Ian Warren
Interior / Architectural Photographer
New York, NY
Q What do you do?
“I go into homes, studios, showrooms, and landscapes and capture the hard work and passion of interior designers, architects, and furniture brands.”
Essentially, I take pictures of everything from breathtaking interiors to your next favorite couch.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I spent a lot of time asking for permission. After I fell in love with architectural photography, I went around to nearby homes, dropping notes in their mailboxes asking if I could photograph their homes. I also reached out to architects asking if I could photograph their projects. Those two strategies led to my first commercial and published projects.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I excel at keeping lines straight. It seems silly, but that is my most frequent praise from clients. I work hard to capture everything as it is thoughtfully presented—from the big picture to the small details that make the project unique. I keep colors natural, take time to make certain lines are straight, and don't go crazy in post. These elements combine to make you feel like you're right there in the room with me when looking at the final product.
Q What are you working on right now?
Right now, I'm working on expanding my practice outside of Colorado. There is so much excellent design out there, and I want to capture it all.
Q What’s your style?
My style is natural, warm, and lifestyle focused. I prefer darker shadows and lean slightly towards moodier images. I also prefer to have people in the scene staged as if they're going about their daily lives. You can see some examples on my Interiors page.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I would love to focus more on portraits of people in a space—using the room to help tell the person's story and vice-versa. I think this is often an overlooked opportunity because we get so focussed on the layout of a room or the furniture.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
What frustrates me the most is that clients expect real estate prices (typically around $400 for a 1 hour shoot) for interior or exterior shoots. While they're similar, realtors only use photos for a month or two, while a designer may use an image for the lifetime of their business—which should cost more.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
If I could pay someone $20/hour to make my day easier, I would put them in charge of all invoicing.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I wish I could've told myself in undergrad to pay attention or seek more business classes/experience. Instead, I had a great education on focusing my creativity, being productive, and staying curious. When you're young, you don't think about the business side of art, and now I realize that's a significant part of making a living as an artist.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I'd like to learn how to get more prominent clients. Right now, most of my work comes from referrals, but I'd like to know how to land clients like Anthropologie or CB2.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I'm looking for commercial projects working with brands on launching a new product or advertising campaign or working with hospitality brands like restaurants and hotels.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My ideal client would be a boutique hotel that wants a lifestyle-focused shoot showcasing unique design and experience. That client would have a general direction they want to go in but be open to my creative direction. I love when a shoot is a collaboration based on a general road map instead of a highly planned shot list. One of my favorite clients is a furniture company where we have a general shot list and work together to create interesting scenes as we move through the space.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
The best way to approach me about working together is to email me with details about the project, budget, and location. Instagram works, too but email is easier for me to keep track of.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Two creatives I really admire are
Nicole Franzen (@nicole_franzen)
Nicole is doing amazing work and brings warmth to everything she shoots. I love how natural and welcoming everything she shoots feels.
and Matthew Williams (@matthewwilliamsphotographer)
Matt was one of the first photographers I reached out to for advice, and he encouraged me to dive in and shoot full-time. I love how he captures people in spaces and creates a natural feel.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
I stay creative by working on personal projects.
This member profile was originally published in March 2023