Malibu/Pacific Palisades Residence | Interior Design Photography
It’s not everyday I get the pleasure of working on an interior design photography shoot, so when given the opportunity- I jump on it! My most recent project was a collaboration between my incredibly talented client and friend Megan Heacock White, an interior and product designer who owns House of Heacock.
The house is nestled in the hills of Pacific Palisades near Malibu, with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. With such an incredible backdrop to work with, Megan and I knew how crucial it was to include it within our interior design shots.
This is by far one of the most unique spaces I’ve shot and goes down as one of my all-time favorite locations to date!
How I Planned This Interior Design Shoot
Interior design photography shoots are different from traditional residential photography because of the extra attention to detail needed. Instead of focusing on the architecture, I needed to center each photo around the vibe established within the space.
To do this, I wanted to plan for all lighting scenarios possible. While some may think indoor shoots are a walk in the park, yellow or dim lighting is a huge concern. I packed all my artificial lighting options, knowing day-of it could be absolutely gorgeous outside and might not even need it.
Embracing The Natural Lighting
Gorgeous it was! On the day of the shoot, it was a beautiful overcast and moody day. This is an interior design photography dream! It was the perfect vibe of cozying up somewhere in this beautiful home to just sit and take in the beautiful artwork all around.
Although I had planned and packed my artificial lighting just in case, the natural ambiance of the cloudy skies was the ideal replacement. I made sure to center as many photos as possible around the incredible windows- they brought in the most amazing rays of sunshine while showcasing the Pacific Ocean just outside.
Capturing Warm Tones
Megan was very deliberate in putting a lot of warm tones throughout the entire home to make each space feel welcoming. She complimented this with a lot of colorful artwork made by the residents themselves. It was a beautiful mix of owning a space and embracing the premade elements.
My favorite example of this is the inviting dining table. The table and chairs are a really rich warm tone, almost asking a group of guests to sit down. I centered the table, but made sure the large wall full of art was displayed in its full glory of color and whimsy.
Focusing On Small Details
I knew beforehand this shoot would be all about the small touches, but there were almost too many to capture! An interior design photography dream some could say and I spent the majority of time embracing every nook and cranny this house had to offer.
My favorite shots ended up coming from starting in their upstairs spaces and tilted my camera to focus downwards. Throughout the entire house, the owners created beautiful lighting fixtures from hand and ended up stealing the show in all of my photos.
Combining Artists And Their Art
As often as I can, I try to get real models within photos to help bring additional life into the space. This interior design photography shoot was extra special because the homeowners jumped in to act as models! It was really beautiful to capture the artists and their art all in one photo- it gave me chills! They truly were the kindest people who made this fun photoshoot even better.
It was an absolute pleasure to work with Megan on her Palisades residence shoot. If you’re interested in photographing your next interior design project, please don’t hesitate to reach out using the form below:
