How to Get Your Interior Design Project Photos Published with Photographer Stacy Markow
Welcome to another edition of Dakota Design Company’s Guest Expert Interview series. We’re thrilled to share expertise from female business owners and leaders that run the gamut of the interior design industry – from interior photographers to marketers, financial advisors, branding experts, and beyond.
Each of our expert guests was selected because they can share their unique insights and perspectives on various topics that will help any interior designer take their business to the next level. These experts are Dakota Design Company insiders, and many of them have worked directly with us and our clients in the past. We hope you enjoy this series and that it brings new insights, tips, and tricks to add to your interior design toolbox!
You’ve done the hard work, perfected the design, and are FINALLY ready to photograph. It would be a shame if the images you invest in don’t do your beautiful design work justice. Especially because we all know it’ll be at least 5-8 months before your next design is photoshoot ready!
You must maximize the investment of professional photography in your business.
Photography: Stacy Markow
With the right shots, you can be on your way to getting published in trade publications that boost your business’s reputation and become your ticket to those dreamy big-budget projects. That’s why we asked interior photographer Stacy Markow for tips on how to make your interior design project photos professional, beautiful, and marketable.
Stacy Markow is a Dallas/Fort Worth-based former sommelier and hospitality professional turned Interior Design and Architecture Photographer. She collaborates closely with interior designers, architecture firms, and hospitality groups to create editorial-quality imagery for their business and marketing needs. Her work has been featured in The Spruce, Aspire TV, Essence, D Magazine, and Luxe.
She has seen firsthand with her clients that strong photography “has the power to launch a design business to unforeseen heights.”
And since it’s a repeating cycle of good projects leading to good photos leading to better projects leading to better photos, and so on, you definitely want to read Stacey’s tips for getting the most out of your interior design and architecture photography.
Tip 01: Invest In a Professional Stylist
Design: Coats Home | Photography: Stacy Markow
Invest in hiring professionals instead of taking the pictures yourself. Just as your interior design client hired you as the pro, partnering with specialists in their craft makes all the difference. And when it comes to getting the BEST photos possible, it starts with a professional interior stylist.
Stylists are incredible at understanding how a camera reads a space. Stacy says she has often walked into photoshoots, and while the install for day-to-day living is beautiful and pleasing to the eye, it doesn’t actually translate the same on camera.
Stylists elevate the imagery via the strategic placement of props, dishes, food, books, and other items. They work creatively alongside the interior designer and the photographer as a team to create stunningly beautiful, cohesive compositions.
These are the types of spreads journalists and creative directors seek for their audiences.
Even if you don’t have editorial goals, stylists bring so much to a photo shoot that Stacy recommends hiring one for every project you photograph.
Remember: Portfolio images can live on for years after the session ends, so do everything
in your power to make them look as good as possible from the start.
Tip 02: Hire the Best Interior Design Photographer You Can Afford
Design: Brittney Lane Interiors | Photography: Stacy Markow
Next is hiring the best professional interior design and architecture photographer you can afford. Hire someone whose work speaks to you in a profound way because when you hire a photographer, you are ultimately hiring them for their style. Review their portfolio to ensure your aesthetics match for best results. If you can get recommendations from other designers, all the better.
This branch of photography is really technical, slow-moving, and challenging. Achieving accurate color and balancing the multiple exposures of a room takes some serious skill, and not every photographer has that knack.
Dakota Design Company Tip:
You’ll want your portfolio to have the same look and feel, even as your projects vary and time passes. This means you should stick with the same photographer or two so your professional interior design portfolio is cohesive and reflects your brand well. Be sure to find someone whose work you love and who will showcase your work now AND in the future as your business and clientele grow.
Tip 03: Create Mood Boards for Your Photoshoot
Design: Tyler Garrett Interiors Photography: Stacy Markow
Stacy recommends creating a series of mood boards separated by types of rooms (pro tip: she uses Pinterest for this) and start pinning beautiful home photos so you can study the styling in each one. Then, review the boards and try to recognize styling patterns and placement of items so you can experiment on future photoshoots as you develop your style.
The same goes for props. If you find yourself shopping for clients and you see something amazing, buy it and find a way to incorporate it as a styling item into your next shoot.
Bottom line: don’t treat your interior design project photos as an afterthought. Treat them like the marketing tools they are. Since they are most likely the first thing a potential client will judge you on, they must be impeccable.
To learn more about Stacy Markow or her interior and architecture photography services, visit StacyMarkow.com.
