Flip through any interior design magazine and you'll see pages and pages of interior architectural photographs. Which ones do you like? Which images don't you like? Chances are that the rooms in those photographs are fairly comparable from a design and build standpoint. You might not know it from the magazine, but if you actually walked into a room from a picture you didn't like it would probably be quite beautiful. But when someone sees a poorly composed or lit picture in a magazine, they ask, "Who built that room? I don't like it." or, "Whoever designed that space didn't know what they were doing!" A great architectural photographer's job is to make sure that whoever sees that photograph sees the space that you created in it's best light and form.
There can be a lot of work that goes into a successful interior shoot. It's always a good idea to talk to the photographer before hand and if possible meet at the location to discuss timing and strategy. Shooting the interior of a finished, decorated home is different than shooting a large commercial building currently in use, and requires different equipment and expertise. Lighting can take a shot from ordinary to exraordinary. Some rooms are well lit, but use different types of lights like incandescent and florescent which have wildly different colors. They need to be balanced and possibly supplemented with either strobes or hot lights or the existing sunlight. If there are windows involved, a decision will need to be made concerning which time of day would be best. Do you want streaming sunlight in the picture, which can create hot spots, or do you want the interior light to be the same intensity as the outdoors? Decorations, reflections, working around employees - it can all be a little overwhelming without the help of an experienced professional photographer.
Quality interior photography will set you apart from the competition - there is no question about that. It's not always about cost, either. While you will generally pay a little more for an expert architectural photographer, you will get a better product for your money. Sometimes, however, you can actually save money by hiring a photographer who knows what he's doing. An experienced photographer can overcome difficult lighting, composition and environmental conditions quickly because he's been there before. The tools, skills and techniques at his command make a professional architectural photographer indispensable. In economic times like these, customers want value and quality. You put your best into your work, make sure that the images you use are nothing but the best as well.
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