Kingston, Massachusetts-based Joseph Keller brings brightness and detail to his imagery that inspires a feeling of presence. Across Interiors, Food, Product, and Lifestyle photography, his work is very effective in making you feel like you’re right there. Today we’re focusing on perhaps the most pertinent specialty in his portfolio — his Interiors work. His images have been locally featured in The Boston Globe and Boston Magazine, while nationally featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Country Home, and This Old House. Recently he worked with New England Home, who has been his client for a decade. For this project, they focused on a home in one of New England’s most picturesque destinations: Cape Cod.
The location was in an idyllic town on Cape Cod known for its beautiful beaches and luxury vacation homes. The conditions were pretty spectacular, to say the least. It was a gorgeous early September day with all-day sun, something we always feel lucky to get in New England! We started at 8 am and finished around 6 pm. The views were jaw-dropping.
Shoots like this are often non-stop beyond a simple lunch break. This one involved only a small crew. Aside from his assistant, Joseph worked alongside a prop stylist, one of the interior designers, and New England Home’s editor-in-chief, Jenna Talbott.
Pre-planning on these shoots is pretty minimal. Prior to the shoot day, I receive scouting photos taken by the editor-in-chief or the stylist. We discuss a start time and a rough schedule, but the actual shot list is developed on the morning of the shoot when we do a walk-through of the property.
It’s a collaborative process based on the lighting in the rooms and outside, as well as the stylist’s propping estimate for each room. We usually start with an exterior or a room that requires minimal propping adjustments.
When shooting a house of this caliber, Joseph notes that it’s extremely important for the crew to be careful. Much effort was taken to set it up this way in the first place and everything needed to be left exactly as they had found it. Fortunately, Joseph was working with professionals he knew and trusted.
There was a calm energy during the shoot. We had all worked with each other in the past, so it was a very comfortable and collaborative vibe with a few laughs thrown in.
This house was located on a small cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. So we all found ourselves a little distracted throughout the day, stealing glances at the view. There was always some sort of boat going by and the beach across the way was quite enticing. There was also an infinity pool that we all would have enjoyed a little refreshing swim in!
When working to capture the inherent serenity of a location, it helps to have that feeling present in the first place. Sometimes, like in this case, nature provides just the right day to do it. But it’s also a testament to the power of a design when an experienced Interior photographer can see what makes it special. The best scenario, as we can see, has the right eyes to capture it.
I have always had a love of architecture and an appreciation for the ability of good design to have an impact on my mood in a space. The architects and designers of this home created a bright and comfortable coastal vibe.
See more of Joseph’s work on his website.
Credits
Prop Stylist: Karin Lidbeck-Brent
Editor in Chief: Jenna Talbott
Interior Designer: Joseph Chartier-Petrelis of SLC Interiors
Photographer Assistant: Jeff Stiles
Further Reading
Read more articles about Home/Garden Photography.
Specialty: What is Home/Garden Photography?
Let us help you Find Photographers, source Stock Photography,
Produce Your Shoot — or just reach out to hear more!