Frame by Frame #3: Exterior + Interior Flow

Aleksey Volchek -

🏡 Exterior: Framing the Whole Picture

We start strong — the front of the house looks good, but something’s missing at first glance. When the garage becomes the focus, make sure to step in and crap out distractions (yup, that’s our term for cropping). 📸

  • 🟢 House number shot was solid
  • 🔄 Suggestion: Take a couple of steps forward, reframe for landscaping emphasis
  • ⚠️ Watch for neighbor’s elements like fences — they sneak in!

🚪 Doorways, Flow & Layout Logic

Interior flow matters. Let’s not confuse the viewer.

  • ❗We jumped from a door close to us straight into a bedroom across the house. That’s disorienting.
  • ✅ Try to build a narrative: nearest room first, farthest room later
  • 🧭 Visual continuity makes the gallery feel like a walkthrough, not a jump cut

🪟 Wide-Angle Warnings: Be Honest About Scale

That ultra-wide lens? Double-edged sword. It can make a modest window look Titanic.

  • 🚫 If you use the full field of view, expect visual distortion
  • ✅ Better: Frame just the edge of the window to ground the viewer in reality
  • 👟 A window sill shouldn't look like it hits your sneakers unless it actually does

🧱 Show the Corners!

Corners matter. They define space.

  • 🛑 We lost them in some primary bedroom shots
  • 🛠️ Fix: Change your angle slightly to bring in third-wall references — adds depth
  • 🪟 Vaulted ceilings saved one shot, but don’t rely on ceiling features alone

🚪 The Portal Problem

Leaving doors open into deep, dark rooms looks... strange. Like a portal to Narnia but without the charm.

  • 🚪 Open doors only when they serve the shot
  • 🔒 Otherwise, close them and frame intentionally
  • 🧠 Think: “What am I really showing here?”

🛁 Vanity vs. Shower

What’s the focus?

  • 🔄 In some shots, the vanity and the shower competed for attention
  • 🧼 Fix: If it’s a vanity shot, let the shower show up in the mirror — not half-open in the background like a glitch in the Matrix

🪟 Reveal the Room, Not the Wall

Don’t let big walls dominate the foreground.

  • 💡 Step into the space
  • 🪟 Frame the window fully or hint at it — don’t let it feel chopped
  • 📐 If the room’s layout is awkward, use follow-up shots to explain it visually

🧼 Details That Shine: Floors & Counters

  • 🟩 Good instinct: Highlight marble counters and interesting surfaces
  • 🎯 Rule of thumb: If it looks expensive, give it a close-up
  • 🚿 Shower floors too — they help buyers feel the space

🧡 Final Impressions

This set shows a growing eye for detail. Yes, there are some quirky crops and layout hiccups — but the wins far outweigh the misses.

  • 📷 Use doors and corners to guide the eye
  • 🏛️ Keep perspective natural
  • 🥇 Excellent coverage overall — proud of this gallery!

💬 Want more breakdowns like this?

This is just one of 100 Frame by Frame photo feedback sessions we’re committed to sharing publicly. These aren’t just tips — they’re lessons in the making.

👉 Check out the full post (with images) on our zine:
🔗 virtualopen.house/zine/frame-by-frame

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