This is One of the Coolest House's I've Shot...

When I was told the address I give all the properties a quick google search to get a sense of what I am about to go shoot. I also ask for the previous photos so I know what the rooms are like and also to know what type of expectations my clients may have. On this occasion I could get the interior shots as it was a very last minute booking. I over packed my bag with more than i may need for ‘just-in-case’ sake. I was pleasantly surprised by this property when i arrived. After spending a while drawing the floor plan for this property, it was time to start shooting and it was delightful to shoot, It was well designed rooms. huge windows flooded it with directional light and tall ceilings really opening up the space. London has really kept me open minded when it comes to shooting luxury properties because the 500sq ft properties are sometimes more incredible than 6000sq ft properties, and vise-versa at times.

Here are some of my favorites from the shoot, let me know what your favorite shot it.

What is involved in taking interior photograph's?

How much does it cost? 🤑🤑🤑

I believe that people strongly feel like they are getting ripped off or scammed when they are hiring a profession photographer when they hear the price. What alot of people ont understand is actually 80% of the work actually happens in secret, when no one is around while they are tucked up in bed. The photographer is most definitely up editing the photos. If they are like me then they will be because they are more excited the the client to finish the images and get the final product. While it could take 2-4 hours to photograph a interior, depending on the size, it could take 3-4 times longer to edit the images together.

What are you paying for you may still be asking. firstly, you are paying for the photographer to be on site, either by the hour of by the number of photos you may of requested. For me at least the cost it largely related to the time and effort editing the photos together after the shoot has taken place. I typically take less than 24 hours to deliver as I editing into the evening.

Probably the reason people don’t understand the most is that interior photographs need more TLC, you tend to refine the room at the time than refine the photograph later. It takes 5 seconds to adjust something and a headache later on if it the time hasn’t been taken to make it as right as possible in the camera. This all being said Its the gear we use for these types of shoots. I always bring a portable studio flash for interior shot to ensure and 100 % i get accurate colour every pop of the flash. It always mean i will have more than enough battery power to flood the room with flash for blending later. I do always carry my speed light too so that i can get a bit more directional light with the speed light. I also might need to shoot tethered which can be with the Nikon wireless Wi-Fi connection or cam-ranger, something along those lines. A gear head is ABSOLUTELY required and if you can a tilt shift lens. This all cost money which we invest in so we need to make money on our investments as every body can relate, and agree too.

As you can tell there is alot of involvement, even down to planning to the time of day you can shoot so you have the best most flattering light.

How long does it take?⏳⏳

It really comes down the each individuals workflow, I personally for interior jobs, like to wait til i can use my workhorse of a PC at home so i can get accurate colour, and the best possible blend of the layers I’ve taken while on site. It also allows me to concentrate more on the job at hand and kick back with some music maybe a tea. This is my personal optimal environment. On the job I try to be as efficient as possible and i really focus on the details of each property and the little things the designer has done because those are using what brings the whole style together. The hardest part of all it to get them in a interesting composition, the designers has a reason why everything is in a place and has a place so the last thing i want to do is insult the design by moving things too much to create the composition that shows the property off in an immaculate way.

feel free to look at my work; www.garyaskewphotography.com

Feel free to contact me regarding shooting your space.

Shooting for the o2 Intercontinental Hotel...

I remember the first house I ever photographed, it was a new build 4 bedroom detached house worth £340,000. I never thought that i'll be in a luxury hotel penthouse 2 years later, it was such an amazing experience, so it was really cool to be in the penthouse seeing how the rich live! 

Honestly, it was such an eye-opener, there were rooms that had rooms in, hidden showers, 3 exit and entrance doors. the attention to detail and hospitality was out of this world. From the chandeliers to the fridge with specific things the customers staying asked to be available even the magazine based on the customer's preference. 

Take a moment to look through the photos below;

How i got into Photography

Hey Guys, so clients ask me how i got started in photography while i'm with them. I thought let me write about it and tell everyone my story...

So Lets rewind about 6 years, so after i dropped out of college after the first year i decided to just get to working, and i got my first job in retail, in Clinton Cards. Whilst working there for 8-9 months i got a tax rebate for £540. Being so young you can imagine what i wanted to spend my money on, partying, but instead despite the urge to do that, my friend had a bridge camera and everyone wanted a picture to be taken. Me being me i wanted to have something better, which is where the tax rebate come into it, so i went online and i found the next best thing up from that which happened to be a Nikon 3100 within budget. This was the day that changed my entire life and i didnt even know it.

Now i had the best camera out of my friends it was my time so shine, i was taking photos of everything that moved and making videos with my friends. The thing that changed everything was my friends 21st birthday, she asked me to take some photos at her party which went terribly wrong and the batteries died on everything so i barely got 200 photos (opps). Another 21st birthday came and this time i was more prepared and i completed the 'job' completely. From this i got a 40th birthday party which was way out of my league and i was terrified but i did it. When i got home i sat down and thought i loved this i wonder whether i can make a living from this. To my surprise you could make a living and it was a moderately comfortable average salary.  

Now it was time after a few jobs to upgrade the camera, and got the all mighty D7000, Which i still have to this day, and it was another level of quality to me and i was blown away. Now i was set to start my career what do i do next? What i did was go on to the internet and found a popular website called YouTube. I Search and Search and watch hours and hours of footage and information and the learning curve saw no limit. the more i learnt the more i wanted to learn. After every video i went out and set up my own shoots to practice what i just learned. I became very comfortable with my camera and my settings and was using it everyday!! 

After a while it felt like i plateaued and i wasn't learning any more so i look a night class to learn more. it was a seven week course and to my surprise i actually knew 90% of what they taught on that course and found my self getting bored yet the passion was still there inside me, i felt like college/uni killed my passion for photography. I was confused so i looked into going straight into university to get a degree in photography. After speaking to some tutors they told me that my photos was not up to the uni standard but my knowledge was good enough. I felt really down, then they said i could do the BTEC course, however, i didn't want to be around 16yo's as i would of got distracted. I made the executive decision to do it the hard way on my own.  

I did what ever it took to get jobs and get my work out there i worked for free i worked for 16 hrs a day to get some kind of stability and client base. I was still unsuccessful and i didn't know how to change it. One day i got a call from one of my friends saying that a cinematographer wanted to have a photographer on his team and work together as a formidable force. I went for a meeting and i took the job offer. I was very excited that i manage to land a job on my own just through pure passion for what i love to do! 

3 years later here i am, with gear i could of only dreamt about i now own. There are things i still dream off and i have only started my journey. I hope that everyone will follow me on my journey and support me with referrals. 

That is my story...

...and this is just the beginning 

Why It's a Good Thing to Have a Bad Day Sometimes...

Everyday is different and many things can affect our mood, for example i love music i listen to it as much as i can. I listen to quite a wide spectrum of genres too, and the reason is that it changes my mood, but it all inspires me to be better by the time the song has finished. 

  Now why i say its a good thing to have a bad day sometimes, is purely because it means that you are still growing. Just 2 days ago i felt like why aren't i satisfied with a recent shoot i was at and i felt quite down about it as i take a great pride in what i do as it is what i love to do. I was in a very negative mood and i found it hard to concentrate til i found answers to why i was feeling this way. I know how to fix my self when I'm in this mood now and that is to quite simply get inspired again. Just like when i listen to music to change my mood, photography does to same to me and i have a craving to better and get more creative and try new things.  Now, whilst in my most recent one i felt like i had reach a point where my photo was all looking the same, which is a good thing. Don't get me wrong i love consistency, but i wanted to have a signature style something to say " That's a GaryAskew photo" which got me googling photographers i look up to that are world class. I studied their work for a few hours and tried to work out how they produce the result they do and how i can put my own twist onto it. Then suddenly as if by magic it came to me! 

   I knew what i needed to buy in order to switch things up a little bit to feed my craving. I took to Amazon to order 3 things to make a small difference in my work, which i will update this blog once the items have arrived with some example pictures of how i may use them. They are very cheap items and wont break the bank to buy to experiment. 

I challenge everyone that will or wont read this... TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT... there are more than one way to do things so no matter what industry you are in, try something different, be brave. Stand out in your market!