how to get better photos of your completed project

Typically I am the one planning and formatting all the blogs around here but today we are switching things up a little and I get to be the writer as well! Today we are talking alllllll about getting those perfect angles, good lighting, and effortless look in your photos so that you can show off your newly completed space to its most beautiful extent. I mean you have waited and watched as things have come together so it's only right you show it off now!!! Let's get into the tips...

Tip 1: Shoot from a lower angle to make the room look larger

Now while you would NEVER want someone shooting from a low angle when you are taking photos with your besties or significant other, you actually DO want to shoot from a lower angle when it comes to your home! While a lower angle will make us all look larger than we really are (reasons why the lower angle should be avoided at all costs lol), larger is actually what we are going for when we are shooting rooms in our home! Simply bend those knees and use the next tip as you capture your photos and they are already set to look amazing.

Tip 2: Use the .5 feature on the iPhone

As you are bending those knees to get that low angle, pop your camera in .5 zoom to make the frame wider and capture more in your photo. If you are new to the .5 zoom feature or have no idea what I am talking about, allow me to, in true Gen Z form, help you out! When you open your camera app on your iPhone you will see in the bottom center of your screen two circular buttons...one that says 0.5 and the other 1x. By clicking the 0.5 option, you will see your camera zoom out to a wider angle, allowing you to make your space look bigger and capture more in one photo.

Tip 3: Make the room look casually lived in

You want the space to feel approachable and like people actually use the space. So we aren't going for bare shelves, empty kitchen cabinets, cleared countertops...no, we are going for lived-in! Add those trinkets that are special to you on the shelves or your Grandma's fine china in the kitchen cabinets or that cookbook you love and use every night! People what to see YOU through the space, so add things that make it just that...YOU!

Tip 4: Include people in the photos!

Now you might have gotten to this point and are tracking but then you just read this tip and you are thinking 'No I'm out on that. That's where you have lost me' to which I would say no no no! Don't be afraid to get in front of the camera! We love using photos on our socials of our clients in their space doing what they would normally do, whether that's cleaning the kitchen countertops, hanging a towel in the bathroom, bringing flowers to the dining room table, whatever it may be... don't be afraid to step in front of the camera! Or maybe you aren't ready to get in front of the camera but you've got little ones that are ready for their modeling debut- throw them in playing in their new playroom, or brushing their teeth in their new bathroom...we love it all! And then send them to us so we can share them on social!

Tip 5: Clean the space before caputring

Now, this is where we talk about balance. You don't want to make the room look so pristine and perfect that people are scared to touch or even look at anything for fear they might move something out of place. However, you also don't want the space to be cluttered with the Legos or breakfast scraps from the morning either. So before getting those pretty shots of your new space, do a quick clean-up to remove any mess from your kids or your spouse. After all, we can't have things distracting us from the beauty that is your newly completed project!

More than anything, I hope you are loving your new space(s) and feel like it has made your home feel more like just that...home! And if you choose to show it off for all to see, as I would encourage you to do, make sure to shoot from a low angle on the .5 setting, add those pieces that make it unique to you, and don't be afraid to add some people into the photos, and clean up any unwarranted distractions from the space. Do that, and you are guaranteed to have Studio McGee-worthy photos of your home ;)!