Excited to start 2023 with a national feature in the annual House Beautiful Small Spaces and a local feature in D Home! Congratulations and thank you to interior designers Tanner Morgan of Morgan Madison and Teddie Garrigan of Coco & Dash.

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House Beautiful Small Spaces, January 2023

Welcome to the Clubhouse:  How one firm turned a boxy, cramped 100-year-old house into a gentleman’s lake retreat

A couple of years ago I got a message from a young designer (Tanner Morgan) in Cleveland, wanting to discuss photographing a project he was working on. It was very early in the process for him, in fact none of the actual construction had even started at this point, but Tanner really wanted to make a connection with me and get me on board for this journey. I was a bit skeptical at first, not knowing anything about Tanner at that time and his online presence as a designer was limited, but he also was very young and excited to get going. His passion for this project quickly became evident and I was ready to go along on this ride. Through many calls, emails, facetimes and updates to the progress on this home, we brought in Frances Bailey, one of the world's top interior stylists, to soften the edges of this project and get it to a national editorial level. 

The three days we spent shooting this project was a highlight in my photography career. Being a part of the process from the beginning engaged my curiosity and brought out my best. We stayed out on this lake property in a charming guest house and enjoyed sunsets and sunrises together, bringing us all pretty close during that week. 

Tanner transformed this simple lake house into a showpiece, each room better than the last, and not one square inch left untouched. The details in every surface are remarkable, a testament to Tanner's own personal style, a character himself you will never forget. 

Writer: Kristen Flanagan
Photographer: Stephen Karlisch @stephen_karlisch_photo
Interior Designer: Morgan Madison Design @morganmadison__
Producer: Robert Rufino
Stylist and floral: Frances Bailey @francesfinds

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D Magazine

Peek into This Sophisticated, Maximalist Turtle Creek Apartment:
Coco & Dash cofounder Teddie Garrigan’s collected high-rise environs prove that downsizing doesn’t have to mean scaling back.

Teddie Garrigan, owner of a unique retail furniture/design shop in Dallas called Coco and Dash, reached out to me to photograph her apartment in Dallas recently. She lives in a high rise in Uptown, near the Katy Trail, that has been a favorite for many in the design world for years. They could do an HBO series about this place, seriously, full of character(s). 

Teddie and her daughter Courtney run the shop together and their interior design business, and I was thrilled to get the opportunity to document her home. From a life of travel and living in many foreign countries (she has a great story to tell!), she lives a collected life. Layers of color and texture rule her world, and I've rarely photographed a space that I've felt more at home in. Working with stylist Jenny O'Connor on this was the perfect mix. She was able to blend in some simple floral to accent the shots, but not overwhelm, and help move some items around to create perfect compositions from the cameras point of view. The apartment was glowing from so much natural light, being in a high rise with nothing around to block the sun, the rooms just come alive as the day moves on. It's always hard to pack up and leave a shoot like this one, so many more stories in there to be told, maybe I'll get a chance to get back in there someday soon.  

Writer: Kendall Morgan
Photographer: Stephen Karlisch @stephen_karlisch_photo
Interior Designer: Teddie Garrigan, Coco and Dash @cocoanddash
Stylist and floral: Jenny O'Connor @jennyoconnorstudio

Two-day, hands-on workshop with Stephen, learning everything there is to know about strobes for interiors

The number one question interior photographers ASK ME is HOW TO CONTROL lighting.

They want more control over their images, and to spend less time in Photoshop with awful color casts, windows, dark rooms, colorful rooms with impossible color control.  Mastering light is the first step in taking control of your style, and attracting the types of clients you deserve.

The creative time in photography should be spent on location making your images in camera, not on the computer. 

Interior Design X+III

Learn how to effectively use strobe lighting for interior photography

January 18 & 19, 2022, Dallas, Texas

By taking my workshop, you will learn to overcome common stumbling blocks quickly and confidently, allowing you to spend more time on the important images in your projects.

Click here for more information

The first time shooting and working with Shazalynn Cavin Winfrey was with a very personal assignment, her own home. She had updated this former parsonage by making it more functional without losing its connection to the past. We worked with the talented Frances Bailey (Stylist) and had a wonderful time during this two day shoot in Austin. The project landed as the cover story in the Sept/Oct 2022 issue of LUXE Austin + San Antonio. The backstory of this house is worth checking out from the article. Seeing how she has transformed this into a comfortable, sprawling home, with surprises around every corner, showcases her style and skill as a top designer. 

We’re excited to feature Shazalynn in this Creative Focus series. 

Shazalynn with her sweet Lulu. She lost Lulu summer of 2022 and this photo is so special to Shazalynn that Stephen captured from the interior shoot.

Her story…

Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey, owner and lead designer of SCW Interiors, has had a lifelong passion for design that has taken her from growing up in the Southwest to settling in the Northeast. For more than 20 years she’s honed her craft, building on what she learned at the University of Texas, the Culinary Institute of America, and Parsons School of Design. From her experience running her own catering company, as a mother and wife, and as a highly recognized designer, she’s come to believe that a centered home is the key to a rewarding life.

“I was born in Roswell, New Mexico to teenage kids. My children believe that I was literally dropped off by the aliens and maybe they are right. My nickname is the mothership. My early influences include spending so much time with my grandparents while my parents were busy trying to become adults. I have an uncle who is four years older than me if that gives you some perspective. So my time spent in their houses and with my grandmother was so critical to the person I would grow into and particularly to design and my love of food and cooking. There was so much history she would impart with everything she did and brought into the home and I must have been a sponge.”

Shazalynn grew up in a family of creatives and lawyers mainly in the oil business. She was discouraged from becoming a designer because it might not be a feasible way to support herself, and her grandmother thought being a school teacher was much more practical. 

“After all, I would have summers and holidays and I probably would not work very long once I got married. This still makes me laugh. During my time at the culinary institute of America I would travel to the city and look at the different options for design schools because it was still where my heart was and so encourage your kids to follow their passion because my path was definitely not a straight one and I always wonder what might have been.”

“Behind the divine new look of a Texas home that belonged to a Bishop.”

Cover & feature story in Sept / Oct 2022 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design Austin + San Antonio

Photography by Stephen Karlisch. Styling by Frances Bailey

Interior Design Shazalynn Cavin Wifnrey, SCW Interior, LLC

Let’s see and hear a little more from Shazalynn

Things that I think make our work different is that being southern, I love a good story. Storytelling is an art form and I really love to impart my clients’ story into their homes. It sometimes takes some coaxing because not everyone feels that their past or their childhood is what they necessarily want to represent in their homes. But the truth is that imprinting starts so early and it informs our personal likes and dislikes. It would be boring if I just inserted myself into other people’s homes so I am really sensitive to where and who people come from and what shaped them I could tell you a million stories about these particular situations. I believe that designing your home should be a very self actualizing experience for the owner. Many people don’t spend much time thinking about what they like and don’t like so it is a great exercise and I am grateful people trust me to help them. Our homes are retreats that should feed our souls and nurture us to be strong in a fast changing external environment. It is one reason why I think kids rooms and bedrooms in particular are so important. So many people are only worried about the spaces other people can see and that is very telling when we begin the process.  

I am fairly certain my clients think I am sort of hippie with expensive taste. I don’t place much value in dressing a certain way which is probably not ideal. My job is physical so I dress accordingly. I have had someone ask if I was driving the old beat up suburban out front because he was shocked at an early meeting and another client who calls me the bohemian designer. I am not sure what this says about me but I value humility and I would much rather buy designer fabrics than designer cars.  

Portrait by Erin Cone

The portrait of my children with their motherless head was commissioned and is by Santa Fe artist Erin Cone.  I was so captured by her work in particular her hands.  She had not previously painted small children but was willing to give it a go.  At the sitting my son would not let go of my hand so I told her to just paint it like you see it but omit my head (crazy hair all day everyday). The outcome is for me iconic and Erin has enjoyed a prolific career which delights me to this day.

The kitchen….the heart of the home.

An homage to the Bishop who lived in the home for 40 years and would dismiss lent for one day each year in order to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the home with parishioners. I love to experiment with color and the custom green refrigerators were an opportunity to include this color. The interior of the coffee bar is a nod to our Alma Mater and love for the Longhorns. I cook all the time so the space is really about form, function and not worrying about it looking messy. I love to share a meal with people and this allows me to have everything I need within a few steps

What advice would you give yourself at 20?

HAVE MORE FUN, FEAR less, find what really makes you happy, and invest in your friendships. I was so worried about being self-supporting and making good grades and generally making everyone else happy that I forgot to stop and smell the roses. Life is a marathon not a sprint and I was definitely a sprinter. 

If you need inspiration for a design project, what do you do first?

My office knows that when I drive by myself I usually find the answers to most of the things I need to work through. Even if it is just to grab lunch I come back feeling more focused on the solutions.

Pattern Play

…one of my favorite things in life. I spent a lot of time playing board games growing up and putting together puzzles. Thinking about this now I realize I became hard wired to work through how things connect particularly in spaces. I always say visual memory is the only thing I have working up there.

The more casual nature of the home.

I personally believe cohesion exists when there is a plot twist. The more organic nature of the bedding against the linear lines in the space presents an opportunity to draw connections to the artwork and more casual nature of the home. I love structure but I am drawn the less serious side of things and this is the balance.

What would you say is key in selecting a photographer for your projects?

Someone who listens, is efficient and finds the humor in life. Oh and it is really nice if they don’t have 13,000,000 dietary restrictions when ordering lunch.

Which movie or TV set is your favorite from a design perspective? 

WILLY WONKA – FOREVER!

When the season premiere of “Showhouse Showdown” aired on HGTV featuring my project I received an email from a woman in California who had recorded the show to watch once her kids went to bed. She emailed me to tell me that I was her Willy Wonka. I have the email from her framed because it meant so much to me that she made that reference. True Story.

Coolio- This bathroom was a hot mess and once we started drawing it out on paper this is what worked. I grew up in a home at one point that had an atrium in the middle of the house. Granted it had 4 walls of glass with massive skylights but I always dream about that space. This bathing space creates the feeling of that for me. Plants line the walls, the water creates amazing acoustics within the glass and the skylights drench the space with the Texas sun which I have loved my entire life.

Favorite city to recharge?

SANTA FE – It feels like home. The climate is always perfect. The big blue sky, the smells, the food, ten thousand waves…. not much I don’t love about Santa Fe.  

This dining room shot makes me so happy. The light filtering in the mornings is so special. When the sun sets it does exactly what it should. It catches those crystals and cuts across segments of the space through the smaller windows on the front and side of the house. I always tell clients to consider when and how you use your dining room. Also consider how the color and pattern look in candle light and other low lighting. The terracotta is very grounding for me. I am from the desert so it is only natural that I feel right at home against this color.

BTS fun with Frances Bailey, Shazlynn and Stephen.

SCW Interiors has been published in:

LUXE
House Beautiful 
Veranda
Décor
Arts & Crafts Home
Traditional Home 
and many others

To learn and see more of Shazalynn Cavin Winfrey’s talents please visit  SCWInteriors.com and be sure to follow her Facebook and Instagram pages.

We would love to feature your creative talents from our industry on our award-winning blog. Shoot us an email at hello@stephenkarlisch.com to find out how.

FEATURED IN LOVE HAPPENS MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE BEST INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS: CAPTURING BEAUTIFUL INTERIORS AROUND THE WORLD

“The art of interior photography is not an easy one. The right light, the right angle, etc. Everything must be just so in order to successfully photograph an interior atmosphere with style. Working tirelessly to capture beautiful interiors by top interior designers from around the world, these 27 interior photographers are some of the best at their craft! So, read on and enjoy!”

A model wearing fabric designed by interior designer Michelle Nussbaumer in one of her interiors is beautifully captured by ©Stephen Karlisch.

“Surely one of the best interior photographers, Stephen Karlisch is also a travel enthusiast and Deadshot aficionado. Over the course of his 15-year career, Stephen has been published in AD, Veranda, Elle Decor, and beyond. “Being able to translate the layers of design to a two-dimensional realm has always been an exciting challenge for me,” says Stephen. Further, as a former architecture student, he has a special eye for photographing interiors. Stephen is more than just a photographer for hire, he works closely with the top interior designers in Texas and throughout the US to help elevate their brand assets for coffee table books, editorial features, and visual archives.”

Read the full article

By Susie Longmire

If you're an interior designer, or an interior photographer, chances are you've got a portfolio full of beautiful images that show off your work in the best possible light. But what happens to those images after they've been used on your website or in a brochure? 

There's no reason for your stunning interior photography to go to waste! Pinterest is a great platform for repurposing your imagery, driving traffic to your website, and dramatically increasing your brand awareness. 

Pinterest is an invaluable tool for anyone who is looking for information or inspiration on any topic, including interior design and home inspiration. If you're not already using Pinterest to showcase your interior design work, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to reach a wide audience!

Stephen Karlisch Pinterest page

What many people don't realize is that Pinterest is actually a search engine platform. After Google and YouTube, it's the third-largest search engine. When used effectively, Pinterest can be a powerful tool for driving traffic and generating leads. For example, you can create pins that link to your website or blog, or you can create pins that link to your other social media accounts. You can also drive traffic to lead magnets to grow your email list. 

With its vast potential reach and its visual nature, Pinterest is perfect for showcasing your interior design portfolio. In addition, Pinterest is a great platform for sharing interior design or photography tips and tricks, which can help to build your reputation as an expert in your field. So if you're not already using Pinterest to promote your business, now is the time to start!

Unlike most social media platforms, which are built around quick hits of content that quickly disappear into the ether, Pinterest is designed for users to pin and save images that they find interesting or visually appealing. This has given rise to a platform that is rich in interior projects, home decor inspiration, and DIY projects. 

Because users are constantly adding new pins to their boards, the content on Pinterest has a very long shelf life. In fact, it's not uncommon for pins to continue to be popular years after they were first posted. This makes Pinterest an extremely valuable platform for design businesses and brands that are looking to reach a sustained and engaged audience. 

Here are some tips on how to grow your Pinterest account:

1.

Make sure you have high-quality, Pinterest-optimized images.

2.

Pin images regularly, and include keywords in the pin titles and descriptions.

3.

Use Pinterest analytics to track your progress and see what's working well.

4.

Use an approved Pinterest scheduler such as Tailwind to schedule out your pins and further your growth

through Tailwind Communities.

5.

Upload regular idea pins to increase your following and widen your reach.

(Hot tip: You can repurpose your Instagram reels as Idea Pins - they are the optimal size!)

Here are some graphic statistics of how we saw our Pinterest audience grow over the past 15+ months.

In early 2021 our Pinterest page was being seen about 10k times, 22 outbound clicks to our site, followed by 220 and in the low 200 engagements per month. Not very impressive, right? In a little over a year we have grown our following almost 4 times, our pins are being seen at an impressive 12 times more than before sometimes up to 250k, and outbound clicks to our site has grown 12 times the amount every month. Our website analytics are showing Pinterest traffic at 7 times the amount than from Instagram. Combined with our other content out there we are seeing our visits grow in the upper thousands each month. Are we getting clients directly from Pinterest? Indirectly, YES! Why? Because Pinterest is a major extension to building our brand through the SEO (Google analytics are HUGE!) to influence interior design around the world. How? Through imagery utilizing the tips mentioned above. Our clients are always credited which helps their SEO and some are now saying they are seeing massive exposure from our imagery more than any others. We know Pinterest is a major piece of the puzzle and these SEO efforts are paying off for us as well as our client. The high end brands are all over Pinterest for the same reason, and if you have product to sell then Pinterest is a must.

We hope this will inspire you to start using Pinterest to help build your brand exposure and showcase your work!

And please check out our Pinterest page.

Pinterest Statistics for Stephen Karlisch Photography Pinterest page from when we started 2/21 to 7/22.

Using Pinterest will ensure your interior photography is working hard for you - even after it's been used in your portfolio or marketing materials. Consider this evergreen marketing for years to come!

Pinterest is a powerful tool that can help you attract new clients and grow your reach - so make the most of it! 

If you would like assistance with your Pinterest growth you can find Susie here.

Stephen Karlisch Blog – Best Use of Photography Blog

“Imagery can make or break a blog and this award is for the blog that goes further than the rest to exhibit the most outstanding original photography throughout the site. A talented photographer, the blogger’s imagery will be an inspiration to readers for both their interiors and their own photography projects. We asked that all nominees followed this criteria:

• The majority of imagery on the blog must be the blogger’s own

• The imagery should have a consistent and recognizable style throughout the blog”

The AMARA Interior Blog Awards celebrates and engages with the most authoritative and respected bloggers in the interior blogging industry. Believing that bloggers are an integral part of the interior design community, the AMARA Team has worked closely with many of these talented individuals over the years and strive to give back to this vibrant community through the awards.

A concept first introduced in 2013, the awards include a series of phases throughout a three month period from nominations & voting, to shortlisting, and the project culminates in an annual awards ceremony attended by the shortlisted bloggers, sponsors and judges.

Amara Judges - Thank you for selecting our interior design photography blog! And thank you Pols Potten for sponsoring our category.

AMARA Awards

Fine art photography print of the Paris Beaux-Arts style Petit Palais designed by Charles Girault
Photo: © Stephen Karlisch
Designer: Laura Lee

Stephen Karlisch has been traveling the world for over 20 years on various assignments for interior designers, architects, and private commissions. Our Art Shop includes a variety of scenic landscape photographs he has taken during his travels in coastal areas in the United States, the Amalfi coast in Italy, Iceland, Mexico and beyond. We have options in color and black and white, and all our prints are available in multiple sizes.

Adding large scale photographs to a room provides a dramatic focal point and enhances the space by adding narrative and a sense of place. The image you choose for your wall decor is a reflection of your personality, your design style, interests and aspirations.

Fine art photography print Brigade of Topiary - Hotel les Invalides
Photo: ©Stephen Karlisch
Designer: Avrea Wagner

Stephen’s eye for color and detail is evident in his photographs of classic architectural details such as a mansard roof, a Corinthian column, or a Paris balcony. He captures the dramatic play of light and shadow on landmark buildings like the Eiffel Tower, the Pantheon or the Rodin Museum. As an interior design element, his photographic prints underscore design themes and immediately elevate the mood in a room.

“Seeking out the sometimes overlooked architectural details and design elements in relatively famous buildings is a bit of a game to me. I appreciate the craftsmanship that is typically passed by, but tells a story from a place in history we should know when looking at that architectural piece. When I get the images in front of me, blown up with vivid detail, even more secrets are revealed that even I did not notice when making the photographs.”

Stephen with a large format print of Bird on Arches - Pantheon, Rome
©Stephen Karlisch

We have nearly 70 images to choose from in our Art Shop and are currently updating with more. All prints are fine art archival quality with one inch border signed by Stephen Karlisch. We also have a few images that are limited editions. There is complimentary shipping on unframed prints within the USA. Our prints are sold unframed, but we do provide custom framing to those in the architecture/interior design trade. Please email hello@stephenkarlisch.com for information on our Designer/Trade pricing, custom sizes, becoming an affiliate or other questions.

I just finished listening to the latest Business of Home Podcast featuring Steele Marcoux of Veranda magazine, discussing their new issue and commitment to print publishing. It’s an exciting time for fans of Veranda, and fans of printed magazines (not to knock the digital realm, but seriously, aren’t we all a bit tired of scrolling through images on our phones?). Veranda is not just changing the physical size of the magazine, but also doubling the page count, which is going to make this next issue feel more like a Sept issue from years past of one of the major fashion magazines.

All of this means more content, better laid out content, and just overall prettier and more engaging content. This is huge for anyone in our industry, from designers to craftsmen to photographers and stylists.  I feel this will be a defining moment in print, we will all remember the day we laid our hands and eyes on this issue.  

For me personally, I am really happy to hear that one of my favorite magazines is doubling down on print. Steele discusses the push for Veranda to assign and direct (what every magazine used to do…) their shoots for total editorial control. This establishes a narrative and trend base that will be followed for years to come. Whoever is a part of this creative re-birth will become our new guides directing our own shoots and content creation moving forward. Mood boards flooded with thick glossy pages from Veranda, shining brighter than anything else. To be included in any Veranda issue is a major feather in your cap, but now this may become someone’s defining moment in design. 

Cheers to Steele and everyone who fought for this in the halls of Hearst and cocktail parties/dinners/trade shows. Thank you for pushing this through, I cannot wait to get my hands wrapped around it all!

Steele Marcoux courtesy of Veranda

Click here to visit the Business of Home website podcast page to read and listen to all of the exciting news!

There is a lot of effort that goes into getting that perfect shot – the one with the WOW factor that really showcases your designs in the best way. Some people think those shots are kismet or that they just happen, but I can tell you that the level of energy that it takes to get even just one hero shot is enormous. 

Designer: Emily Summers

Photographer: Stephen Karlisch

But all that effort is so worth it. A shot like that can change your career. It can get your project published in the magazine you’ve always dreamed about. It can get you into a top-shelf design book. It can uplevel you to the client work you’ve always wanted. It can change everything. 

So what goes into creating a hero shot? Let’s take a look.

Designer: Chad Dorsey

Stylist: Jenny O’Connor Floral: Haile Wosson

Photographer: Stephen Karlisch

Hire a Stylist

Yes, you are a fabulous designer and your project is probably amazing. But there is a very big difference between what your eye takes in when you are in a room and how that room translates onto a screen or a printed page. A great stylist can see things with a fresh eye and help you make the most of how your room looks digitally. He or she can also offer suggestions for styling for a specific publication you may be targeting. A good stylist will still stay within your aesthetic boundaries, but also knows how to take it up a notch. 

Designer: Michelle Nussbaumer

Photographer: Stephen Karlisch

Be Honest

You know that not every single room in your project is spectacular. That’s really rare and it has nothing to do with your talent. Often there are just some rooms that your client may not have wanted to invest in. Or maybe the budget only allowed for an incredible 2-3 rooms and 4 or so other rooms that are good, but not spectacular. Be very honest with yourself about which rooms are so well-designed that they will make a big impact once they’re photographed. Shooting every single room like it’s a hero shot isn’t often worth the time we’ll put into it. 

Designer: Lucas Eilers

Photographer: Stephen Karlisch

Invest in Experience

There are a lot of very good photographers out there. But just because they know their way around a camera doesn’t mean they know how to properly light and shoot your project. So invest in a photographer who really understands how to get the best interior photos. Go through their portfolio to see who they’ve worked with and what their photos look like. Have they been published in top magazines and in design books? Do their photos showcase an understanding of light and space and style? Invest in a photographer who can give you those incredible shots that you’re looking for.

Patience Is a Virtue

Understand that those hero shots take time. Sometimes a lot of time. We could spend a whole day on 5 shots – but each one of those shots is going to be incredible. Remember that getting a great photo isn’t just a click of the camera. We move lighting and furniture,  we’ll work with the styling, we’ll tweak, we’ll study the shot, and we’ll tweak again. It takes time. I’m a fast photographer, so on a normal day, I can do about 30 minutes per shot, or maybe 15+ shots per day. But remember that I said “shots,” not rooms. So if we do several angles of the same room, that means we might do 4-6 rooms in a day. And not all of those shots will be hero shots. Understand that if you ask the photographer to move faster, then you might get good shots, but maybe not great shots. Taking the time during the photo session means that you’ll have more photos to work with later.

Designer: Celerie Kemble

Photographer: Stephen Karlisch

Make a List

And to be as efficient as possible, once you’ve decided which rooms are the most important, start creating an in-depth shot list. Do you need detail shots? How many? Which angles? What rooms can go to the bottom of the list if we run out of time? Even think about how we’ll move through the house – a quick path that doesn’t move us up and down stairs or across a house will save you a lot of time. You may want to try to do some styling ahead of time so we’ll be able to move quickly once we’re shooting, and always consider the sun (utilize as much natural beautiful light as possible).

Use these tips to help you and your photographer snap those perfect hero shots. They will definitely help get your work noticed by editors and your target clients.

Have you planned out your next shoot for your marketing this year? We want to hear from you.

Interior designers across the country are incredibly busy – even during a pandemic. With everyone working, playing, vacationing, and learning at home, people are laser-focused on renovating and improving their houses. So now you have all of these amazing projects completed and you want to photograph them. But can you do that in a pandemic? With the right planning, you definitely can. It just takes a little ingenuity. 

I’ve shot many projects safely since the pandemic first hit, including a huge shoot for the Kips Bay Showhouse in Dallas and a Perennials campaign shoot.

Here are my tips for getting the photos you need while still staying safe and sane.  

Make a Plan

The most important thing you can do for an effective photo shoot is preplanning. That’s true during non-pandemic times, but it’s especially important today. Do a walkthrough on installation day with your photographer, even if you have to do it on Facetime or Zoom. That initial walkthrough will help you identify the best angles and shots, and where you may need more styling. Create an in-depth shot list that efficiently moves the team around the home. And give up on any angles or shots that just don’t work. This type of photo shoot is about getting the best photos you can in a short amount of time - in and out. Know what the hero shots are, and know what can be dropped from the list.

Family Out

It is never a good idea to have a family in the home during a photo shoot. But it’s a really bad idea to expose your photographer, team, and clients to each other in a pandemic. The question is: How to get them out when they don’t really have anywhere they can safely go. This is where you’ll have to be creative and possibly spend a little money. First, if your clients have a second home or vacation home, see if you can schedule the shoot when they’re away. If they don’t, you could always rent an AirBNB for them for the day – preferably in a fun place that will entertain them and the kids. You could also rent a movie theater for the day. Lots of theaters are renting themselves out at $99 to make some money during shutdowns. That’s a small price to pay to get your clients out of the way. Be inventive and think of ways to please your clients and clear the home for the shoot.

Keep It Clean 

One way to make your clients and team members feel more comfortable with a photo shoot is to spell out cleaning procedures for before and after the team is in the home. Hiring a cleaning crew that will sanitize surfaces and floors is smart and will show your clients that their safety is top of mind for you. Masks for all crew are a given, but they should also wear gloves in the home and should remove their shoes outside the door before they enter. And there should be a lot of hand sanitizer available. The key is to be sure you communicate all of that to your client when you’re scheduling the shoot. You want them to see that you’re committed to making this a safe event for all, especially the family that lives in the home.

Smaller Team

You and the photographer should work with the smallest team possible. Fewer people mean less exposure. And some states are moving to very strict rules on how many people can be in a group at one time. Understand that each person at the shoot (including YOU) may have to double up on their duties, but that’s a small price to pay to keep everyone safe. If you can keep the group to a stylist, a photographer, an assistant and you, that would be the best-case scenario for all involved. Each person should also bring in their own snacks and drinks for the day. No using plates, cups, or other items in the home. Period.

Moving Along

On the day of the photo shoot, be prepared to have windows and doors open to move the air around. Fresh air has been shown to reduce exposure risks, so if it’s cool outside you may have to crank the heat and layer your clothing. Also use freestanding and ceiling fans to move that air. And be aware of distance as much as possible. We provide our clients with their own personal iPad to review the images so there is no need to share my computer. You can come into the room to adjust something, but then move at least 8 feet away from anyone else while the photographer is shooting.  

If you’re still concerned, you could also ask for all team members to have a COVID test before the shoot – but that’s up to you. Following the tips above will help you be as safe as you can be during a pandemic, while still getting the photos you need to market your business. I’m definitely aware of how important both of those goals are and I’ve had a lot of experience at shooting during a pandemic. Give my team a call if you want to work with us in the coming months to safely get the best photos of your projects.

There are so many elements that have to come together for a successful interiors photo shoot – great design, the right light, a detailed shot list, and more. And that’s just for one project with one interior designer. When I was asked to shoot the first-ever Kips Bay Showhouse to launch in Dallas, it was a marathon event with 27 designers, 3 days of intense shooting, and a lot of directors. And all in one huge French Provincial mansion. Here’s a look at how it went:

Size Matters

I was appointed as the official house photographer by the organizer of the home, the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. It’s an honor to be a part of this group’s iconic showhome program. For almost 50 years, Kips Bay has used a designer showhouse to raise money for after school and enrichment programs for kids in New York City. In the last few years, they expanded their showhomes to include Palm Beach, and this year moved into Dallas for their third location. Here in Dallas, the proceeds of the showhome also benefited local nonprofits Dwell with Dignity and the Crystal Charity Ball.

Doniphan Moore Interiors for Kips Bay Dallas Showhome

Kitchen Chad Dorsey Design for Kips Bay Dallas Showhome

So how is shooting for a showhome different from photographing a home for an interiors project? First of all, the sheer size was daunting at almost 12,000 square feet. And then there’s the fact that I was shooting for many directors, other than the organizer or designers. In a showhome, you’re also shooting for the media partner, which in this case was Veranda magazine. And you have a lot of suppliers, sponsors, and vendors who have donated to the home and need photos of their products and work. 

Entry way by Rottet Studio for Kips Bay Showhome

Rather than worrying about what a single designer wants or needs, there are a lot of people involved with what photos and angles are needed. For the most part, that meant bigger, more overall views of each space and fewer detail shots. That way, more product can be included and more companies can use each shot for promotion of their participation in the showhouse.

Long Days, Short Deadlines

We worked in the home for three days, from about 8am to 7pm, so they were long days. Luckily, we were usually alone in the home, both because of Covid and to allow us to work quickly and get the shots we needed without anyone in the way. 

The timeline for delivering the photography was also very tight – and not at all the way photographers normally work. For our interiors projects, I take my time to ensure that the photos are perfect, including retouching. For Kips Bay, I worked with one assistant and one digital tech who was doing general basic retouching as I was shooting. We kept it as tight and efficient as possible because the turnaround time was so quick. We shot about 10 rooms a day with 3-5 shots each, and delivered the finished photos at the end of the 3 days. That is definitely not how a normal interiors shoot goes.

Living room by Mark D Sikes for Kips Bay Showhome

We did a walkthrough ahead of our shooting schedule, to be sure we would photograph rooms with natural light at the right time, and to plot an efficient route that had a good flow.

We also wanted to do justice to every space and every designer and that can be grueling. In a normal interiors project, there are killer moments that you’re excited to shoot, and then there are secondary spaces that aren’t as strong, or that you might skip through. 

But in a showhome, every room has a hero moment and every designer deserves equal representation as far as my skill, time, and attention. Everyone should get the same amount of creative effort – and that is exhausting. There’s no room where you can take less time or give less of yourself as a creative.

Creative Challenges

One of the challenges in this huge project was the odd architecture. There were a lot of strange little transitional spaces and interesting angles. The flow was off from an architectural standpoint, and upstairs the room were kind of hidden and tight. That made it more difficult to shoot.

But I have to say that I was blown away by the inventiveness of the designers who were part of the showhome. If you look at the before photos of the house and see the amount of creativity that is displayed in the finished photos, it was an incredible transformation. I have a newfound appreciation for designers and what they can do to a space. It was beyond what I expected.

The morning lounge by Marcus Mohon Interiors for Kips Bay Showhome

It was interesting that I didn’t even meet a few of the designers. I did know about half of them since they were past clients. But the organizers tried to keep the home clear while I was shooting. 

I was lucky enough to be hired to reshoot spaces for the designers themselves. That meant I was in the house even longer, but it also gave those designers the shots they needed and wanted, particularly those important detail shots.

A lady’s study by Jan Showers for Kips Bay Dallas.

La Matadora by Tracy Hardenburg Designs for Kips Bay Showhouse.

Lessons Learned

If you’re a designer who wants to make the most impact and get the best photography from a showhome experience, there are a few things to keep in mind from my perspective. 

• Some rooms that you’re assigned can be overwhelmed with product. Yes, you may have sponsors you have to take care of, but be careful how much you plan to use in a space. There can be too much going on in the finished photography, which won’t do you any favors.

• Hire your own photographer. Remember that, although most organizers will allow you to use their shots, they are going to be wider room shots that showcase as much of the sponsors as possible. They may not be the shots you want and they definitely won’t include a lot of angles or detail shots. Get photos that you can use for your own portfolio and that highlight your work in the best light.

• If you’re ever given the chance to select the space you want to design, always think about natural light. That makes for stunning photos, so if you get a space with great natural light, it’s a huge win for you.

• Lighting is key to great photos. If you get a room that doesn’t have any natural light – and about half the rooms in the Kips Bay project did not – be sure you use good lighting as part of your design. You want nice soft lights that will enhance the mood of the room, and lighting that’s dimmable and controllable.

• Florals are so important for photography, but they can also be expensive. Real, fresh flowers add life to a room – they really do make a difference. Choose flowers that last a long time, it will cost you less than having to replace them over and over. Since most showhomes are open for three to four weeks, having to switch them out can really add up. Avoid fussy arrangements though because they can look messy on camera.

As you can see from the photos, Kips Bay was an incredible project with stunning designs that I was proud to shoot. To see the full showhouse, see the January issue of Veranda.

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Thank you Designers Today for featuring Stephen in the October issue sharing his experience of documenting the Dallas Kips Bay Showhouse. To see the FULL interview please click here.

Earlier this summer I was chosen to shoot the Perennials’ Fall 2020 collection, a client whom I’ve worked with over the past 10 years or so in a variety of tricky shooting situations. But this time was a little different. Being in the early days of our Covid crisis in Texas, we were all a bit hesitant to get this shoot off the ground. How would we do it?? Where would we do it? How many people would be involved? I pulled in my favorite Producer, Wilhelmina Adams to handle the logistics of this shoot. I needed to find a group of troopers who would basically do double, or triple duty for a couple of days, moving furniture, rolling and unrolling rugs, jumping from one side of the house to the other, and keeping a sense of humor about it all even though we were all a little stressed. We opted to use a model, but to minimize crew we chose to not see her face so she could stay masked and we wouldn’t have to worry about hair and makeup on set. Of course it was 105 degrees and we were inside and outside for several hours. I have to give a huge thank you to my crew, Austin, Eric, and Willy, plus the Sutherland and Perennials team for making this shoot so smooth and flawless. I think the moral of this story is that we were all on the same page, wanting to create a great product for our client to run with, under a tricky situation, and we all pulled on our strong experience to knock it out.

Our creative friends over at Perennials put together a great blog story about how we overcame this challenging shoot that turned into a beautiful and engaging campaign called C’est La Vie. We love the Parisian sophistication influence about this campaign and product and think our new Paris art series would compliment any interior with these soft yet impactful fabrics.

Obligatory crew shot. This was the only time we got this close as a group, and always staying masked.

Perennials’ Fall 2020  C’est La Vie campaign. See their story and more imagery and info here.

Any marketing strategist or business coach will tell you that during economic uncertainty the last thing you should do is stop or slow down your marketing. In fact, if your brand disappears from the landscape, people may assume you’re actually out of business. The smart business move is to continue to post on social media, use email marketing, and showcase your new work on your website and branded materials.

Editorial press samples from imagery that Stephen shot recently. We have seen these passed around all over social media and pinterest.

Jan Showers in Veranda

Melissa Morgan - M Interiors in 1st Dibs

Denise McGaha in Flower Magazine

And what is the one thing that is most critical to that marketing? Your photography. You need detail shots and behind-the-scenes photos for social media. You need updated personal photos to show you’re not only still in business, but you’re thriving. And you need to have every room of every project professionally shot. These images showcase the best of what you can do – and they are critical decision makers for your potential clients. 

Below are behind the scenes blog post that were iphone captures from our client Lucas Eilers. All and more was used in their social media throughout the year. Their new book, Expressive Interiors, published by Rizzoli, was a huge project all of 2019 and it launches in September. Stephen traveled all over the country with Sandy and Sarah which helped give their book a cohesive look in imagery .

Lucas Eilers behind the scenes photo shoot

Shoot Day! Sandra Drews Lucas and Sarah Brooks Eilers

Expressive Interiors by Lucas Eilers

Below shows how Perennials teamed up with Stephen to create marketing content for their new rug line when everything had been cancelled due to the shutdown. From one shoot they created a new catalog, inspiration boards, social media content and ads.

Perennials new rug line by Allison Paladino

Perennials by Allison Paladino

Veranda ad

We can help you not only photography your projects, but we also specialize in showcasing the best of your brand. Plan your shoot, think ahead just like you are planning your marketing. We help style each shot to so your work attracts even more attention from your marketing efforts. It’s beyond photos – it’s image marketing at its best.

Want to learn more? Click here to get in touch.