"Hi, I'm an interior photographer."

There's a pretty good chance that right after you say this, you get a confused look and the question, "Oh great! So what does that mean, exactly?" At which point you go into your usual description of taking photos for interior designers, architects, and anyone who designs for built spaces. 

Niching your photography business is pretty necessary these days in order to stand out from the masses. And thankfully, interior photography is not a niche that you hear about too often (Uh, hello! This is why The Grove was started in the first place!). As far as your audience is concerned, you only work with designers and stay within your niche. But what about when you're in a slump or are starting out? Or how about when you're working towards a big income goal and want to take on more shoots? This begs the question:
 

What other types of photo shoots can you do
if you only photograph interiors?

Essentially, you can photograph anything that involves a built space. It might sound like that still means you can only work with designers, but here are some ideas of other types of shoots to look out for.

Real estate listings.

Really, when I tell people I photograph interiors, their assumption is that I do real estate photography. This usually leads me into a whole explanation of why that's indeed very different from what I do, which then makes their eyes glaze over in boredom. 

And yes, real estate photography IS very different from interior photography (visit blog on this subject to see why). It's a different process, a different expectation, a different budget, a different timeline, a different market. However, as an interior photographer, you have the skills needed to take on this work if you want to. 

Most medium to large cities have a steady demand for real estate photography, so this type of work is typically very easy to find. Keep in mind that rates are much lower (usually in the $150-300 range for an entire set of photos), and the process needs to be quick and simple. These are not jobs where you want to be a perfectionist! Rather, it's about delivering quickly and adequately for the rates charged.

To find these jobs, I recommend posting on community sites like Next Door or Craigslist, and then reaching out directly to real estate offices. Agents are always on the lookout for new folks to work with, especially if you have competitive rates.

Vacation rental listings.

While very similar to the real estate photography market, vacation rentals offer you a chance to get a bit creative! These listings involve the same skills as real estate, but you can add in shots of details and vignettes to tell a bit of the story of the space. Details also help show off amenities that otherwise wouldn't be shown for sales listings, such as the coffee station or visitor pamphlets. 

While you can get creative with these photos, it's important to keep your process quick like for real estate. Vacation rental shoots can sometimes have higher rates than sales listings (as they should - they market non-stop and worldwide), but they will be a much lower rate than interior photo shoots. Rates can range widely, usually starting at around $200 and going up to $500 or more). 

To look for this work, word of mouth is king. Since that can take a bit of time, you can contact vacation rental management offices or even sign on as a field photographer for large sites like AirBnB (beware that these large sites will pay a significantly lower rate, with the main benefit being that clients get dropped into your inbox with no effort on your part). 

Environmental portraits.

All this means is that you're taking photos of people in their environment, rather than a studio. This can be in their workplace, in their home, or in a location that's special to them. The idea, of course, would be to do portraits in built spaces, such as their office or their home, so that it's in line with your niche. 

One way to work these in a bit with your current client list is to offer a portrait add-on for the designers. Their beautiful finished projects are often the best backdrop, so adding on a portrait during a project shoot would be ideal! Or they may prefer to have a photo taken in their studio so that their clients can get a behind-the-scenes peek at their process. 

It's a bit more of a departure, but offering in-home family portraits can also relate to interior photography. You can extend an offer to the homeowners of your clients' projects (just make sure your client is okay with you offering it to their clients) or you can do a bit of marketing in the months leading up to the holidays. If you're comfortable posing people, this is a fantastic option to consider!

Styled product photos.

You see them all over Instagram: the beautiful pillows on the couch, the adorable kids decor in the nursery, or the funny mug for your morning coffee. More and more product photography is happening outside of the studio these days, and it's happening in homes instead! These types of photos align perfectly with details and vignettes that you already get for your designers, so why not offer those services to companies with home products? 

This market is increasingly saturated with lifestyle bloggers, influencers, and social media all building up its popularity. This means it may take a bit more searching than normal to find a company willing to pay for your services. I would recommend casually starting conversations and creating connections, but this is most likely not the type of work you want to look for if you're in a bind for extra cash quickly.

There you have it! So yes, you do focus exclusively on working with designers to show off their beautiful finished projects. But behind closed doors, when you're in a slump or looking to fill up that calendar a bit more, know that there are other options out there for you. 

xo,

Natalia