Journal · Workplace
How do you photograph an office fit-out?
Book it in the narrow window after snagging and before the desks fill with clutter. That gap is usually days, not weeks, and it decides how good the images can be.
Workplace
Timing is most of the job
There is a short window on every fit-out when the space is finished, snagged, and not yet lived in. Before it, there are protective coverings, missing furniture, and trades still working. After it, there are coats on chairs, cables on desks, and a printer where the hero shot needs to be.
That window is often only a few days. Getting the date right matters more than almost anything else, so put the photographer on notice as soon as the programme firms up rather than calling once the client has moved in.
Workplace
Dressed or as-is
Decide before the day, not on it. A dressed space, with considered props and clean surfaces, photographs better and is what most marketing needs. An as-is space is a truer record and takes less time, which suits handover documentation.
If it is being dressed, someone needs to own that on the day: someone who can move a chair, clear a desk, and find the missing bin without a group discussion. One nominated point of contact on site is worth an hour of shoot time.
Workplace
People, and whether to include them
A workplace with nobody in it can look like a showroom. A workplace with people in it looks used, which is usually what a landlord, an agent, or a designer wants to show.
If you want people, arrange it in advance: a handful of colleagues who are happy to be photographed, briefed to work naturally rather than pose. Consent matters, and so does confidentiality: screens showing live client data cannot be in shot, so plan what is on the monitors.
Workplace
CAT A and CAT B are different briefs
A CAT A shoot is about the shell and the base build: clean lines, services, floorplate, natural light, and the potential of an empty space. It sells to a tenant.
A CAT B shoot is about the finished, occupied workspace: the design, the materials, the way people use it. It sells the designer and the contractor. Trying to get both out of one visit at one stage rarely works, because they are photographs of different things.
Common questions
Frequently asked
When should you photograph an office fit-out?
In the window after snagging is complete and before the space is occupied and cluttered. That gap is often only a few days, so book provisionally as soon as the programme firms up rather than after handover.
Should an office be dressed for photography?
For marketing images, usually yes: clean surfaces and considered props photograph much better. For a handover record, as-is is fine and faster. Decide before the shoot day and nominate one person on site who can move furniture and clear desks.
Can you include staff in workplace photography?
Yes, and an occupied workplace usually looks better than an empty one. Arrange willing participants in advance, brief them to work naturally rather than pose, and check that no confidential information is visible on screens.
What is the difference between CAT A and CAT B photography?
CAT A photography shows the base build and empty floorplate to help let the space. CAT B photography shows the finished, fitted-out workspace to show the design and the delivery. They are different briefs and usually different visits.
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