Getting Started in Property Photography

Ok, you are probably chomping at the bit for getting started in property photography. Let’s assume that you have all of the equipment required. I would strongly advise against taking any paid work at this point or even pitching yourself for work. You have no portfolio and you have no experience of setting things up yet.

Turning up to an interview or meeting to discuss paid interior, property photography work with no portfolio is like going for a job interview with no C.V. The client will think that you are not serious, experienced or ready to do the job.

Also, what if you were to go straight into a job, lugging all your gear and jumping in feet first? The chances are you will be left scratching your head at some point. There will be situations that you come across where you are not sure what to do or how to overcome certain problems.

What you need to do is get some practice! 

Where do you live?

Wherever you are, the chances are that you have a living room, a bathroom, a kitchen etc. What about your parent’s house, or a friend's house large or small. It doesn’t matter where you practice what you learn in this book. Just as long as the owners are happy for you to take a couple of hours or so photographing their house.

The best thing to do is offer a portfolio of the images once you have finished. Most people would jump at the chance of this kind of freebie!

Let’s break it down step by step as though we were going to a job right now. I will explain each step in the correct order for when I photograph a property.

I have also included images within the text, plus a batch of images with full description at the end, of each section of the -house.