Decor or Props? | Portrait Photography | Pacific Northwest & Beyond
“What’s the difference between decor and photo props? How can I make my photos or portraits stand out and look incredible?” These are just a few of the many questions I see all over and hear from clients. Let’s talk about the vitality of decor and how we can upscale our portraits.
Decor is commonly used throughout a home or an interior footprint of a room to make it feel lived in or to make a space feel inviting, but as you’ve probably seen a lot lately, decor has been used in photography to add a more elevated feature to a photograph, but in this blog we’re going to talk about more specifically decor in portraits.
If you want to make your interior portraits look more casual yet put together, I’d recommend curating your outfit theme to your decor or vice versa, unless your interior background is more neutral then wearing the right pop of color could really help you stand out. The key to interior decor with portrait photography is placement, you want to make sure that your decor pieces aren’t always centered or in front of you because this could give the impression that you’re selling the decor piece or advertising it (unless that’s your goal, then like that Jason Mraz song, you do you).
Another great tip on why I adore decor in portrait photography is using certain pieces as props, such as but not limited to; blankets, pillows, flowers or houseplants, curtains, etc. So, here are some of my TOP 6 decor sub-categories that I absolutely love…
6. Blankets, Throws & Pillows
Whenever I shoot a boudoir session for example in a rented studio space or in someone’s home, using a soft blanket or light throw to photograph with, has added a new texture to the various fabric elements already going on (i.e. lace, silk, satin, leather, etc). So, using a blanket to cozy up in can help a photograph provide a sense of both comfort and mystery to a boudoir session, plus if someone is feeling nervous at first during a photoshoot it could be a great prop to use in the beginning of the session to warm up and feel the groove.
5. Rugs
The right kind of rug in your room can really help your space feel less cold and more grounded and comfortable. Picking the right rug for a space can be tricky sometimes, definitely measure the furniture and area you’re trying to incorporate a rug into and make sure it fits well. For example, you want your rugs to tuck a few inches underneath your sofas and extend out past your coffee table or right under your accent chairs on the opposite side. Plus who doesn’t love just laying on a beautiful fluffy rug?!
4. Houseplants or Faux Greenery
There’s nothing like some beautiful houseplants to help liven up the room. Having a few plants throughout your space could really make your portraits stand out with that subtle pop of green, bringing the outside in.
3. Books, Mugs & Miscellaneous Decor
Having a variety of lifestyle decor throughout the room in your portraits could make it feel lived in and less staged, but always be thinking about placement and how many pieces are within one area, you don’t want a space to feel overcrowded or cluttered. Books are a great decor item or prop to use in a photo, especially if you’re going for a more candid look with your session and looking at the camera isn’t a priority. Mugs will do this as well, if the model is sitting on the couch and reaches to pick up or put down the mug it could feel as though you just captured a candid moment in time, something not entirely planned out, but thought about. Other miscellaneous decor pieces could be vases or catch all trays with some jewelry.
2. Chairs, Couches & Chaise Loungers
These furniture pieces are perfect for much more minimal spaces, such as a studio or loft. Oftentimes a studio will have at least one of these furniture categories, so using furniture during portrait sessions is important to create not just visual variety but a posing medley with your model in the space to help add enough depth and mix to your session’s collection. Sitting down, laying down, lounging, etc are a few posing categories you can direct your model to utilize the furniture within the space.
1. Curtains, Canopies & Window Drapes
I do have to say that one of my favorite ways to add visual variety within the same space without using a ton of furniture or decor pieces is playing with curtains. As the photographer I’ll stand further from the model and bring the light curtain up across my lens’ view and let go as I’m taking the photo, creating a beautifully blurred movement of fabric and dreamy essence within my photographs.
So, in conclusion; you can use a variety of decor items to help ground the space, always think about your placement and how much you have visually without looking like an advert. Use lighting and texture to change the way a space looks, especially with that pop of green using household plants, windows and curtains. And last but not least, HAVE FUN WITH IT!! Look around you and ignite that creative fire within and just go for it!! But if you need a little nudge in the right direction to get those perfectly candid portraits don’t hesitate to go ahead and book your session with me. I'd be super excited to photograph you and talk about all things decor, so book your session now, let’s take some photos!!
