Beautiful Interior Photography:

We love shooting interiors. Our job is to translate what your eye sees into images that reveal structure, texture, materiality and detail — the elements that define great architecture and design. A fine architectural photograph doesn’t just record a space; it honors the design intent and communicates it clearly to potential clients, editors, and collaborators.

Technical accuracy matters. Overexposed windows, crushed shadows, and poorly lit dark spaces erase the subtleties designers and builders worked so carefully to achieve. Those mistakes aren’t just aesthetic; they undermine the credibility of the work and make it harder for prospective clients to appreciate the craft on display.

Effective interior photography requires:

• Lighting strategy tailored to the room, balancing natural window light with controlled artificial sources so both highlights and shadow detail are preserved.
• Careful exposure and lighting needed to retain texture and depth without creating unrealistic results.
• Precise composition that emphasizes lines, proportions, and focal details the way a trained eye would.
• Post-processing that refines tonality, corrects perspective, and enhances — not alters — the original design.

When architects, interior designers, and custom home builders invest in professional imagery done right, they get more than pretty pictures. They get visual tools that showcase craftsmanship truthfully, attract the right clients, and support marketing, publications, and portfolios. If your work depends on being seen — and seen correctly — photography should elevate it, not obscure it.

Elegant Home Den:

We photographed this high-end Chicago condo and were especially taken with the elegant Den. Large double pocket doors make it ideal for entertaining, opening seamlessly into the spacious living and dining rooms. Just off the Den sits a gorgeous wet bar; its mirrored back and built-in shelving create depth and reflect the room’s finishes. An elegant chandelier crowns the space — the catch lights dance off the glass and add a subtle sparkle that lifts the entire composition. Some favorites from the shoot are below.

To see more of our work or to schedule a photoshoot please visit our website.

Beautiful Design Deserves Beautiful Photography:

Good interior photography reveals materiality, proportion, light, and the intentional choices that define a space. A first‑year photography student knows the basics: balance exposure to retain shadow detail, protect highlights in window areas, use fill light where necessary, and compose so that important elements read clearly. Experienced photographers do more than those basics — they control light to emphasize form, texture, and atmosphere without losing fidelity to the design.

Yet, in recent years many publications insist on utilizing images that fail the fundamental job of showing the room. Why does it happen?

The answer seems to be twofold.  Photographers who produce these images, of course. But also responsible are the magazine photo editors who not only accept them, but encourage this “style” of photography.

• Habit and laziness: A quick edit that sacrifices highlights or shadows “because it looks cinematic,” or pumping contrast until surfaces lose nuance.
• Misplaced aesthetics: Confusing moodiness with quality; mistaking darkness for sophistication.
• Workflow shortcuts: Relying on a single exposure or an aggressive automated edit instead of bracketing and blending for full tonal range.
• Lack of collaboration: Photographers, editors, and designers not communicating about what’s essential to showcase, and using photographers with little or no talent whatsoever.

The result is a disservice to everyone involved — to designers whose details vanish, to architects whose spatial intent is lost, and to readers who deserve to see the work as it was conceived.

What good interior photography does:

Shows texture, color, and material precisely.

• Preserves detail in both shadows and highlights, including window views where relevant.
• Uses lighting — natural and supplemental — to reveal volume and focal points.
• Respects composition so furniture, finishes, and architectural gestures read at a glance.
• Communicates the intent and story of the space, not just a moody silhouett

If a magazine wants drama, produce drama with controlled lighting and thoughtful post-processing. If you want authenticity, show the room the way it was designed to be experienced. If a room was designed with a light fixture in mind, I am pretty certain it was meant to be turned on.  When you walk into a lighting showroom, are the lights on or off?  There’s a big difference between aesthetic choice and careless concealment.

Beautiful interiors deserve photography that elevates and respects the design. Anything less is just bad photography — and we should stop accepting it as “editorial taste”.  Can you imagine seeing any of these images draped in dark shadows, under or over exposed with the lights off?  Seriously?  Is that what the designer intended? Even during the day, having the lights on adds a touch of sparkle to the room.  Who walks around their house with the lights off in dark shadows?  Who steps into a powder room without turning on the light?  Who walk into their closet without the light on?  Who takes a shower in the dark? We could go on and on.  It’s not natural to be in a dark house, it’s actually kinda creepy.

Show Me Some Attitude:

We’ve been doing a lot of personal branding portrait sessions lately, which reminded me of a shoot a few years back with Marietta Calas. Between the different sets and outfit changes we were having a blast. As the Sun began to set, I asked Marietta to slip into an evening dress, and when she came down the stairs I told her to give me attitude.

She immediately did — full-on, perfectly timed, and completely natural. We laughed afterward and never ended up using that shot, but I still love it. Marietta takes direction like a professional model and approaches every session with a commitment to getting the images right. That mix of playfulness and professionalism is exactly what makes personal branding work: authentic moments guided by thoughtful direction.  

To see more of our work or to book a photo session, please visit our website. www.normansizemore.com

Fine Transitional Family Room:

A few images from a transitional family room just outside Chicago. We enjoyed photographing the custom-made furniture, vintage carpets, and the calm, wall colors that set a serene tone. The custom built-in bookcases are perfectly scaled for fine art, books, and pottery and framing each object with quiet elegance. A vintage pendulum clock and a striking fine art painting add cultural warmth and visual interest, giving the space personality without overpowering its relaxed feel. A perfect room to relax and entertain. More from this fine home coming soon. www.normansizemore.com

Contemporay Mid-Century Master Suite:

We photographed this lovely master suite in 2018 for interior designer Lauren Coburn and master home builder Jerry Dardick. The interior reads contemporary mid-century, with clean lines, warm wood tones, and carefully balanced proportions. Every piece in the room was custom-made to Lauren’s specifications and executed to the highest standards—tailored drapery, bespoke upholstery, and thoughtfully integrated lighting that complements the architecture without overpowering it. Subtle textures and a restrained palette create a calm, sophisticated atmosphere while details like custom hardware and precision joinery reveal the craft behind the design.

More from this amazing home coming soon. To see more of our work or to schedule a photoshoot please visit our website. www.normansizemore.com

Contemporary Kitchen:

We photographed this condo in 2017 for Jerry Dardick. Jerry builds some of the finest spaces we've ever photographed, and this one ranks near the top. Here we highlight the kitchen, which—like the rest of the condo—is simply beautiful. Interior design by Lauren Coburn. I’ll let the images say the rest. To see more of our work or to schedule a photoshoot please visit our website.

We

We photographed this condo in 2017 for Jerry Dardick. Jerry builds some of the finest spaces we've ever photographed, and this one ranks near the top. Here we highlight the kitchen, which—like the rest of the condo—is simply beautiful. Interior design by Lauren Coburn. I’ll let the images say the rest.photographed this condo in 2017 for Jerry Dardick. Jerry builds some of the finest spaces we've ever photographed, and this one ranks near the top. Here we highlight the kitchen, which—like the rest of the condo—is simply beautiful. Interior design by Lauren Coburn. I’ll let the images say the rest.We photographed this condo in 2017 for Jerry Dardick. Jerry builds some of the finest spaces we've ever photographed, and this one ranks near the top. Here we highlight the kitchen, which—like the rest of the condo—is simply beautiful. Interior design by Lauren Coburn. I’ll let the images say the rest.