How To Design a Room That Will Photograph Well

when i saw that positive pregnancy test, my first reaction was obviously personal excitement and joy and…relief!  being the type A planner i am, my second reaction was, nursery.  paint colors, soft tones, white balance, bright light, and all things baby.  i obviously wanted to create a darling space for my baby, but as a photographer my goal was to ensure that the choices i made would ultimately design a room that will photograph well.  i knew the nursery would be a main place for photos, so i wanted to have the room be photographable in it’s elements.

while these tips for how to design a room that will photograph well will work for any room, i will use our nursery as an example for this post.  whether you are designing a living room or master bedroom, here are 5 things to keep in mind.

did you know paint colors play a huge role in your photographs?  read how to pick paint colors for better white balance.

How To Design A Room That Will Photograph Well

How To Design A Room That Will Photograph Well | Bethadilly Photography

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1.  Keep Prints Soft and Calm

when you are thinking about what prints to incorporate in your room, keep them soft and calm so they don’t overpower the room.  think about the photographs you will take in that room and ensure that the prints you choose won’t overpower your subject.  while prints are great, use them sparingly in small places so they don’t overpower the room.  prints should be a supporting role in your design, not the main focus.  if you truly want a room to photograph well, remember that you want your subject to be the main focus so don’t choose a loud print that will complete with that.

to incorporate a supporting print in my daughter nursery, i chose a simple and calm pale pink print for her window bench as a way to bring a print into the room subtly.  (and since i know you are going to ask, that window bench was made by making a cushion for an ikea bookshelf.)

2.  Choose Your Paint Wisely

when you work to design a room that will photograph well, your paint choice will make or break your success.  choose a paint color that is soft and neutral, as paint creates color casts on your subjects.  read more about how picking paint can create better white balance.  for our nursery, i chose silver ash, a behr ultra premium paint.

How To Design A Room That Will Photograph Well | Bethadilly Photography

3.  Think About Natural Reflectors

when i was choosing my furniture, i thought of furniture and how it could be a natural reflector.  because furniture is one of the biggest things you will put in the room, the color you choose will create the tone for the entire room.  because i wanted to design a room that will photograph well, i chose white accents because i knew white furniture would lighten up the room and help me create brighter photos.  i knew that having a white chair and crib would allow me to place my baby on or in either one and light would naturally reflect off of the white.

4.  Keep Color To Accents

color is such a great way to add personality to a room, but think about adding color as accents.  this will help you to incorporate color, but not in a huge way that will affect your white balance.  i wanted to add pink to my daughter’s room so i looked for small pieces like pillows, art, and dolls to incorporate color.  it helps to create a pink feel to the room without taking away from the neutral tone that really makes the room photographable.

the pillowfort accents by target inspired a lot of my design choices for my daughter’s nursery.  and don’t we all love sweet outings to target?

5.  Sheer Window Treatments Only

if you remember anything from this post, remember that your windows are so important!  that is where your natural light is and, therefore, your window treatments control the type of light you create.  if you put red window treatments on your windows, you will create a red color cast on your room.  yuck!  always choose light window treatments like white or cream to ensure that the light coming from your windows stays natural and free from color casts.  while i can’t remember the exact pair of curtains i chose, amazon has a huge variety of white curtains to choose from.

as you design a room that will photograph well, be sure to keep these 5 things in mind when making your design choices.  by staying away from bright colors that will create color casts, being mindful of your window treatment, incorporating color on smaller scales and thinking through your furniture selection, you will create a room that is ready for any camera!

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How To Design A Room That Will Photograph Well | Bethadilly Photography

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  • Picking Paint Colors For Better White Balance » bethadilly - […] you want your home to be more photographable?  be sure to read how to design a room that will photograph well for 5 easy […]ReplyCancel

  • Andrea - I’m currently browsing all of your newborn sessions for nursery ideas…your clients have excellent taste! lol thanks so much for this post, it is great timing for us! <3ReplyCancel

    • {beth} a-dilly - Ha ha, yes! I have photographed some pretty amazing nurseries that are bound to inspire you! Have fun!ReplyCancel

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