you want them to shoot. If the project isn’t finished in a day, they will charge more to return to complete it.
A day or two before the shoot, sit down and determine which wide shots, detail shots, and vignettes you need. And be specific in what you want them to shoot, including horizontal and vertical photos. Although you designed the space, take time to look at it with a photographer’s eye. Consider each vignette on your shot list. Determine where fresh flowers, books, objects d’art, coffee table styling items, and shelf fillers will help style the space the camera captures.
Give yourself at least a half day to shop for accessories when shooting a single room. If the space is large or includes multiple rooms, you may need to set aside a whole day. Always buy more accessories than you think you need as rooms eat up accessories fast, and more choices offer more flexibility. Keep the tags on everything so you can return items you do not use or that the client won’t be purchasing.
Style the Space
You know exceptional interior styling takes time. You must arrange the accessories you purchased and the items already included in the room “just so” to perfect each vignette.
Give yourself at least an hour per room to set things up. This allows you to showcase your talent in the best possible light. Planning is essential for approaching any situation with confidence.
These are just a few of the preparation steps to help you finesse a flawless photo shoot, ensuring that every photo shoot goes according to plan. For even more insight into having the perfect client photo shoot, check out my brand-new resource, Top 10 Client Photo shoot Prep Steps, available to subscribers of Profit Insiders Essentials.
Summary
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