Design: Neighbor Interiors | Photography: Sarah Linden

Welcome back to another edition of Dakota Design Company’s Guest Expert Interview series on the blog. We’re thrilled to share expertise from female business owners and leaders in the interior design industry—from interior photographers and financial advisors to branding and PR experts.

Each of our expert guests was selected because they can share their unique insights and perspectives on various topics that will help any interior design business owner take their trade and business to the next level. These experts are Dakota Design Company insiders, and many of them have worked directly with us and our clients in the past. We hope you enjoy this series and that it brings you new insights, tips, and tricks to add to your interior design toolbox!

Interior photographers know what works (and what doesn’t) to improve their chances of getting magazine-worthy shots for an interior design photo shoot. We asked photographer Sarah Linden to share three things photographers wish designers knew that would make images of their work even more spectacular.

Sarah is a professional interior design photographer in Dallas who loves helping designers create elevated portfolios that get their work published and attract ideal clients.

Her work has been featured in various print and digital publications, including Veranda, Architectural Digest, Town & Country, Martha Stewart Living, and The Spruce.

Sarah creates editorial imagery that helps interior designers build stunning portfolios. She believes her client relationships are just as important as the imagery she creates. Sarah envisions her business to operate much like a local coffee shop around the corner—the one where the barista greets you by name and has your drink memorized. The Sarah Linden Photography experience is reliable, comfortable, and personable.

Design: Ellie Aiello Interiors | Photography: *Sarah Linden*

Here’s Sarah’s advice on working with a photographer and making your interior photography shine.

Tip 01 | Hiring a professional stylist is 100% worth the investment (and it’s not just for successful designers)

Hiring a professional stylist for your interior design project photoshoot is often seen as a “next-level” move, but even green designers should budget for a stylist.

For starters, there’s a massive convenience factor since you’re taking the task of prepping and styling off your plate, which makes photo session days so much easier! Additionally, your images will instantly be elevated. Professional interior stylists know what looks good through the camera lens, they know how to tell a story that could otherwise be lacking, and they know what editors want.

If your goal is to have your work published online or in print, hiring a stylist should be nonnegotiable. The perfect styling can make or break a publication opportunity no matter how good the overall design is.

If hiring a stylist feels like too big of an investment, remember this:

Your images will live with you for the next 10-15 years, so invest accordingly.

Tip 02: The mark of a great interior photographer is their use of light to tell the story of a space.

Any photographer can use their camera and a tripod to record what a space looks like. But a great photographer can see the potential of something not actually there—splashes of sunlight that breathe life into the photo or deeper shadows that create depth and dimension—both possible with a strobe light.

As you research interior photographers, pay attention to how they use light to tell the story of a space.

Look in their portfolios for windowless rooms and see how the designer’s choices are featured without natural light.

Tip 03: When it comes to interior photography, think quality over quantity.

The process of photographing an interior space is often much slower than what many interior designers are accustomed to. A photographer has to be able to take any given space and make it consistent with your portfolio, which is the ultimate reason you’ve hired them.

Manipulating styling and lighting is only the beginning of creating a great image. There are also many other “problems” to solve at the moment of capture, like blocking reflections that obscure the designer’s work or snagging window views that flow seamlessly with the interior space. But all of these factors are worth the time spent because addressing them at the session will ensure the cleanest photos.

It’s better to deliver five killer images of a kitchen that clients swoon over than 15 that are subpar and unlikely to be used in any real marketing.

While we had her, we also asked Sarah, “If an interior designer isn't quite ready to invest in your services, what are two things they should do to get good photos?”

She responded: “If a designer is not yet ready to hire a serious interior photographer, they should purposefully budget for one at the start of their next project.

It will be hard to take a design business where you want it to go without professional imagery.

Until then, record your projects with your phone’s camera—they’re so good these days, but remember what I said above: A good camera doesn’t make a good photographer. If you need to DIY for now, take some time to understand lighting and how to find good light to make your spaces look great on your phone’s camera.”

To learn more about Sarah Linden and her interior photography services, visit Sarah Linden Photography at www.sarahlindenphotography.com.

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Additional Resources for Interior Designers

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Guest Interview Series: Three Things Interior Designers Need to Know When Photographing Their Projects with Interiors Photographer Sarah Linden