Caught on camera: Helping interiors look their best

“If I’m capturing something for an architect, it’s about telling the story of the architecture and styling is a device for that,” says Adam.

So what’s his advice when it comes to styling and shooting interiors so they look their best in 2D format?

Before shoot day, if practically possible, Adam will visit the project to figure out the scale, its floorplan, study the natural quality of light and how it interacts with spaces and materials, and discuss with the architect and designer about the narrative for the project.

“We then also go through the logistics for shoot day,” he says. “Some clients are happy to use what’s available in terms of furniture and styling, and I’m happy to work with that if it’s cohesive to the storytelling.”

However, Adam sometimes finds that the owner has a different taste to the architect.

“It could be a very loud red couch that ends up competing with the architecture itself.”

Depending on the budget, this might be where a stylist collaborates to introduce furnishings that complement the space.

Sometimes though, it works best to completely strip the space down.

“I think there is a tendency to over-clutter things, or over-style things, which sometimes can overwhelm the composition, making it hard to digest the image,” says Adam, explaining that if he’s shooting the architectural design, the space itself takes precedence. On the other hand, if the objective is to highlight the interior styling, Adam will pare the space back and reintroduce items slowly to see how each works together when viewed through the lens.

“Instead of a couch with six cushions, maybe three cushions is enough to tell the story.”

The nature of photos – thanks to technology – means they will be around for lifetimes to come. The work may seem to only serve a practical purpose today, but Adam believes that it unavoidably becomes cultural documentation of the current time. For this reason, he feels it’s important to remove any “glaringly obvious items that add the essence of time” such as
personal items or technology if they're not part of the main story. 

"I usually suggest these be removed because they can quickly date a photo, shifting the focus on the time the photograph was taken rather than the enduring design of the project. I want to keep it relevant because the project will naturally age, and the photograph captures a fraction of time in that process.”

By combining this process with his knowledge and experience in architectural photography, Adam is able to capture images of buildings and interior projects that tell a story and demonstrate their fusion of form and function.

To learn more about Adam Amin, explore his work on ArchiPro.

Words by Cassie Birrer