Behind the scenes - getting portfolio pictures!

Getting portfolio pictures is an important part of my design business.  I thought it would be fun to give you a quick behind the scenes look at how I get them.

Long before I get those portfolio pictures, we start with a problem room.  I listen to the issues, create a plan and then implement it.  There - I just summed up months and months of work!

Here's where we go behind the scenes: the camera sees things very differently than the human eye, so I have to do some staging.  This means that a few days before the photo shoot, I'm in a couple of stores, finding lamps, artwork, etc. - whatever I need to show up well in the photos or fill in a few empty spots.  The client often buys some of these pieces, but the rest I bring back.

Here's a real behind the scenes shot--ugh.  The morning  of the photo shoot I pack up the car and head out!  I'm hot and tired just looking at this picture.

I spend an hour or so staging the rooms before Marilyn Peryer of Style House Photography arrives.  She often has a couple of staging ideas of her own and changes what I've done!  I know interior design, but she knows photography.  Marilyn spent about 2 hours in this house, getting all kinds of shots for me.

Here's a corner of the room.

A closer shot.

A detail shot.  I love details!

A custom C table, built by Metal Fred, here in North Carolina.  It's forged steel and barnboard.  Perfect!

And a pretty chest and lamp. Love the mix of pattern right there, thank you very much.   I'm not sure I like that wild fern in the background, but there it is.

Marilyn is standing in the Kitchen, looking toward the Family Room in this one.  She took a lot of great Kitchen pictures, too.  You can always go to my Houzz page to see more photos.  Here's the Kitchen link and here's the Family Room link.  I keep a lot of portfolio pictures in my Projects folders.

One more behind the scenes tidbit:  while the photographer is doing her thing with a serious camera, I'm roaming around taking pictures with my iPhone, usually focusing on other things.

Like the flowers.

And the cats.  Here's one.

And the other!  They were both supervising us every step of the way.

While I do a couple of full service design projects every year, my specialty is offering 2 hour interior design consultations.  If you like to do your own decorating, but need some help getting results like these, I can tell you how to do it in a 2 hour consult!  Shoot me a note (interiors@decoccodesign.com) to schedule yours today.

Ciao,

Anne