The Rule of Thirds and Other Tips to Up Your Interior Photography Game
Having standout photos is so important for a creative|lifestyle business, even more than the written word. People scroll through our work at top speed, they either like what they see and take next steps … or don’t.
Having great photos has been my Achilles heel, no doubt. It’s probably been the number one reason I really don’t show my work. It always feels so different when I’m in the space, then I look at my pics and they feel flat and sometimes empty. For awhile, I was thinking maybe it was just the transition of my business from full-time Interior design and designing rooms to staging vacant homes. Staging could have significantly less furniture + art + accessories than a home I would design for a client.
So this … is where my newest learning, the rule of thirds comes into the picture, literally. I have not perfected this by any means, I am just getting started. Since first hearing about the rule of thirds I am definitely looking different at my staged spaces as I set-up the frame and photographing them. I think I am going to practice on shots I have already taken, edit them with this concept, thinking this will help train my eye what not to do.
In researching the rule of thirds, I came across some other tips and tricks that I had thought about but hadn’t seriously implemented.
Ok! My new tricks and tips to photographing Interiors:
⦁ The Rule of Thirds: Setting up the focal point. Let’s say you want to highlight a vase on a coffee table, using the grid on your phone camera you would line the vase up within 1/3 of the screen. It can be left or right, or top and bottom third’s
⦁ Use a tripod: sounds basic…but it’s a habit that I still have not got onboard with…and I have messed-up so many shots because the are clearly, not straight
⦁ Shoot low: shoot from a lower angle, it will give more depth to the photo|room
⦁ Natural light: no overhead lighting. Shooting on a cloudy or snowy day are actually ideal. You won’t have to worry about crazy shadows or uneven light
⦁ Stage your photos: YES, you heard correctly. Have you ever noticed in shelter magazines the same chair appears in the living room and then its in a shot beside the bed? Translating the feeling in a large space into a photo needs a little staging. Maybe its half of a beautiful basket sitting on the floor that makes it into a shot, or just the top of a sofa because your real focus is the island behind it. Clustering and grouping will look intentional
⦁ Tighter shots: Vignettes are more welcoming and cozy looking than taking a photo of the entire space and spilling into other rooms
Here are some examples of the tips and tricks…just in case you are like me and like to see it for yourself!
Photo credit : Jess Issac
Photo credit : Shade Degges - Amber Interiors
Photo credit : Barbara Barry for Global Views