Preparing for your bathroom photoshoot
A professionally photographed bathroom can help you attract new clients, showcase the quality of your work and even get you featured in a magazine. However, bathrooms can also be some of the most challenging spaces to photograph, with reflective surfaces, complex lighting and not always a huge amount of room to manoeuvre!
As a specialist bathroom photographer I’ve photographed a wide range of different spaces, from compact cloakrooms and ensuites to large family bathrooms and luxury master suites. A little preparation before the photoshoot can make a big difference to the final images.
In this guide, I’ll explain how to prepare your bathroom project for photography and what you can expect on the day of a professional photoshoot.
Step One: Clean
If there’s one room that needs to be absolutely spotless before a professional photoshoot, it’s the bathroom! With all those shiny surfaces, mirrors and glass they are one of the most unforgiving spaces to photograph.
These surfaces need much more attention than most people realise. They may look clean but often the smallest fingerprints, water spots and cleaning streaks will be highly visible in professional photography.
Here’s a checklist of things to look out for:
- Cleaning streaks and smears on the shower screen – check from all angles, inside and out
- Water marks on tiles, particularly on the basin splashback behind the taps
- Finger prints on mirrors, especially on mirrored cabinets with touch opening
- Water marks and streaks on tap and shower trim plates and flush plates
- Dust on the toilet roll holder!
Photographing reflective surfaces can require careful camera positioning, lighting control and often meticulous retouching to ensure the focus remains on the design rather than unwanted reflections. The cleaner and more polished the surfaces are before the shoot, the more time can be spent creating beautiful images rather than correcting avoidable issues!
Step Two: Styling
A great deal of thought, skill and attention to detail goes into creating a luxury bathroom, and the aim of professional photography is to highlight that work.
A few thoughtfully chosen accessories can add warmth and interest, but resist the urge to fill it with too many props. The design and high quality products and workmanship should be the star of the show!
And there are some things which definitely should not be in your bathroom photos!
Here are my do’s and dont’s:
Remove…
- most of your everyday toiletries (unless they’re stylish and complement the design)
- half-empty bottles of handwash, shower gel etc.
- toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors
- bathroom scales
- cleaning products, toilet brush and bin
- kids bath toys
- mismatching or worn towels and face cloths
- rubber bath mat
I know these are part of everyday life but you don’t want them to distract from the bathroom design.
Instead…
Think about adding the following, which will help the space feel warm, luxurious and lived-in for your photos.
- premium products that complement the decor (make sure bottles are full and clean
- an elegant soap dispenser
- plush towels, bath mat and robes to add warmth
- candles to create ambience and a relaxing atmosphere
- plants (make sure they are appropriate to the size of the room and don’t dominate)
- coordinating wall art
A few carefully chosen items will give a bathroom a warm and inviting feel, but don’t be tempted to go over the top.
Remember that the goal is to complement the design rather than distract from it.
Step Three: Lighting and windows
Bathrooms often combine multiple light sources including natural daylight, decorative wall lights, LED mirror lighting and feature niche lighting.
Professional photography will balance all of these elements to create a natural feel showcasing any feature lighting.
You don’t need to worry about achieving the perfect lighting yourself, but you should ensure:
- all bulbs are working
- matching colour temperatures are installed where possible
- blinds are clean and working
- window panes and frames are clean.
Step Four: Finishing touches
It’s common for bathroom projects to be photographed shortly after installation, but rushing the process can compromise the final images. Waiting until every detail is complete will result in stronger images.
Before you book a date for a photoshoot consider the following:
- Will there be any outstanding snagging work?
- Will the adjacent areas (visible from the bathroom) also be finished / tidy / clean? Particularly important for a master ensuite where parts of the bedroom may be included in one or two of the shots for context.
- Does the bathroom door need painting or replacing?
- Will any styling items and accessories be in place?
Just before the shoot, it’s worth carrying out a final ‘quality’ check to ensure the room is presented exactly as intended:
- Double check for water marks and finger prints
- Check that packaging labels have been removed from fixtures and fittings
- Make sure there’s a new toilet roll in place
- Check for any silicone, grout or paint touch-ups that may have been missed during installation
Step Five: Working with a professional interiors photographer
An experienced photographer will have a good idea of the shots they want to capture, but it’s also important that you add some input.
I always start with a hero shot, which aims to show as much of the space as possible (obviously this depends a lot on the size and layout of the bathroom!). The bulk of the shoot showcases the main features such as the bath, shower, vanity and loo and then I finish with a few details shots. These are the images which bring out the ‘personality’ of the space and where you can show off interesting design elements or special features.
To get the most out of your shoot identify any key features that make your bathroom project special. It could be a statement vanity unit, bespoke shower screen or intricate tiling detail.
Be prepared…
…for your photographer to make some adjustments on the day! They will likely move small items and tweak towels and bottles etc. but these micro-adjustments will make a big difference to the finished image. It’s not fussiness, it’s part of the process of getting great photos!
And a final tip, make sure you’ve taken a selection of before photos so you can do a ‘before and after’ post to show people the stunning transformation!
About Michelle Richards Photography
I’m an interiors photographer in Bromley specialising in high quality bathroom and kitchen shots.
If you design or fit luxury premium bathrooms and would like imagery that reflects the quality of your work, I’d love to help.
I work with bathroom showrooms, suppliers and fitters across south east London and Kent to create refined, natural photographs that showcase the high quality products and craftsmanship of your project – perfect for your website, social media, brochures and editorial features.
Feel free to get in touch to discuss an upcoming project, or to plan photography for your latest installation.