Ever wished you could take a picture of an entire room? This is the best camera lens for home interior pictures. And it doesn’t distort images, too.
Have you ever noticed when I post house photographs on the blog, you kind of see half a room?
Like this photograph.
You see half the built-ins and one of the chairs and one side of the bookcases and half the window seat.
Frustrating…right?
Are you drinking coffee and sighing at me and saying your half a room looks fine, but what’s across from the couch and what does the entire built-in look like and I really like that pom pom pillow….
….but what about the rest of the space.
I know. I hear you. I get it.
But until Saturday, I didn’t have the right camera equipment to take an entire room photo. I tried. I really, really did. I would back all the way into other rooms and stand on chairs and climb up a ladder to try to take a photograph of then entire space. And sometimes I almost got it. But between us, it never really worked.
Until now.
Meet my new camera lens.
And now here’s how I took home interior pictures of the whole room.
You can see every couch. Every chair. Every bookcase. Every ottoman.
You can even see our old-fashioned floor gate that I’m always trying to crop out of pictures.
And this is just the vertical shot.
Check out when I turn the camera horizontal.
Heeeeellllllllooooooo Nelly.
It captured every detail of the room.
And I didn’t even have to back up. I’m standing at the edge of the room, not in the kitchen on a ladder.
The camera lens is doing all the work to take the best home interior pictures possible.
Here’s the lens.
I have a Canon camera, but I went off-brand with a Sigma. The reviews were excellent and a Canon lens was quite a bit more expensive, so I took a chance.
I love it.
Officially, the lens is a Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC.
The cheapest place I found it was on Amazon. You can read more about the lens and all the details on the Amazon listing here.
I was so excited about how well it worked that I couldn’t wait another minute to share.
A friend shared it with me and I had to pay it forward.
Here’s another photo I took yesterday afternoon.
The camera goes so wide that you can see the ceiling to the floor and everything in between.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever been able to photograph that ceiling medallion before.
And then I spun around and took a picture going down the hall.
This isn’t even as wide as it goes and you can still see all the way from the front entry to the butler’s pantry.
You can see the end of the hallway, too.
Normally, I can only get a portion of the recipe wall in the picture.
But with the new lens, you can see the room view from the island.
So many times when you take home interior pictures with a wide-angle lens, it kind of resembles a fishbowl with curved edges and doesn’t truly represent the space.
With this lens, there’s little, if any, any distortion around the edges of the photograph.
I have three room projects I’m in the middle of, so the lens will work perfectly to capture every detail of the before and after.
No more ladders.
No more taking room photos with a wish and a prayer.
Just a girl and her lens.
And a whole lot of rooms. 🙂
PS You can order the lens here.
PPS Here are my three favorite tips to take amazing photos and my simple tip for sharper photos.
Stunning! Christine
I just have a small digital and my iPhone, but Wow!!! Beautiful!! And those old-fashioned floor grates...those lovelies definitely deserve to be included after all of the hard work they put in over the years!
Weird is not the name for that commercial. WOW. Love the shots. I love your grid on the floor. It says farmhouse. You go girl, go nuts. Have a great week.
That's so cool but I just thought you were taking half room pictures on purpose! I have to admit I love seeing the whole room though. :-) That was one disturbing commercial...it didn't make me want to go buy the product...whatever it was. Yuck!
Amazing pictures! And your home is absolutely beautiful!
What a lovely room! Your floors are gorgeous. May I ask what you used for finish and for maintaining that wonderful shine?
PS Thanks for the photography tips! Have a wonderful, happy week! -Cecilia
Question: Did the sigma lens fit your canon camera?
I love the new perspective. Girl...why you been hiding that ceiling medallion? I know, I know, it was the lens. I love it all! Happy Monday!
I have to say I like your partial room photos but I understand how annoying it is not to be able to show your whole room-design in a photo. The new lens is Wonderful and really allows us to see your entire space as you experience it. No I don't think we have ever seen that ceiling medallion, Love It! Now more importantly, monkeybabypuppy thing is incredibly disturbing!!!! But I suspect everyone is talking about it so I guess that's the point.
Just the words, puppy monkey baby made me laugh hard. Then hubby started saying it over and over and that was our laugh for the night. I have been eye balling one of those lenses and thanks for showing me more reasons to have one.
Beautiful photos, Karianne...and I enjoyed seeing your home this way! And...my pug would probably be up for that costume...
Wow. Thanks for sharing. Your ceiling medallion is amazing and no, we haven't seen it before. Your home is so lovely. I really need to brush up on my photos. I am clicking over to read your tips again. ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~
The puppy monkey baby! Fodder for nightmares...it was awful! Have a great week. :-)
You are so right! Wide angle is the best. Now if f only my wide angle from my print days would work! PS Hated the baby money puppy ad.
What a difference! I can see why you love it. I have a question about one of your other photography tips, if you don't mind. You recommended a tripod similar to the one you own in a previous post, but the link is no longer working. "You want to make sure to get a tripod that extends to at least 6 to 7 feet and has a reversible center pole (perfect for taking overhead pictures). A quick release for the camera is perfect for versatility and allows you to easily charge the camera and remove the SD card." I'm driving myself crazy trying to read reviews and get a good value. Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks so much for all the inspiration. It's time to get serious about my photos!
What model canon do you have and what software do you use to edit your photos?
Such great information and the photos are exquisite. I have a question though. I often want to Pin your articles for reference' but for the life of me, I can't figure out how to do this. I have gone on your Pinterest site to see if I can find the article there and Pin directly from there. But I can never find your blog article. Help! I so want to have this info for reference. Thank you
All this time I thought you had slippers and newspapers and magazines and dog toys and dust balls in the unseen half of the room just like I do....darn! Your pix are gorge!!!!
LOVE IT ALL, KARIANNE! THANKS! Feel like I just got a bunch of presents today! Fun to better understand your house, and so, so grateful for the photo tips! I have a Sigma 17-70mm on a Canon, but my pics never look like yours, so you have to take credit for your great photography skills! And thank you, thank you, thank you for the tips! And yes, that puppybabymonkey was just flat out creepy.
Love the photos and of course, your beautiful home. In the last photo, what color is on your walls and ceiling? Also, what color is on the ceiling in your entryway?
It drives me nuts when people take shot after shot of the same close-up of the same thing(not you of course) I always want to see more. But I am relieved to know I will still get to see the close-ups. Your home is even more lovely in wide angle.
Hi KariAnne, amazing what the right lens will reveal. I've never looked into this lens before but I will after seeing the difference in final shots. Your rooms are truly lovely and it's wonderful to be able to see so much more in the photo. Looking forward to seeing your rooms in a whole new way now. Happy day!
You and Spencer will have to compare camera stuff. I get to enjoy your talents while you two all of the hard work. BTW, thank you for a fantastic weekend :)
Your home is so beautiful with all your touches:) - and the "lens":) isn't it funny how the smallest things can make everything almost new all over again! Have a great day:)
Love all of your pictures and the new camera lens! I am in love with the burlap fabric that you have the camera lens on.......would love to know the manufacturer or where to purchase this fabric.
Puppymonkeybaby! LOL and weinie dogs and singing sheep. And babies in the womb sprinting toward Doritos! It was a fun night. NOW. I feel as though I have finally paid you a visit. I understand room relationships and everything. Love that new lens. If only I could pour your knowledge into my brain that new lens might work for me. Until then.... oh mr professional... i need you.... again. xoxo
Wide angle lenses are a blessing. So is a tripod. Beautiful house, glad we can see all of the rooms now when you choose to share with us:)
Love to read your blog posts! Did I miss the February graphic download? I enjoyed hanging the January one. Just wondering.
Always enjoy your blog and photos of your home. These are wonderful, helps me understand the layout better. Thanks for sharing your lovely, unique home, floor grate and all.
Love the new camera lens pictures! Please take more pictures of the rest of your home and post. About the commercial, puppies, monkeys and babies sell products. I personally thought it was a little scary.
Lovely photos of a truly wonderful home. Now would you please take some photos of your kitchen ! We are doing a update of our kitchen so I'm looking for inspiration and what better place to look than at the masters kitchen! When we bought our 1950 home 8 yrs ago it still had all the original cabinets and mauve goose wallpaper. Not a good look. New cabinets but by the time we got around to the counters we ran out of money. So now we are ready to up date but what to do? HELP!
Wow! Amazing what a lens can do!
Thanks for the recommendation, Karianne! I'll have to add that lens to my list for next Christmas, or birthday or win the lotto! I have a Canon, also!
I absolutely had no idea a lens could even do that! Thank you for the info- I'm totally checking them out now. And I didn't think your home could be any more gorgeous. I was wrong. It is absolutely beautiful from every angle!☺️
Love! Love! Love!! ❤️
Love the photos - I didn't know a lens could do all that. I have got to get brave and move away from my little point and shoot...the one that doesn't have a shut off for the flash. Ugh. Your post has inspired me to move forward...thanks! And Happy Chinese New Year! https://doodlet.me/2016/02/gung-hay-fat-choy-2/
I feel like I have finally entered your front door for the first time! The pictures are amazing- time for an all new home tour!
Love, Love, Love!!! Your home is beautiful!
Re: the Super Bowl commercial, on the Today Show last Friday, they had one of those commercial experts on showing previews of the upcoming SB commercials. He said the PuppyMonkeyBaby commercial was making fun of the fact that most successful SB commercials involve either cute puppies, cute monkeys or cute babies (remember the Etrade commercials a few years ago)? Now, for more important things, I love seeing how your rooms are related to each other and the flow of your floorpan. Seeing your color palette as a whole makes it all the more gorgeous! I too would like to know the paint color of your entry ceiling and well, all your paint colors. Could you, or have you ever posted a complete list? I've never commented before on your blog, but your humor and 1980's references absolutely crack me up! Love it!
Absolutely Beautiful Museum Quality Pictures! Congrats on the new addition to your blog!!! Click Away Please!! :)
I've also heard Sigma is a good brand from one of my photographer friends..I've been debating the wide angle lens for a while myself. I love these shots because it really gives me a sense of how your house flows, love that! Yeah, what was up with that commercial? It was a little creepy! I liked the wiener dogs racing to the ketchup, that was a cute one, but otherwise, I wasn't impressed with the commercials this year.
Wow! What a huge difference a camera lens makes....I don't know too much about cameras, but the photos are wonderful and give a better perspective of your rooms, decor, colors, etc. We watched the Super Bowl (yay Denver!) and really enjoyed the commercials. The puppy, monkey, baby one was just weird...and a bit creepy! Hard to say which one was our favorite, but the singing sheep was really cute! Not to mention the Doritos commercials and the "hot dogs" racing to the ketchup! Happy Monday....
More - I need to see More... I feel like I finally had a real house tour, and I loved everything! That lens is amazing, and so are you, by the way :)
Lovely shots,thanks for sharing!
Oh, this is wonderful!! Now we can finally see how the rooms fit together. Love it so much!!
Well that camera lens certainly looks fab! but how fabulous was last night's episode of Downton Abbey?! After being treated to Bruno Mars at half-time, the Crawley's were just perfect for dessert, right? How priceless was that scene with the errant child voyeur in Lord Grantham's bedroom! and Maggie Smith's vehemence (and spit) just shot right off the screen into family rooms across the country and don't you just love, love, love the headbands (not to mention the gowns) Edith and Mary are wearing this season! oh the detail Everyone is getting pointed in a new direction and loose ends are being tied up all around. While I do not look forward to the completion of the whole drama, I will look forward to seeing the photos of your whole rooms, with every detail addressed.
Um, who would watch football when Downton is on? WHERE are your priorities???? ;) And where did you get the chandelier in the first photo?
Truly stunning photos of a truly gorgeous home! This lens was such a great find, KariAnne...I love how it not only allows us to see the entire room, but I can actually get a much better feel for the layout of your house now! Because I am spatially-challenged, whenever you described the layout of your home before I'd be like..."uuuh huh...mmmm hmmmm...I see...okay....yes", but what I really meant was "HUH???" I never truly got it before seeing these pix...this is like a huge "Uh-Huh" moment for me instead of just a huge "HUH???"...hehe! Okay...I didn't watch the Super Bowl so I have no unearthly idea what puppy-monkey-baby is but you know I'm going to have to go look it up on youtube now because I just can't leave well enough alone. This always gets me into trouble, but I never learn! :)
I am so happy for you and pea green with envy at the same time :-( I am pinning this because I have been wanting a big girl's camera for the longest time. I KNOW my photos would be better. I want a 50mm or a 100mm lens but I can't switch out lens on my camera. Frustrating but I am working with what I have. Your photos always look amazing and now they'll be super duper amazing. Glad for you and all of the rooms in your house plus all of the other rooms you will photograph. Have a wonderful day!! Hugs!
I am so happy you shared this!! I have been trying forever to find the right size lens to get a whole room shot. And that medallion is just stunning!
Ahhhhhh! I just knew that I knew that I knew that I loved that room. Great information; I need that lens.
Your spaces are beautiful! Now I'm off to hunt for a wide angle lens for my Nikon. I think it would be a good Valentine's day present. ;)
So that's how "they" do it! Now I understand why magazine photos of rooms always look so fabulous! However, I loved your photos without the lens too, but it's really nice to get the "big picture".
The first thing I noticed was the lack of distortion. Wow, I can't believe how much of the room you are able to capture with this lens. I think Mama needs one of these. Added to my 2016 Santa Wish List. Maybe I'll have more luck this Christmas - the last two I asked for a Cameo Silhouette and I'm still silhouetteless. Looking forward to seeing more action shots with this lens.
Beautiful!! I love how the picture isn't distorted or stretched!
LOVE seeing your rooms in their entirety!! And thanks for the tips - I've just started a staging company so taking good photos is HUGE!
Gorgeous! My 10-24 is well used as well! Love it, not too much distortion! Now, excuse me while I feel a massive need to go clean my house.. egads girl. Not a dust bunny to be seen over yonder...
Gorgeous!!! I know what I'll be asking the hubby for birthday/Mother's Day this year. ;) Your photography is always stunning. And um...yeah that puppy monkey baby. I think I'm scarred for life.
Well helllllo Nelly to you, too! Now we can finally see how the rooms at Thistlewood (I say that just like "Downton" lol) flow!! I am thrilled you got a new lens!! Love, love!! : ) p.s. Puppy monkey baby gave me nightmares!
Wow. What a difference. I will definitely check into that lens. Would you mind sharing the brand and style of tripod you use. Shelly
I am in love with the second to the last shot--Wow! Who knew a lens could make so much difference? As far as the puppy-monkey-baby goes, that is all my junior high students could talk about today! I wish they could memorize important information as much as they retained all that creepiness! I plan on incorporating that commercial into my lesson plan tomorrow.....
Where did you get that area rug with the paisley pattern. It is so pretty!
Omg! I want need have to have that floor gate that your trying to hide?? WHY?? It's incredible!!!
I'm seeing you home in a whole new way. Makes my heart beat fast. Simply lovely!
Your floors are gorgeous, as is the rest! What type of finish, please!
Thank you! I had contacted you regarding this very subject, and God bless you, you've made me a happy girl! LOVE seeing the whole room and my little brain not having to work so hard to piece it all together. Blessings on you and your new lens! Beautiful shots.
I want your house lol. Finally decided to check your blog out on my PC because I couldn't post comments using my IPad very often. xo
Yes, I totally see the difference! It's on my wish list as soon as I can afford to upgrade my camera ;-). Always love seeing photos of your beautiful home!!
Totally wonderful!! Will it also be awesome for landscaping shots? Yes, I'm ready for Spring. This was just a SILLY snow, if you ask me. ;)
Love your blog. I would like some information as to where I might find the 123 pillow and the two arm chairs in this post.
These look fabulous. Love the built in seat... I really want one like that, but the best windows for it are just too low to the ground. Love love love pictures taken with a wide lens. I found a wide angle lens for my camera cheap on Amazon... I'm slightly suspicious that it will be junk at the price. But I don't want to drop a ton of money because I plan to eventually upgrade to a better camera and I may switch from my Nikon to a Canon. I may give it a try. Can't be worse than what I have (cough).
Congrats on the new lens! It really is amazing. I know somewhere on your blog you had all the paint colors you used in your house. I love the color in the kitchen, it looks like butter...what color is it? I will continue looking to see if I can find it on my own. Your home is perfection.xoxo
Your home is beautiful at any angle. Thanks for the tip on the lens. I've had a Canon lens on my wish list for months now. I just was not feeling the price. Thanks to you I got a better lens than the one I originally wanted for just a few dollars more. The one I originally wanted was only a 10-18. Thanks again KariAnne! You're a doll.
Oh my Goodness Karianne! Seeing whole rooms at one time make me fall in love with your house all over again;) Great job! Tracy
wow. just wow. Your photography is just beautiful! I have been looking for a good lens to buy for interior photos and you have just sold me! (Although, I'm sure my photos won't look half as good as yours.) We flip houses and need a good lens for real estate listings and I was getting so frustrated not being able to get a good wide angle shot! So thank you so much for sharing! Quick question - will this lens work on my dumpy old Canon T1? I saw in the reviews that it only works on crop bodies which mine is - so I'm hoping I'm good to go! thanks again!