In today’s market, a camera is easily accessible; they are on your phone, point-and-shoot cameras are cheap, or there are many photographers available for hire. So why should you need to hire a professional for your interiors project? Any one of these methods will do work, right? Not quite. High-quality professional photography is more than just a camera, it is about composition, an understanding of lighting, and more. A professional will provide an experience and create feeling and emotion in the photographs. It is important to note, high quality professional images will create a company brand, driving more clients book with you.
Amateur vs. Pro
Photography is an invaluable marketing tool and should be used to grow your businesses’ visual branding. In many cases, it is easy to pick out the amateurs from the professionals in Architectural Photography. A dead giveaway of an amateur is the appearance of glare spots, reflections, overexposed areas or it is too dark. Sometimes, the photo that they have taken might look good, but most of the time the room will not be appropriately lit or there may be color casts.
A professional will always edit the image in some sort a way. They can do color corrections, exposure blending, image touch-ups, vertical corrections, and much more. They will be able to craft a scene that best represents the space as it was intended, capturing your craft as you envisioned.
Adjusting the Scene
Typically, a photographer will select a composition, and adjust the arrangement or anything else to compliment the scene. A photographer’s goal is to create a 3 dimensional photograph in a 2 dimensional format. This requires adjustments to the scene to create an attractive photograph.
What It Will Cost
Prices can vary according to many different factors; location, the photographer’s overhead, and photographer’s experience. Professional architectural photographers can range from $1,200 to $3,000; or more depending on the scale of the project and the photographer. However, most of the more expensive photographers will include a photo assistant, materials, and much more. It is important to know that hiring a cheap photographer could be a costly mistake, and that architectural photography is worth every penny.
I always recommend before deciding on a photographer, look at examples of their work and speak to some of their clients to get an idea of how the photographer is to work with. You want to make sure that the photographer you are hiring meets your needs and is a good fit to your business model, style, and budget.
How Many Images to Take?
The number of photographs to take depends on several factors, such as the size of the room, the scale of the project, and the intended use of the images.
In a kitchen you may be able to get 1 to 3 overall images, the eating area, the island, special features, and any detail shots. However, a powder room may only need one image to capture the space due to the size of the room. It is important to have a rough idea of the number of images you would like of the project when inquiring a photographer for an estimate; this way they will be able to provide you with the most accurate investment.
Format
Depending on the intended use of the images will determine the file format a photographer will provide. In most cases, you will only need a high-res JPG and a smaller JPG for web. If you are in need of a specific file format due to a project, be sure to ask your photographer before post processing commences.
Clients Know
We live in a visual world and potential clients are visually sophisticated. Most buyers will recognize the difference between a cell phone shot and a professional photograph. By using high quality images you will not only create a brand for your business, but you will appear more professional. Most clients, are likely to hire a company that appears higher in quality than one that may seem less adequate for their project. Additionally, any decent sized job or client will pay 10 times what a single photo session is worth. When it comes to photography, ultimately, you get what you pay for.