The Difference between Architectural Photography and Interior Design Photography
By David Joseph
Architectural photography (also known as building photography or structural photography) is a documentary style of capturing the building’s exteriors that creates a narrative around the designer’s intention. When people think of interior design photography, they think of lifestyle magazines full of luxurious spaces inhabited by celebrities and the latest trends in the industry. As a photographer working in both fields, my job is to synthesize the desires of my clients (which are often interior design firms as well as architectural firms) and create a stunning visual narrative of both the interiors and exteriors of the spaces they design.
Combining a passion for both has enabled me to get to work on amazing projects, including high-end hospitality, bespoke offices, and one-of-a-kind homes. What raises my work as an architectural photographer as well as an interior design photographer above the others is my incessant attention to detail and my ability to create order from the chaos of the space and to surpass the client’s expectations.
Architectural Photography
When I shoot architectural images, it requires a dance following the sun's path to capturing the massing and textures of a project's exteriors. Normally, a designer and I work out a schedule where we mark on a PDF of a plan where and when we need to be at certain times of the day to take advantage of the natural light.
Other than a magic hour right before sunrise and right after dusk, the building is opaque and selects the natural light and surroundings. Once those magic hour images are captured, we run inside to chase the same light around the interior, exploring shadows and blended light that spark the imagination.
The Unique Skillset Required in Architectural Photography
Capturing the best architectural photography requires you to be at the right place at the right time with the proper weather to capture your subject in the best light. The real skill is knowing how to move the camera slightly in and around where you started to create the best final image. It is only through experience that one really understands how to work with less than perfect conditions to get fantastic images as an architectural photographer. Examples of these include shooting a garden in overcast light versus direct sun and using rain to your advantage to create an interesting reflection on a building instead of canceling your dusk shot.
When I started off 25 years ago in NYC, there were almost no buildings being erected as demonstrated by the few construction cranes on the horizon. I had photographed a lot of editorial interiors but knew I would need to go to the midwest and photograph a bunch of free-standing buildings to hone my skills as an architectural photographer. I decided to drive around Ohio photographing buildings designed by Michael Graves, Peter Eisenman, Frank Gehry, and S.O.M.
While studying design helps, I found going to museums and looking at early perspective drawings by Albrecht Dürer and paintings by Piet Mondrian really helped me learn to see things graphically and compositionally as an architectural photographer. I worked for renowned photographers Paul Warchol, Michael Moran, and Scott Frances for several years and slowly started to transition into shooting my own smaller jobs and tiny editorial projects.
Interior Architecture David Katz | Project Chanel Fashion Executive’s Sutton NYC Penthouse | Published Elle Decor
Mastering Interior Design Photography
Interior Design photography is far more complicated and really takes years to master. Creating interior design images requires many more steps than architectural photography as interior design photographs are layered and full of intrigue. Firstly, one finds the best view of the space. Then the furniture and elements are moved around to look best from the perspective of the camera.
Given that all interior design photography is captured with wide-angle lenses, it is imperative for interior design photographers to master the creation of a foreground that is believable and doesn’t appear distorted in the final image. If an object is off by a degree, a circle can quickly become an eclipse. While the exterior may be very static, the interior has a lot of opportunities to “prop” by adding additional items such as furniture, pillows, and objects to capture the eye. There is also the opportunity to add supplemental lighting, which can really help draw the eye deeper into the space or other areas of importance to interior design firms or other clients.
Lexus Intersect NYC | Published in Various Publications
In the image above for Intersect by Lexus, we spent a lot of time playing with the foreground sofas and side tables. They were initially centered on the wall but that location did not show how the seating was to be used. I collaborated with the client to move the sofas to the right and that also enabled us to include the sofas on the left of the image. We also added supplemental light to the back wall below the chandelier to bring up the lighting on the books in the library. Lighting was also added to the staircase in the back to draw the eye deeper into the space and show the interior design firm's layering of the spaces and changes of the program for that area. We also propped the tables with books and objects to give it a lounge vibe. There were some reflections on the side tables that the client felt were distracting, so we removed them afterward in Photoshop.
Creating 'visual magic' through collaboration
The image above was shot for Vocon Architecture for The Quarter, which is a high-end rental building located just across the river from downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The client had wanted a dramatic image at dawn in early January to create “visual magic” for their marketing team. Shooting in the middle of winter gave us a deep blue sky and very little condensation to block the view East to the city center.
The challenge was to find a dramatic angle that included the downtown in the shot and I used the car lights to create visual interest in the foreground. Sadly the building was already occupied so we were unable to open any of the shades or turn on the lights on the higher floors, which would have created even more depth.
Whether it's architectural or interior design photography, the goal is to deliver jaw-dropping results consistently. It is fantastic to see the images evolve as they are created in collaboration with amazing clients. The goal is always to create a narrative of images that really enable the client and marketers to have confidence in selling their design ideas. I love that I was able to take my academic love for architecture and translate it into a career of working with architecture firms as well as interior design firms to photograph buildings inside and out.