Just because your home looks amazing in person doesn’t mean that it’s Instagram-worthy quite yet.
Implement these tips to get your home to smize for the camera, and people won’t just love your home in person, they may even “like” it on your blog, Instagram, or Trulia listing!
Here are 10 tips to make your next at-home photo shoot a success.
1. Frame your shot
Before you snap your pic, scan the perimeter and make sure the framing is just so.
2. Use a grid
Most camera phones have a grid that can be turned on in the settings. Use the phone’s grid, or just visualize one. The key is to make sure the vertical and horizontal lines of your subject are at 90-degree angles. It makes straight-on shots look more architectural and clean.
If, for example, you’re photographing a wall with a bookshelf, make sure the lines of the shelves are going straight across.
3. Shoot in natural light
Study the light in your home and where (and what time of day) it’s brightest, but not overly harsh, to choose the shot locations. You want the light to be bright but diffused (scattered and coming from different directions), so make sure there are no superbright spots shining into your shot. You’ll find your photos look amazing.
4. See the light
If you’re shooting from your iPhone, touch the darkest part of the screen (and keep your finger there for a second), then watch the entire screen lighten up. Use this tool to adjust the lighting before you snap.
5. Get in focus
Hold your finger on the screen for a second to focus in on your subject. This will ensure your photos look crisp.
6. Process those photos
Processing your images is key. Try image-editing apps like VSCO, Afterlight, and Snapseed to process images and fix the exposure, saturation, cropping, and contrast. Add filters to give your photos a consistent mood, look, and feel.
7. Stay put
The camera on the iPhone doesn’t capture the picture until you take your finger off the shutter — so hold still for a second even after you’ve taken your finger away.
8. Go low
Photos taken from a lower level often create straighter lines and more graphic images. Try crouching down to get the best interior shots.
9. Lose the flash
Instead of using the built-in flash, turn on the High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging on your iPhone (upper middle button when in camera mode) to handle challenging lighting situations. The HDR will compound the “layers” of light and make the image look better than the shiny, harsh flash.
10. Think like a stylist
Add flowers to your shot. It’s amazing what a bright bouquet of flowers can do to enliven the look of a monochromatic kitchen or a plain bedside table.
