By Jamie Raymond RID, EDAC, LEED AP
Partner, Four Point Design, Indianapolis

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. While artificial intelligence tools can generate graphics in a matter of seconds, designers continue to appreciate the time, effort, and craft that goes into quality photographs of the built environment. The following are four factors design and construction firms should consider when engaging photographers to capture images of their healthcare projects.

Purpose

At Four Point Design, an interior design firm based out of Indianapolis and doing work around the country, we’re committed to quality photography to tell the stories of the spaces we design. While we regularly take out our phones and snap photos for documentation during the design and construction process, professional photography is a must. Whether we’re doing a case study or interviewing for a similar potential project, we need images that capture the essence of the interior environments, their purpose, and how they support the owner’s needs.

People

There was a time when architectural photography rarely included people. However, in recent years, the team has seen a shift, with more firms including the human element in their imagery.

While this takes a bit more coordination, it’s a change we’ve embraced, because as interior designers, we’re creating spaces for people. By incorporating people into our project photography, we activate the space, show its scale, and demonstrate how the environment will be used in real life. For example, during a recent photo shoot for IU Health Fishers in Indiana, designed with architecture firms HKS and MSKTD, we included moms-to-be for the women’s health services photographs and IU Health team members in the caregiver areas.

Process

Getting great photos requires an intentional, thoughtful, and respectful process.

We meet with our design partners to talk about the project’s goals and key components and generate a list of angles. We start at the front door and consider the patient journey as they move through the space. From showing the overall flow to zooming into details, we consider how we’re telling that story.

While we have the privilege to design the spaces, we are still guests in our owner’s facilities. A critical part of the process is planning and coordinating with the facility owner so that—on photo shoot day—the team is sensitive to any existing operations happening in the building.

Placement

From the angle of a chair to which desktop items are shown and how they are situated, details matter and affect what becomes the focus of an image. Taking care of the placement of items before the photo is taken results in less editing later.

We appreciate working with photographers who invite us to—quite literally!—look through the lens to make sure the scene is on point and supports the healthcare organization’s strong brand and the design team’s high standards.