Summer Photography Tips
Summer is one of the most inspiring times of year for our industry — long days, crisp shadows, glowing sunsets and textures everywhere you look. Whether you’re travelling or simply wandering your neighbourhood, the right photos can become future mood-boards, material references, or even spark full project concepts.
These tips will help you capture more intentional, design-savvy images while still keeping things relaxed and “holiday mode.”
Chase the Early Light & Late Light
Why we love golden hour
Early morning and late afternoon light reveals materials beautifully — it’s directional but soft. Timber grains look warmer, stone develops depth, and colour shifts subtly.
What to photograph:
📸Building facades (watch for shadow play)
📸Close-ups of joinery or texture
📸Landscape palettes for later colour inspiration
📸Light on water, metal, glass — for reflection studies
Pro tip: Use “Portrait” mode on your phone even for objects — it can isolate details like foliage, tapware, or textures beautifully.
Look for Strong Lines & Natural Symmetry
Designers and cabinet makers often think in grids and spatial relationships. Photography is a great way to train the eye.
Try shooting:
📸Doorways framed within archways
📸Staircases from unusual angles
📸Repeating joinery or cabinetry lines
📸Rooflines or shade structures
📸Shadows forming unexpected geometry
Pro tip: Turn on your phone’s grid tool. Aligning verticals can make even a quick holiday snap look editorial and professional.
Get Close to Texture
This is where your photos can become genuinely useful back at work.
Capture:
📸Timber grains (especially weathered coastal timbers)
📸Patterns in sand, rock, or concrete
📸Linen, rope, rattan or fabric textures
📸Tile surfaces, grout colours and tactile finishes
📸Aged patina on metal, stone or painted surfaces
Why it matters
You’ll end up with a ready-made library of real-world material inspiration — rather than overproduced or unrealistic looks.
Don’t Forget the “In Between” Details
Some of the best design inspiration comes from overlooked moments.
Things you may take inspiration from later:
📸A colour combination on an awning or café chair
📸A joinery junction in a bar or shop
📸An interesting pattern or shape combination
📸A plant interacting with a built form
📸The way locals display objects, textiles or signage
These tiny design observations can spark solutions in kitchens, bathrooms, or furniture pieces months later.
Stay True to Real Colours When Editing
It’s tempting to use punchy filters on holiday snaps — but if you plan on using photos for design reference, realism matters.
Keep edits light:
📸Slight brightness and warmth is fine
📸Avoid heavy saturation
📸Keep whites neutral, not blue or overly warm
📸Avoid “cinematic” filters that skew colour memory
Why?
Your future-self (and your clients) need accurate pigments, tones and contrasts.
Create Scale by Including a Reference Object
If you see a fascinating proportion — a tile size, a stair rise, a joinery detail — help your future self by giving the photo context.
Use everyday objects for scale:
📸Your hand
📸A notebook edge
📸Sunglasses
📸Shoes
📸A coffee cup
You’ll appreciate scale when revisiting inspiration images.
Capture Space, Not Just Objects
Think like you’re documenting a case study, even if casually.
Shoot:
📸The same space from different angles
📸How circulation flows through a space
📸Sightlines from entry to exit
📸Transitions between materials
📸Lighting placement and its effect
These photos help you analyse why a space works (or doesn’t) — powerful for concept development.
Look for Colour Palettes in Nature
Our Australian summer offers some of the best natural palettes for interior design.
Try capturing:
📸Blue ocean + beige sand + driftwood
📸Sun bleached olive greens of coastal scrub
📸Terracotta cliffs or rocks
📸Deep greens in rainforest shadows
📸Golden hour yellows + long shadows grey
Later, you can extract swatches to build mood boards.
When in Doubt, Take the Photo Anyway
You may not know why something catches your eye, but your creative brain probably does. Snap it. Sort it later.
Often the best ideas begin with a photo you took “just because.”
Capture these well, and your entire year of work benefits from the calm, clarity and creativity of summer.
