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November 2015 | KitchenBathDesign.com | 19 a whole. I needed to break it up into smaller parts so I could focus in on the good, and leave out the bad. I started with detail shots. Image 2 is a typical shot some- one would take with a smart phone. They'd stand at eye level and snap a picture. It isn't that attractive at all. Even if it had been well propped, this just isn't a fattering angle. Look at the diference in Image 3 . I got down low and shot the picture that way. Notice how the top and bottom of the door front are at nearly the same angle. The same thing is happening along the tops of the trash bins and the drawer runner. Even lines like this are much more pleasing to the eye. I also cropped out the extraneous stuf around the picture. Don't feel like you have to show every detail in every picture. This is the kind of diference you can make with your pictures by just paying attention to what profession- als do with framing and cropping. No other special touches have been added to this smartphone picture other than the crop. Now on to something with the mir- rorless camera. Image 4 on this page is a shot that someone with no experi- ence might take. Not that great, right? That refrigerator made its way in, as did the clutter on the countertop, and some furniture in the adjacent room. Some efort was put into staging it a bit, however. So, ask yourself, what are you really showing here? The counter- top material! Focus on that and you'll get a much nicer photo ( Image 5 ). This is where the mirrorless cam- era really shines. It has a tight "depth of feld" that allows for only the sub- ject to be in focus, and the background to be blurred out. I want people to see the marble countertop here. The place settings bring it into size context. This is a much more attractive picture than the frst one. Image 6 is another shot of the overall kitchen that's not too great. This one is just not framed that well. Sure, we missed the refrigerator this time, but it still looks unbalanced. Image 7 was shot and cropped on a smart phone. Notice how much more pleasing this one looks. Image 8 is an- other angle, again done with a smart phone. Just look how a nice, even crop can make this image really pop. SO HERE'S THE TAKEAWAY I wasn't any better than any other kitchen designer at photography when I started this endeavor. I was pretty clueless, actually. The things that have really made me a better photographer are: » » Realizing I'm not a pro, and won't be. This is the most important thing. This will keep you from making expensive (and ultimately useless) camera purchases. This will also prevent you from at- tempting to professionally shoot a portfolio-worthy kitchen, only to realize that your pictures aren't good enough. » » Looking at other pros' photos. It's easy! Professional pictures are ev- erywhere. Look at the angles they use, look at how they stage. Don't forget that cropping a picture can eliminate tons of problems. Even just a change of angle can take a picture from terrible to great. » » Get good at your phone. You prob- ably already own a pretty decent camera – it's in your pocket or bag right now. Use it! Practice a lot! » » Buy a good, easy-to-use camera. Do research on cameras. Look at the mirrorless models. This will eliminate a whole swath of cameras and make your search a lot easier. Take advantage of a knowledgeable local camera shop if possible, or a big box store where you can try something and return it if you don't like it. With a little bit of practice, you can fll up your portfolio with lots of great pictures. Pictures are the frst impres- sion people get of your work. Great ones can sell kitchens. 4 6 7 8 5