Remodeling can be a messy process that turns out beautiful results. So, it may not occur to you to photograph projects while in the chaotic middle of things. However, capturing quality photography throughout an entire project can be beneficial for your business in a number of ways: it lets you create a visual portfolio to show prospective clients, it creates a “trail” that documents your work, it prepares you to submit your projects for award entries and it allows you to update your website to market your services.
You don’t need to be a professional photographer – though hiring one of those isn’t a bad idea – to capture quality photos. Here are some tips for taking the best photos of your projects from start to finish.
- Surprise! You don’t need to invest in a professional camera. Rather, ensure you have a phone with a camera that has a wide angle setting on it to capture the entire feel of a space. Not only is a cell phone camera easier to learn to use, but the newer phones all have quality sensors on them to capture sharp photos that can be edited for your needs.
- Invest in an editing app. Every professional photo you see has been edited, according to Chicagoland-area photographer Matt Adema, whether it’s adding a bit of contrast to make the photo’s focal point pop or to lighten or darken an area. He recommends using Adobe Lightroom, a straight-forward editing software app that’s able to be downloaded directly to your phone, and watching a few YouTube tutorials to learn the basic functions.
- Let there be light! Adema suggests turning on all the lights in a room to bring life to the photograph, even when there aren’t any people in it. Additionally, open any curtains to show what’s outside the windows to give depth to photos.
- Capture from the corners first. Start photographing every room from each of its corners, says Adema. Then change perspectives – whether squatting down to get a lower angle or shooting down from a top floor, the different viewpoint levels will provide more variety when it’s time to edit.
- Tell a story, start to finish. Ensure you capture “before” photos of the space to be remodeled, which can be a dramatic and fun reminder of where a project began. Snap a few shots of the most involved elements of the remodel – walls torn down to the studs, roofs ripped off, cabinets missing, electrical pulled out. Show off the big reveal with beauty shots of the finished product – take them from multiple angles and be sure to highlight unique details that set you apart from your competition.
- Go pro. If budget allows, hiring a professional photographer to shoot at least the finished project ensures quality, usable photos every time.
Photographer Matt Adema’s work can be seen at www.mattadema.com
Feature Photo by Jessica Lewis from Pexels