How to Photograph Kitchens
In the realm of real estate and interior design photography, knowing how to photograph kitchens is pivotal. The kitchen is the most social room in the house, and also one of the most challenging to shoot, along with bathrooms. Whether you’re grappling with the intricacies of photographing kitchens or are on a quest to refine your existing kitchen photography techniques, this guide provides insight photography in kitchen. When photographing kitchens, it’s important to keep in mind that the ‘kitchen triangle,’ comprising the sink, stove, and refrigerator is the area that has the most activity within the kitchen and therefore needs to be highlighted in the images to show the ease of access and the layout of this space. Other characteristics buyers and tenants look for are countertop material and space, storage and lighting, whether artificial or natural.
The kitchen is the most social room in the house
Shooting Kitchens: Setup and Positioning
Kitchen shots should include a photograph ‘inside’ the kitchen showing the oven, stove, sink, and large appliances in more detail. It is best composed looking down between the two countertops; however this depends on the design of the kitchen. Another shot is typically required to show the entire kitchen – taken from the front side of the kitchen bench either front-on or at a diagonal angle to show the whole kitchen layout.
When photographing kitchens, extend the middle pole on your tripod so that the camera is at least 20-30cm higher than the kitchen bench. This allows the camera to clear the kitchen bench and show more of the sink and stovetop while still showing the details of the stove, dishwasher, etc.
In addition to completing the required set of bracketed exposures with the flash bouncing off the ceiling, you may also need to perform an additional set of exposures without the flash as some kitchens may have stainless steel appliances and other reflective surfaces. Continue reading for some tips on how to photograph kitchens, or check out this case study of a kitchen photo-shoot.
How to Photograph Kitchens: Challenges and Tips
- When preparing the kitchen shot, ensure that the tap and spout are turned in a position where they are visible to the camera.
- Place any detergents, sponges, etc. into the sink where they won’t be visible.
- Remember to ask the owner or tenant if you may move their belongings before doing so.
- It is best to remove fridge magnets and other excessive clutter in post-production, as this can be too time-consuming to do onsite.
- Remove the tea towels from the oven handle and cupboard handles.
- Remove floor mats, excessive appliances, and dish racks.
Study the following examples to gain an understanding of the recommended compositions and settings when photographing kitchens.
Notes
- The tripod’s center column was elevated to 1.4m to raise the camera over the top of the kitchen benchtop to clearly show the ‘kitchen triangle’ which is the connection between the kitchen sink, fridge, and stove.
- As there are no windows in the image, the subject had a narrow dynamic range, and therefore only five bracketed exposures were captured, starting with an optimal exposure of 1/8 second.
- The barstools are virtual furniture and were added in postproduction through the online platform propertyrender.com
Notes
- This is the same kitchen as kitchen example 1; however the camera has been positioned between the two benchtops to highlight the kitchen workspace and provide a closer shot of the electric stove, sink, and drawers.
- The tripod’s center column was elevated to 1.3m.
- The composition also highlights easy access to the outdoor entertaining area from the kitchen.
- Nine bracketed exposures were captured to cover the dynamic range between the interior of the room (specifically the living area in the far right-hand corner and the views from the entertaining outdoor deck).
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