Capture lush interiors

Mike Harris visits a charming cottage, and uses a single zoom lens and diffused sunlight to photograph each room

Master the art of interior photography

If you aspire to become a pro photographer, want to expand your existing business, or simply learn a new technique, interior photography is an extremely useful genre to master and it doesn’t require much kit.

The first step is to find an inviting, clutter-free subject. If your own abode isn’t suitable, consider offering to photograph a friend’s house or, if your portfolio is up to scratch, try approaching a holiday home and offer them the shots you take in return. We photographed the stunning Burghope Cottage in Wiltshire (www.burghopecottage.co.uk) and captured every image with a Nikon D800, AF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5g ED and a Manfrotto Element MII tripod.

Only natural light was used. That means no ambient indoor lighting and no specialist photography lighting. Good indoor photos are evenly lit to prevent harsh shadows and the easiest way to achieve even lighting is to use natural light.

Interior photos are made in the editing room. We bracketed each composition, so we had the option to boost the dynamic range by merging a HDR. Interior shots tend to be bright and inviting, so don’t be afraid to boost the shadows and whites.

Lightroom’s HSL panel and Temperature and Tint sliders are useful if you need to remove colour casts and achieve more neutral lighting. Here are four tips to help you capture bright and inviting interior photos.