The second step is at least just as important: perspective. Once the question of lighting has been addressed for the moment, we take a look around the room. What exactly do we want to highlight? Is it the bed in a hotel room? Is the bar in a restaurant a special feature? Should a conference room be photographed from the speaker’s point of view or rather from that of a participant?

From which angle does the interior look most appealing, and how can reflections from light sources in pictures, mirrors, or windows be avoided—unless they actually contribute to the composition?

In most cases, it works well to photograph into a corner. This creates depth and makes the room appear larger. Quite often a room also looks more attractive when photographed from a lower position; roughly the eye level of a ten-year-old child.

Finally, the effective focal length should usually be between 16 and 24 millimeters. Go above that and it becomes difficult to capture the full sense of the space. Go below it and you risk dealing with strong optical distortions.