On Wednesday the real estate photographer came to our now-spiffed-up apartment. We had carefully planned the session to maximize the light, but on photo day it was pouring rain.
"No matter," said Amelia. "The photographer can make it work."
When the photographer showed up, he set up a tripod and did time-lapse exposures. But not before the real estate team had "staged" the apartment. They pulled out a chair here, removed a lamp there, placed plants strategically, put in Granny Smith apples to reflect my kitchen paint color, and generally made it look like I was about to throw a party.
I had expected as much, but I was a little surprised when I heard Andrew say to the photographer, "Lose the pipe." He was referring to a little water pipe at the base of our refrigerator which I had always considered part of the charm of a prewar apartment. True, it was probably going to look more prominent in the fish-eye lens photo than it did in real life, but was he going to photoshop out something that was actually there? When I saw the final photo of the kitchen, I realized that yes, he had!
Anyway, I've posted two photos of our living room above--the photographer's and my own, taken within a few minutes of each other, from the same angle. That way you can play spot the differences, too.
Now of course I know they have to do this. You have to be able to see the whole room in the photo to decide whether you're interested in going to the open house, and I want to get people into my apartment just as much as they do. But when my cozy, private self looks at these photos and thinks, "Which room would I rather live in?" I choose my photo, not theirs. My photo is of a room in which you could sit around and have a conversation, take books off the shelf, or (as we did last night) host a chamber group rehearsal. And it's the room I know and love.
***
Update: Just because you asked, I'm putting in the kitchen photos, too. Unfortunately, since I had to move them down, I don't know how to make them enlarge-able.
The graphics look very 1950s magazine, don't they? I like the way there are no shadows under the fruit bowl.
The graphics look very 1950s magazine, don't they? I like the way there are no shadows under the fruit bowl.
5 comments:
I'm enjoying your pictures, Laura, and glad God has provided such able (and interesting!) people to help lighten the load of selling and moving.
This really amazes me! Promoting an image that sells, over reality. But I like reality much better! Having been there, I know how much I love your apartment.
But now you need to put up the kitchen photos so we can see the missing pipe you mentioned! :-)
I love your apartment, Laura.
Oh, and what did you think of Hamsun's book? (I see on the sidebar that you read it.)
Susan
I like your cozy picture better too. But I can only imagine that you need to sell "light and room" in NYC. Please show the kitchen.
Jody
Okay, I've put in the kitchen now, too. Hope you see this!
And Susan, I liked Hamsun's book. I liked the intensity of description, and it was obvious that he had lived through the hunger he described. It makes me wonder what the other people on NYC streets are thinking, and whether any are like Hamsun. It really did have something of a Doestoyevsky-like quality, though without the theological depth that combines with the force of writing to make Doestoyevsky one of my favorite authors.
I have soooo much clutter that not only would I need some to help me (emotionally) to get rid of all the stuff, but also I would need about a year's time!
It gives me heart palpitations to think I might have to move and pack up all.this.stuff.
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