How to Photograph Your Home Like an Expert

Contributed by Ethan Faulkner

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have more time on our hands ⁠— time that we can use to stay productive or pursue personal projects. One activity that became more popular over the past year is home improvement. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that the revenue of hardware stores, home centers, garden centers, and building material suppliers have increased by 22.6%. This suggests that many homeowners have indeed taken home improvement projects during the pandemic.

If you’re a proud homeowner, you probably want to share your hard work with friends and family online — whether you’d like to show off that new painting you procured, or the garden deck you spent weeks building. Below, we have listed a few tips to help you capture and document your home like an expert.

Play with Composition

Composition helps drive the story behind your images. In addition, it allows you to showcase the items and elements in your home that you’re most proud of. When taking photos of your place, be sure to examine the space that you want to feature and figure out how to compose your shot effectively. In this regard, it’s best to use a tripod to stabilize your camera and retain a great angle. However, most tripods tend to be cumbersome and heavy. Thankfully, TechRadar’s lightweight tripods shows that there are plenty you can use, such as the Sirui T-005 travel tripod with B-00 ball head, or the Benro Travel Angel FTA28CV1. This way, you can play around with the orientation and move items around until you find the perfect angle. You can even join the photo as the tripod will allow you to shoot hands-free!

Use the Right Lens

The best way to take photos of your home is by shooting straight. This means that you have to keep your camera parallel to the walls and make sure that the horizontal and vertical lines are aligned before snapping a pic. For this reason, it’s best to use a lens that has the least optical distortion ⁠— skip the wide angle and fisheye lenses. As you can see by looking at Adorama’s camera equipment, premium lenses such as the Canon EF 20mm f/2.8 USM and Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM are some of the best lenses you can use if you want to take the cleanest and most symmetrical photos. By minimizing the distortion in your photos and taking photos straight on, you can capture your home in all its glory.

Be Mindful of the Lighting

Lighting is key to a great photo. When taking photos of your home, it’s best to ditch the flash or harsh light bulbs and opt for natural lighting. Using unnatural light for your photos can cast a blue or yellow light that just doesn’t look good. Maximize the natural light in a room by opening up the windows and only taking photos in the early morning or late afternoon, when the light reaches the inside of your home the most.

If you’re proud of how you’ve transformed your home and want to show off your design skills, be sure to follow the photography tips we’ve listed above. For more interior design tips and posts on how to make your home look amazing, be sure to check out the Abigail-Elise Design Studio blog.

If you love the ideas we’ve shared and are ready to start designing your next project give us a call 970.485.5228 or email wendy@aeinteriorsinc.com. We’re open and ready to start today!