Nicole England, photographer of interiors and architecture
Nicole England discovered her love for photography when she was at school, skipping other classes to spend more time in the darkroom. With an architect brother and interior designer mother it’s perhaps no surprise she came to specialise in photographing beautiful homes.
“I was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by beautiful architecture, design and art,” she says. “It seems so obvious now, but it took me a while to figure out that combining my love of photography with my love of architecture and interiors would be the perfect fit!
“I love the fact that I spend my days working in amazing spaces, each one completely different from the next. No day is the same. I also get to collaborate with interesting people, understanding their concepts and design intentions while also potentially drawing out an unexpected dimension in their project.In most cases my interior work is aimed at publication and promotion but constraints like client brief and intended audience don’t necessarily hold me back creatively, in fact constraints can be great in focusing my ideas.”
If you’ve ever tried to take a photograph of your own homes (which makes it look its best!) you’ll probably know it can be a serious headache without the correct know-how or equipment.
“Chasing the light is always a challenge, when the sun moves from one shadow to the next, bouncing off some objects, hiding behind others. You have to be quick,” says Nicole. “Sometimes I find myself running around from one end of the space to the next, up the stairs, down the stairs. You just have to keep your eye on it, that’s all. Having a couple of cameras set up in different locations can help.”
Nicole says photographing interiors is all about the attention to detail. “It’s important to keep your verticals vertical and avoid distortion. Don’t go too wide with your lens unless you can fix the bows in your computer later.”
And the simple things (we’ve all seen real estate details online which make us wonder if the owner actually wants to sell the house!) “Clean up! Dirty windows and rubbish bins don’t make pretty pictures. Look out for reflections too as I’m amazed at the places I see people where they shouldn’t be, mirrors, glass walls, chrome handles…”
The relationship between stylist and photographer is very important. “I love how a stylist can bring a sense of warmth to a space, but roles are never as fixed as you might expect. How the design is finally interpreted is very much a collaboration.”
Most of Nicole’s work is for architects and interior designers either directly or through the editors of design magazines. “I also love working with all the suppliers to the industry – the companies that provide us with the unlimited choice of beautiful pieces to fill our lives with.”
Her own home is her sanctuary, where she likes to relax, unwind, think, contemplate and create. “I love my home. It’s not the perfect design piece, rather a space filled with things that inspire me. A mixture of classic designer furniture and other bits and bobs I’ve found along the way. It’s minimal in parts, it’s moody, it’s quiet, it has a lot of great food and books, but most importantly, it’s light!”
Find out more about Nicole’s work (pictured) here.