The Orchard By Affirmed Housing | San Diego Residential Photography

There is something so special about working on commercial residential photography shoots - I can’t get enough of them! Highlighting the warm environment and modern interiors really capture what makes each space a unique and homey living space. This proved to be exactly the case when working on my first shoot with Affirmed Housing to photograph their mixed-use, urban infill development affordable housing project, The Orchard.

What makes this project even more special is being able to highlight the work of two impeccable designers. Studio E Architects worked tirelessly to design a sophisticated, yet welcoming exterior that utilized complementary tones and finishes. As for the interior, DesignX Architecture + Interiors utilized really cool textures and colors to welcome residents in with an inviting feel.

The goal of this shoot was to capture exteriors and interiors of the 3 main buildings, plus the community center/pool area. It was a pleasure to work with such a fantastic program doing such positive work for affordable housing in the community and I loved how the shoot turned out!

How I Planned This Residential Photography Shoot

As soon as I started planning this shoot, I knew lighting would be the most important part to consider. As a San Diego residential photographer, I’ve done my fair share of shoots working with the sun, but the exterior detail required a lot of finessing to highlight all the unique aspects.

The second most important part was guaranteeing the photos highlighted the welcoming exterior to the fullest extent. There are so many deliberate touches throughout the entire 5-space project, so angles were key to get as much into a photo as possible.

With this project being such a creatively designed space (for both the interior and exterior), I couldn’t wait for shoot day to get started!

Highlighting The Modern Interior

DesignX Architecture + Interiors has created what is arguably one of the swankiest residential interiors I’ve ever photographed. They utilized a lot of darker woods and metals to create a really modern interior that is still grounded in warmer tones.

I focused on using corner angles to capture as much of the area as I could. As for the depth, I preferred a straight-on approach to mimic what residents will see living in each of the spaces. Each and every space photographed more beautifully than the next!

Showing Off The Beautiful Exterior

The hard work of Studio E. Architects is apparent the second you step foot onto The Orchard property- it is stunning! The white exterior combined with warm brown features creates an oasis-like feel that nods to California. While the lighting may not have been my friend throughout this entire shoot, it was all worth it in the end to see how vibrant the colors and features popped against the blue sky.

Anticipating The Sun’s Movement

I just had a feeling the lighting on the day of the shoot would be tricky- and boy was I right! While many photographers can get frustrated when lighting comes out too bright, being a San Diego residential photographer has prepared me to go with the flow. I even had to run out to a median to get the perfect sunlight to highlight three of the buildings. No one said a photographer’s job was ever boring!

By using strategic angles and a lot of patience, I was able to perfectly capture the gorgeous details created by Studio E. Architects that really welcome residents in.

Working With Different Equipment

I cannot emphasize this enough: The Orchard is huge! I wanted to capture as much of the grounds as possible, so I worked with multiple cameras during the length of the shoot. My wide 17mm camera proved to be perfect for some of the exterior shots I’d been planning, but I managed to capture the majority of the shoot with a 24mm.

Haley’s Pro Tip: Be flexible when your initial plans require changing! I had planned a lot of the shoot to be using the 24mm, but my 17mm proved to be ideal when I was actually there. Although it was not my original plan, the end results looking good is all I was looking for!

It truly was such a pleasure to work with Affirmed Housing to photograph The Orchard and capture the welcoming work environment they created for all their residents. If you’re interested in photographing your next residential project, please don’t hesitate to reach out using this form here to inquire about upcoming availability.

TO CAPTURE YOUR NEXT PROJECT, CLICK BELOW:

Architect: Studio E Architects

Interior Design: DesignX Architecture + Interiors

General Contractor: HA Builder Group

Engineers: Kettler Leweck (civil), DCG, Inc (structural), BTA Engineers, Inc (mechanical), Electrical Design, Inc (electrical)

Landscape Design: landLAB, Helix Environmental Planning

Other Parties: Sign Post Studio (signage), Max Moses (muralist)