Furniture photography is a niche that many people know little about, but it can be a very creative process. The emphasis of this blog post will be on the more creative side of furniture photography. We’ll discuss the various techniques and ideas to try to create unique product photos for your business!
Table of Contents
1. What is Furniture Photography
Furniture photography is a process of taking photographs of a piece of furniture to make it look more attractive. It is also known as interior design photography. The images can be used to promote furniture products and are shown in catalogs, magazines, and brochures.
List of Furniture Types
There are different types of furniture, and each type has its own characteristics and features.
The most common types of furniture are:
- Tables
- Chairs
- Beds
- Wardrobes
- Dressers
- Desks
- Bookcases
- Clock
- Mirror
Sometimes, we can categorize the furniture in different types based on its usage. For example:
1. Office Furniture – The office furniture includes the computer desk, the chair, and the computer monitor.
2. Home Furniture – Home furniture is used in the house and in the garden. The home furniture includes the sofa, the dining table, the bed, the television, the lamp, and the garden furniture.
3. Garden Furniture – Garden furniture is used for leisure and relaxation. The garden furniture includes the deck chairs, the lawn chairs, the table, the hammock, and the swing.
4. Kitchen Furniture – Kitchen furniture includes the refrigerator, the stove, the oven, the microwave, the dishwasher, the knife, and the fork.
5. Bedroom Furniture – The bedroom furniture includes the wardrobe, the dresser, the bed, the mirror, the nightstand, and the lamp.
The most common materials used in furniture are:
– Wood
– Metal
– Plastic
Wooden furniture is the most common type of furniture. It comes in a variety of different types, such as solid wood, veneer, laminated wood, and particle board. Solid wood is the strongest and most durable of all the materials. As early, the ancient Egyptians used wooden items and things for different purposes. Wood is one of the most popular materials in the world and it is always available, strong, and durable.
Metal furniture is another common material that is used in the manufacture of furniture. Metal furniture is typically made out of aluminum, steel, and iron. Aluminum is one of the strongest metals, and can be used to create furniture that is lightweight, and durable.
Plastic furniture is also a popular choice. It’s lightweight, and can be produced in many different colors. Plastic furniture is used in a variety of applications, including dining room tables, bedroom dressers, and outdoor patio furniture. However, it can crack easier than other materials.
2. Basic Equipment
Here are some basic pieces of equipment that could help you in your furniture photography work:
● Tripod-Obligatory for any sort of camera work includes using video too (no need to buy an expensive one)
● Digital SLR Camera -For DSLR, I would recommend Canon Rebel T-i or EOS 1100D, Nikon D3300. But any good quality camera will work
● Remote trigger -you can either use a standard model that costs around $20 or you could go for an expensive wireless one if your budget allows
3. Techniques to Make Your Furniture Look Its Best
One of the best ways to make your furniture look its best is to use a light background and dark accent pillows. You can also try to use white sheets or white bedding pulled up under the sofa cushions for a beautiful backdrop.
Another great way to demonstrate your favorite piece of furniture is by placing it in front of an interesting landscape with natural props, such as bark, leaves, logs, vines, tree stumps, or flowers that are blooming in their natural state. You can also create the same effect by taking photos at different times of the day.
You can also try using a grid to highlight key pieces for certain rooms in your home. To do this you will need two frames with one being black and the other white or any color you would like. The way it works is by placing the black frame on one side of your furniture while leaving space in between for accent colors to pop out at the viewer. Then place a mirror with the same dimensions as the frames directly across from them and take photos using natural lighting. This will create an interesting effect that can be used time and again!
4. Tips For Taking Great Pictures Of Your Rooms And Decorations
Decorating the house is really fun, but shooting the photos can be SUPER stressful. You want to get it right, but sometimes it’s just not possible. I’ve learned a few tricks to help you take great pics of your rooms and decorations- here are four of my favorite tips:
1) Be serious about what you’re photographing. This should be the most important thing in your picture, so stand or sit long enough to make sure everyone understands what your photo’s about (this makes sure you don’t waste time on pictures that aren’t any good).
2) Consider which perspective will work better for your photos. If you’re taking pictures of one object, try standing above or below it; if you’re taking pictures of a group, try to step back so you can see everyone.
– Don’t have too many things in the picture. There should be no distractions for your viewers and everything must contribute to what you’re trying to say – otherwise, it’s just visual noise!
– Get as close as possible without cutting off any important details that would confuse or distract from the main subject/theme. You want people who are looking at this photo to know exactly what they’re seeing (and why). If there is more than one object within a frame, make sure each has its own point of interest and doesn’t cause confusion between two objects with similar shapes or colors. This will only serve as clutter and away from your overall goal: to tell a story.
– Be sure to clear everything out of the background, even if it’s something you love!
You don’t want anything in your photo that will take away from what you’re trying to say – each object should have its own place and purpose without any distractions. This is especially important when taking pictures outdoors as items within the landscape can be very distracting for viewers (unless they are posed specifically). Don’t forget this rule applies indoors too: make those curtains or furniture pieces disappear by removing them with editing tools like Photoshop or Lightroom. Just remember not to remove things that really matter as part of the scene/story unless absolutely necessary! In cases where there isn’t much choice left but to include an element that you don’t want in the photo, place items at angles that aren’t distracting or pay attention to how you position your body with respect to the background.
– Make sure nothing is reflected on any objects!
If there are windows or light sources around it can be very easy for reflections of things like lights and faces to appear within an object’s surface (like glass). If this happens, most cameras have a ‘red eye reduction’ mode which will help reduce these distractions – try using it when taking pictures indoors. You can also edit out unwanted details afterward with software like Photoshop or Lightroom but make sure not to lose important parts of your story while doing so. Another option would be moving away from direct light sources until they’re no longer causing problems.
– Don’t be afraid to experiment with angles!
The most interesting shots are the ones that don’t occur naturally, so take some time to play around and see what you can come up with. It could also help to have someone stand in the scene while you practice moving around them – just make sure they’re okay with it first 😉 This will allow you to try different perspectives without having much setup work involved, allowing for faster editing down the road when trying to find a shot within all of your pictures. Have fun playing around until something catches your eye – then, start experimenting even more by changing little things like height (standing on boxes/chairs), distance (moving closer or further away), or focal length (zoom in or out).
– Use your camera’s grid mode.
This will help you frame the scene by helping to keep everything straight and organized, ensuring that there are no crooked lines within a photo (which can be distracting for viewers). It is also important when taking pictures of objects from above as it ensures they all have equal height – making sure nothing looks smaller/larger than others. This trick works best if you’re shooting with a wide-angle lens at close range but any focal length could benefit from this setting! Just make sure not to forget about it afterward: crop your images before going on to edit them so all sides look equally proportional 😉 Another helpful tip would be using an app called perspective control’ which helps you correct any distortions caused by a lens’ field of view.
– Use your camera’s ‘macro mode’.
This is the setting that allows you to focus on objects very close up, allowing for detailed shots of almost anything! This mode also comes in handy during nighttime when lights are the only sources available – it will help you capture light trails without having to do much post-production work 😉 Just remember not to shoot right into bright lights (like street lamps) as they might cause over exposure or leave ugly-looking spots within images. You can always use software like Photoshop or Lightroom afterward if necessary but try to avoid these issues at all costs! Another helpful tip would be finding something small and interesting near windows/doors after dark – you can then experiment with different settings to see how they affect the size/brightness of any light trails which appear within your images.
– Don’t be afraid to use a tripod!
Some photographers swear by them but even if you’re more comfortable without one, there are many situations where it would come in very useful: low light settings (like nighttime) or when wanting to shoot from a stationary position for an extended period. This is not only helpful for keeping things still and avoiding camera shake issues that may appear while holding/moving around your camera for too long; it’s also necessary when experimenting with slower shutter speeds as these might cause any movement made by hands/people to become visible within images. Make sure to keep your tripod stable while using it though, as even the slightest bump might cause unnecessary blur in images!
5. Creating A Story With The Images You Take
A great way to create a story with your images is to use text or typography. You could overlay the photos on top of one another, type out a sentence for each photo, combine photos with some explanations, or use title text on top of the images to tell the story.
This is a great way to create a story around your images and it can be done in post-production as well, so you don’t have to worry about making the lighting perfect when shooting!
– You could also use title text on top of the images to tell a story.
– Try inserting one photo, explaining it, and then moving onto another image or set of images with some titles or explanations for each one.
– Combine photos with some explanations! Just make sure you don’t have too many words because they will take up space in your frame which is something we want to avoid as much as possible when photographing furniture! Or instead, try typing out a sentence for each photo that makes sense together: “This piece would be great at the end of a hallway”, “A beautiful mirror perfect above a fireplace”.
Furniture Photography Props
Furniture photography props are a great way to spruce up your furniture photos. They can help you create a mood, tell a story and make your furniture look more interesting than it is.
Props for Funiture Photography
Here are some of the most popular types of props used in furniture photography:
People: People are one of the most common props in furniture photography. You can use people with all kinds of different body types and clothing, so they don’t all have to be thin, young and white. The best way to recruit models is through social media or by creating a model board on Pinterest.
Food: Food is another great prop for furniture photography because it adds interest and conveys a message about what kind of lifestyle someone lives. You can use actual food or even just fake food if you’re worried about hygiene issues!
Plants: Plants add life to any room and provide an opportunity for creative expressions — from naturalistic arrangements to more abstract forms that reflect your personal taste and style.
A bed or sofa with a duvet or comforter on it. You can place other items on top of the bedding, such as books or magazines, to create an inviting atmosphere.
Handbags, purses and briefcases placed on tables or counters next to chairs or couches. This can help show how large these items are relative to other furniture pieces in the room and give buyers an idea of what kinds of outfits would look good with them.
Flowers, fruits and vegetables: These things are very common so you can easily find them everywhere. But, if you want to make your picture more attractive then you should try to use these things as much as possible in your pictures.
Furniture Photography Backdrop
The use of a backdrop is one of the oldest and most effective methods of adding depth to your product photography. A backdrop can help you create an interesting setting for your products, which will make them stand out from other images.
The best colors for these backdrops are black, white and gray because they offer high contrast against almost any product. You can also use colored fabrics like reds or blues if you want to add some color into your photos without making them look too busy or distracting from the main focus of your image (the furniture).
The most popular type of backdrop is a seamless paper backdrop. This type of backdrop comes in many different colors, patterns and sizes and it’s easy to hang up on a wall or lay on the floor for shooting purposes.
The downside to this type of backdrop is that it doesn’t block out light very well so you’ll need to use some sort of lighting equipment when shooting with one. This can be expensive but there are some affordable options out there as well if you don’t want to spend too much money on lights at first.
Another option is an acrylic backdrop which looks like glass but isn’t actually made from glass at all. Acrylic backdrops are very durable and they don’t scratch easily so they can be used over and over again without any problems at all!
Natural backdrops – these can include grass, trees, flowers, waterfalls or anything else that looks interesting. Or you can use the room and other related stuff as the background. The room will be a perfect option because it adds the natural feeling to your furniture photos and clients can feel and know how the products look in the real life.
White seamless backdrops – these are great if you don’t want any distractions in the background of your photo. They’re also useful if you need to take multiple shots with different angles or poses without moving around too much.
Patterned backdrops – these can include stripes, polka dots and other geometric designs. They can be used to add interest to your photo without being too distracting from the product itself.
Which camera is best for product photography?
There are many different kinds of cameras available on the market today, but one thing they all have in common is that they’re used to take photos. The type of camera you choose will depend on your specific needs and preferences, as well as your budget.
A DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera is a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR), which means that it has a mirror that reflects light from the lens up into an optical viewfinder. The photographer sees through this mirror and can see exactly what the lens sees. These cameras are usually more expensive than other types because they have interchangeable lenses and other features like manual control over shutter speed and aperture settings. They also tend to be larger than point-and-shoot (P&S) cameras because they contain more components inside their bodies.
A P&S (Point-and-shoot) camera uses a fixed lens with no zoom capabilities and a fixed focal length (usually around 28mm). They have automatic settings such as aperture priority or shutter priority so that photographers don’t need any knowledge about photography to take pictures with them. They are generally much cheaper than DSLRs, but their quality does vary widely from model to model.
A mirrorless camera is a compact digital camera that doesn’t include an optical viewfinder. Instead, the camera displays what it captures on its LCD screen. Mirrorless cameras are smaller and lighter than traditional DSLRs, but their lenses tend to be more expensive. When shopping for a new mirrorless camera, you need to consider a few things before making your purchase. First, does the camera have a touchscreen? If so, is it easy to use? Does it have a viewfinder? These are important considerations if you want to take pictures with a mirrorless camera.
In general, we recommend that you should go with a DSLR camera. It is still a good and viable choice for professional photographers. Moreover, if you use your DSLR camera often, you will be familiar with the way you use it. So, it it better for you to use your favorite camera.
Tips for Shooting Furniture Photography
Photographing furniture can be a fun activity but it is also challenging because most of the furniture are made of wood, fabric or leather. If your subject is solid like wooden cabinets, bookshelves, chairs, tables, etc., you will have to find the perfect angle, focal point, and background. But sometimes, photographing furniture can be quite simple, like photographing an ottoman, coffee table or other piece of household furniture.
Step 1:Choose Your Subject
The first step in photographing furniture is to select your subject. The best thing to do is to ask your clients and search for some inspiration on the Internet. You should be looking for items that are simple and easily photographed, like the sofa in the image below. You will also need to consider the lighting as well as the perspective that you want to use. You can use multiple lighting techniques. It all depends on what you want to achieve with your images.
Step 2: Lighting and Camera Settings
There are several lighting techniques that you can choose from. One of the most popular is to use window light. You can either use an artificial light such as a flash or an ambient light (sunlight).
When working with a window light, you need to adjust the light intensity and position. For example, if you want to photograph a sofa, the light should be placed on the side opposite to the direction of the sofa. This is called a sidelight. You can also use a reflector to bounce light onto your subject.
Another option is to use a light that is attached to a tripod. This is called a studio lighting. We usually recommend using a speedlight or strobe, because they produce a bright light that has a nice, smooth light. You can also use a flash, but it might not be suitable for every project.
When shooting with an ambient light, you need to be careful that there is no light pollution. Most digital cameras have an option that lets you manually control the ISO, or sensitivity. You can also adjust the aperture, or opening of the lens. Depending on the size of the aperture, the depth of field is affected.
With a large aperture, the depth of field is large, and everything that is in front of your subject is blurred. With a smaller aperture, the depth of field is small, and everything that is behind your subject is in focus.
Step 3:Camera Settings
There are some specific settings that you will need to use when shooting a subject. For example, you need to set the exposure and shutter speed.
Exposure refers to how light or dark the photo appears. A good rule of thumb is to adjust the ISO or sensitivity of the camera, and set the shutter speed to around 1/60th of a second.
Shutter speed is the amount of time that the shutter stays open. If you are not sure how to set the shutter speed, then check the manual or ask your camera dealer.
Step 4:Taking the Picture
Once you have adjusted your settings, you need to focus. The best way to do this is to manually focus. You should set the lens to manual focus and focus the camera on the area that you want to capture.
If the subject moves, then use a tripod or mount your camera on a sturdy object that will not move. It is important that your camera is stable, so you should test the equipment before you start taking pictures.
Before shooting furniture, I suggest you check the following points:
1. Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important part of photography. If you don’t have enough lighting, your image will be too dark, and if you use too much light, it will look messy and overcast.
The lighting is a major consideration when photographing your products. If you want to achieve the most favorable lighting effect, you should use a combination of natural light and artificial light.
2. Framing
The purpose of framing is to show the details of your furniture. The perfect way to frame is a diagonal line from top left to bottom right. This will allow you to highlight the detail of the product.
When you are framing a product photograph, you should make sure that the center of interest is the focal point. This will help to draw the viewer’s eye to the important part of the photo. It will also make the photo easier to reproduce, as you won’t need to crop off a part of the image to make the print.
The easiest way to make your images more attractive is to move the light away from the edge of the product. For example, if the light is coming from behind the object, the edges will be dark. By moving the light to the side, the light will fall onto the surface of the product. It will create a brighter, more attractive shot.
3. Composition
Composition is the most important element in photography. When you have enough light and space, you will have a more attractive composition.
4. Exposure
Exposure means the amount of light entering the camera, and is measured in terms of f-stops (focal length x aperture).
The exposure is very important when shooting furniture, especially when you take pictures of interior or outdoor furniture. It is best to shoot at f/8 or smaller. If you have bright lights, you should choose a shutter speed of 1/200 second or slower.
If the product has a dark shadow, a shorter shutter speed is needed.
5.Focus
When photographing furniture, it is necessary to use the best focus.
When photographing furniture, you should choose the best focus first, and then adjust the camera settings afterwards.
6.Setting
For indoor furniture, you need to make sure the room is clean and well lit. For outdoor furniture, you must use natural light.
7. Post Processing
Post processing is used to enhance the final result of a picture. It includes adjusting brightness, contrast, colors, and sharpness.
Other tips
Product photography involves photographing the products themselves. The focus of your photos is on the product, not the background. If you plan to sell the products online, you will probably need to have the products photographed in front of a white background. You will probably want to shoot in natural light, as artificial lighting can create harsh shadows and darken the subject.
If you plan to use your photographs as stock images, you may prefer to shoot in studio or against a black background. You may have to pay more to use a studio than if you were shooting in natural light. You can also use Photoshop to adjust the contrast and brightness of the image. You can even use a computer program to enhance the color of the product and make it appear more lifelike.
E-commerce Store Photography
e-commerce store photography focuses on the look and design of the site itself. The focus is usually on the products and other details that are displayed on the page. You will probably be more interested in the look of the products than you would be in product photography, because you will be selling them online.
If you are planning to make the site look less professional and more casual, you will probably want to use an inexpensive camera. There is nothing wrong with buying something cheap, as long as you get what you pay for. If you choose to invest more, you can always shoot a variety of subjects, such as the store and the products. This way, you can produce more variety and offer your customers something different.
Capturing Details
The details of a product photograph are the small things that make the picture come to life. You can often make a good photo of the product if you capture these details. For example, a close-up of the detail in the center of the product will help the photo catch the viewer’s eye.
Some things that will help you make your product photographs more appealing are high quality lenses, a tripod and a remote control. You will also need to take the time to focus on the product. Make sure you have a clean background. You may also need to add a filter, such as a graduated filter.
Shading
Shading is used to reduce the reflection in a photo, so it appears as if there is no reflection. You can use a white piece of paper or a large plastic sheet to make the photo look more realistic. You can also use a dark piece of cloth to make the image look even more realistic.
Filters
Filters will give your photos more depth and realism. When you are taking a product photograph, you can add a filter to make the colors more vivid.
Background
The background will affect the overall look of your photos. A dark background will make your photo look gloomy and will make it harder to judge the color of your products.
A light background will create a brighter feeling. It is important to make sure that you do not use a bright background, because this will make your photo appear washed out and dull. A neutral background will give you a more natural looking photo.
You can set up a plain background or backdrop to make the furniture photoshoot look great. Background is one of the most important thing in furniture photography. And it will also affect the way your photos look.
Color
Choosing the right colors will make your photo look more realistic. It will help your products to stand out from the background and will make it easier for the viewer to identify the products.
Brightness and Contrast
You can use your software to enhance the brightness and contrast of your photos. This will give the product more definition and make the background less noticeable.
Prepare the Furniture in advance
Make sure that you have prepared the furniture you want to take photographs. You should make it great as you can. You should clean it or remove any dirties on the surface of the furniture. You can use a multi-purpose cleaner to make it look best before starting your photoshoot. In reality, your customers always expect the products in photos which also loook great too.
You should also style your furniture too. Here is an example when you want to photograph a room. But in reality, you may need to style an item only, not a room. And the ways you do also a bit different.
For example, when preparing a room, you should determine whether you want to go with a neutral or a colorful palette. Neutral items will look great in most rooms of your home, but if you have a room with a lot of color, you can use bold colors to make the room pop. If you want to create a more personal touch, you can add accessories that represent your style.
Once you have determined your color palette, the next step is to select an accent color. This is the color that will be the main focus of the room. You can select a color that works well with the rest of your decor, or a color that coordinates with a particular item in the room.
Finally, add some accessories. Accessories can be anything from pillows to rugs. They can be functional, such as adding additional storage, or decorative, such as adding a vase of flowers.
Location
Another thing to remember is that the area surrounding the furniture should be clean and presentable.You should also choose the place which has enough lighting for you because lighting is one of the most important thing in photography. If you can, always choose natural lighting.
Use Fill Light as another option
You can use fill light to illuminate the subject. To use fill light, set the light to a soft light and position it behind the subject. This will create a wash of light that will soften the shadows and make the subject look more natural.
Choose the Best Angle to Photograph
Choose the most suitable angle where you can photograph the details of funiture or make it more attractive than usual.
Choose the Right Lens for your furniture photography
There are a variety of lens for you to take photographs. You can choose a prime lens which is the most suitable here. When you’re photographing furniture, you need to know how far away from the furniture you should be standing to get a good shot. This distance is called the “focal length.” To figure out the focal length of your camera, take a picture of a piece of paper and measure the width of the image. Or you can choose an item to photograph.
A Tripod can be a good choice for furniture photography
A tripod is a great tool for furniture photography because it stabilizes the camera and allows you to take long exposures without camera movement. When taking furniture photography, you need to have the balance between your camera, angle, and the subjects. You don’t want your funirture appear unorganized and shaking in the photos.
Use Props the Right Way
If you’re using props in your photos, make sure they’re used to support the story you’re trying to tell, and not to take center stage. For example, some books may be a good choice for your furniture photography and when you take photographs of tables.
Use the Correct White Balance for Furniture Photography
For furniture photography, you will want to use a warm white balance.
Remove the Background of the Photo if it is needed
Sometimes it is better to remove the background of your furniture photography. You should use a plain background rather than a mixed or complicated background.
Choose a proper space to photograph
If you plan to shoot great furniture photography, you should choose a suitable space to photograph furniture can be tricky. You shoudl find a space as large as it can be. Because you will need more extra space for lighting, props, and there is a small space for every photo between items.
Take multiple shots
Take multiple photos and you can choose the best one after selecting it.
Photograph furniture with a small aperture
If you want to photograph furniture with a small aperture, you can use a narrow depth of field to isolate the object from the background. You can also use a low ISO to reduce noise in your photograph.
Post Processing is so important
Post-processing is the final step in photography. It’s the editing stage, where you can fine-tune your images to create the best-looking and most professional-looking photos. Once your images are clean, you can begin softening the highlights created by strobe lights.
Furniture Photography Ideas
In this part, I’m going to show you some furniture photography ideas that will help you stand out from the crowd and become a better furniture photographer. You can use these ideas to create a whole range of different images, from photos of your own furniture to photos of your clients.
You can use some plain backgrounds like the above examples to shoot an item or several items only. The backgrounds will make the subject more appealing and attractive.
You can include the whole room in some photos. Viewers can also vizualize how the items can be used in real life.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has given you ideas and techniques to get your creative juices flowing. We have also shared some examples of furniture photography that showcase the different ways people are thinking outside the box when it comes to capturing their favorite pieces. There is no right or wrong way to take a photo, so be sure to experiment with all these tips and use what works for you!