In recent years, Instagram and Houzz have evolved into perfect places for architects, interior designers, builders, and craftspeople to share their portfolios of construction projects and connect with potential clients. If you browse the profiles of top-notch builders and designers, it should be obvious that first impressions are everything, and that beautiful photographs are essential. Though many of the most eye-catching photos on Instagram and Houzz are taken by professional architectural photographers, with a little thought and planning, anyone can take beautiful photos of their projects—even with a smartphone.
While searching for tips for photographing the cabinetry, wainscoting, and coffered ceilings we produce in our custom millwork shop, it became clear that actually seeing what makes some photos good and others not so good would be much more helpful than having someone merely describe the differences. We stumbled upon a concise YouTube video that turned out to be a helpful introduction to basic architectural photography techniques. The gist of it is that you can make big improvements just by choosing the best camera angles and by taking more control over the source and location of the light in a room.
Take a look; you’ll probably pick up at least a few good tips for taking great pics to better show off your craftsmanship or creative work:
The folks at Social Agent Today produced this short video to help real estate agents make property listings look their best, but we think that the tips and techniques work just as well for contractors and craftspeople who want to show off their own construction projects. Tell us what you think, and feel free to share any of your own photography tricks in the comments below.
