Remodeling and the Importance of Photography and Staging

How Do You Shoot An Ongoing Project?

If Arete is starting on a big remodel project, we’ll start with taking before photos. Then we stop by while the remodel is in progress and take in-progress photos. We’re in constant contact with the project coordinator for projects so we’re all on the same page. Once it’s time for final photos of the remodel, the project coordinator lets us know, we reach out to the client, and then schedule a time for final photos.

At The Beginning Of A Remodel, What Is The Focus Of A Photoshoot?

The focus is to capture the whole room being remodeled. In the beginning, we like to take plain and not quite detailed pictures of the whole area. This allows someone to see what the area looked like beforehand.

In-progress photos include our subcontractors doing actual remodeling work – like knocking something down or installing something. For final photos, we try to re-create the same angles that were originally shot, as well as capture specific details of faucets and handles that were installed for the client.

How Important Is It To Have Before And After Pictures Of A Remodel?

It’s extremely important because it not only shows what Arete’ can do, but it’s also a good way to showcase the products we offer. We like to take photos of specific details of products used. For example, if Arete uses a Brizo faucet, we can tag them on social media, and we can cross-market with them. It also lets prospective clients know we offer Brizo, as well as many other brands.

Photos help show our products in a functional space that’s lived in, versus on our showroom wall, alongside other faucets. We want our clients to be able to view the product in an actual setting and imagine what it could be like in their space.

Is It Important To Have A Digital Camera, Or Is A Cell Phone Ok To Take Pictures?

We frequently use a cell phone for remodeling photos. For example, if the space we’re photographing is too small and the camera’s lens can’t capture it all, we’ll use an iPhone 11 Pro with the wide angle. It helps capture the entire space that a traditional camera can’t. Phones are also a great way to capture the quality and sizes used in most common social media posts.

How Many Photos Of A Remodel Project Should You Take?

Definitely overshoot. On average, Arete will only use about 12 photos for a project. But to get those 12 photos, we’ll shoot between 60 to 100 photos of the remodel. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so take as many photos as you can. You may not know you captured an interesting angle until you see the photos later on.

How Important Is Staging When It Comes To Showcasing A Remodeling Project?

Staging is very important because you want to make the final remodeled space look livable. We want people to see the possibilities of the space. If we’ve completed a kitchen remodel and the final result is a modern kitchen, we want to stage the kitchen with modern appliances, a coffeemaker, rugs, and hand towels. We’re also going to be consistent with an overall theme and color scheme.

When a client’s space is not already staged with their own belongings, we use BoxBrownie to edit our photos and transform them. They use virtual staging by taking our original remodel photos and adding furniture or other items.

Staging helps give the area a lived-in feel and you can imagine living in the space. This is when photography and staging come together. When you’re taking photos, you must think about how staging will enhance the space you’re shooting. Sometimes a client has their own items that look nice, and we’ll use those items for staging purposes. Other times, we may leave the space empty and not stage it.

How Often Do You Add New Remolding Projects To Your Website?

After projects are finished, we discuss them and consider which ones we’ll add to our website. We actually have three projects we recently completed, and we will be putting them all on our website. We keep our content fresh by adding it to the top of our Project tab and removing our oldest project at the bottom.

What Projects Are You Currently Photographing?

We are currently editing photos of a client we previously worked with when we remodeled their bathrooms. We recently remodeled their kitchen, however – there is a vent that is not pretty and we’re Photoshopping the vent out of the photo, which is a more difficult edit. Other difficult edits are removing reflections from hardwood floors and unnecessary wires. Other projects need simple edits like fixing colors with exposure and contrast. We like having bright photos, but also want them to have distinguished lights and darks without losing certain details.

Discuss Your Project With Our Chicago Home Remodelers

Arete’ Renovators has been a licensed General Contractor in the Chicago area since 2001 and has worked on numerous projects large and small throughout Chicagoland. Call us at 773-610-4551 to discuss your project.