Behind the Scenes of a Germantown Interior Photography Project

I met Michael Gilbride through a mutual friend and colleague, and his career pivot from marketing to interior design immediately caught my attention. His enthusiasm for design was contagious, and as an interior photographer, understanding a client’s vision and unique style is essential. Needless to say, Michael and I hit it off right away.

While photographing a Chelsea apartment for Michael, he shared the story of his upstate home in Germantown, New York—his partner Colin’s childhood house, which the couple inherited and spent two years renovating. The result is a thoughtfully designed retreat from city life, a place to unwind among nature and host guests. This Germantown interior photography project offered a behind-the-scenes look at how atmosphere, light, and material come together in a residential space.

What I love most about the house is the abundance of windows and the way the architecture maximizes natural light. Surrounded by woodland, the space feels deeply connected to nature without sacrificing privacy. As Michael explained, “The throughline through the house was to marry the indoors and outdoors, but a secondary one was to not erase Colin’s family history in the house.”

"The final design of the house maintained the original footprint and shape of the house to preserve its relationship with the land....then, things got much more fun." Michael Gilbride

Around the same time, I met Anthony Santelli, a stylist and art director, through networking on LinkedIn. He and I shared a mutual work experience in advertising and his background in styling interiors in Manhattan, the Hamptons, and Westchester, NY. During our discussions, we explored several ideas for a test shoot and were enthusiastic about collaborating with one another.

Photographing Michael’s home was the perfect opportunity to build my book while collaborating with two talented creatives. I proposed the idea to Michael and Anthony, and we jumped on a call to shape the concept. The goal was to showcase Michael’s design work and create an editorial story suitable for pitching to publications. Shortly after, I traveled to Germantown to scout the property, assess the natural light, and identify focus areas for the shoot.

On the first shoot day, I picked up Anthony at the flower market on 23rd Street in Manhattan, and we headed upstate discussing the shot list and lighting conditions. Once we arrived, Michael gave us a tour, and we immediately got to work.

We began in the living room. Michael already had beautiful decor in place, so the focus was on subtle adjustments—repositioning furniture and refining the bookshelf styling to create a balanced composition. For this image, I wanted to highlight the preserved beams from the original 1800s barn, which now form the structural backbone of the house. I positioned the camera slightly higher to reveal the beams while keeping the furniture grounded in the frame. The wood accents, plants, and minimalist built-ins created a warm yet airy atmosphere.

For this shot, I aimed to capture the beams preserved from the original 1800s barn and now serve as the house's bones. I positioned the camera slightly high enough to reveal the wood beams and keep the furniture, creating a pleasing composition. The wooden accents, plants, and built-in minimalist shelves create a warm yet airy atmosphere.

The view of the Hudson River is the defining feature of both the room and the house itself. We made sure to capture it fully—first by pulling back to show the living room in context, then by turning 180 degrees to narrow the focus and frame the view through the expansive window. The placement of the coffee table and bench was intentionally styled to create a sense of comfort and intimacy. As Michael put it, he wanted the space to “feel as light as possible while you melt into nature.”

When photographing the dining area, I realized a straight-on angle felt too rigid. To better convey depth and movement, I placed the camera on a small tripod atop the kitchen island. A few stubborn water stains on a large window pane required extra attention, so I captured additional frames of the exterior trees and later merged them seamlessly in post-production.

Before After

We decided to spend the remainder of the day photographing the exterior while the weather held. That decision paid off—the following day brought steady rain. Although scaffolding from a roof repair prevented us from capturing the front elevation, we found compelling alternative viewpoints. We photographed the side entrance, rear elevation, and an evening exterior with interior lights glowing for added drama. The back view ultimately became our favorite.

On the second day, we began in the kitchen under soft, overcast light—ideal conditions for interior photography. While the light was beautifully diffused, it was filling the space from three sides and felt too flat. I introduced a diffusion silk and a strobe to add depth and dimension, which also allowed us to capture an environmental portrait of Michael.

Post-production presented its own challenges. Visible scaffolding, an exposed roof repair in the greenhouse, and a bare wood post outside the sink window all required careful retouching. While time-consuming, the final result preserved the integrity of the space without distraction.

Before After

The media room became one of my favorite images from the project. Two windows provided perfectly soft light, eliminating the need for additional lighting. The playful wallpaper contrasted with the otherwise minimal, white-walled interiors and expansive views, giving the room a distinct personality that felt right for the space.

We finished with the master bathroom, where the shower overlooks the Hudson River. Space constraints made a straight-on composition impossible, so I photographed from the doorway at an angle—capturing both the architecture and the view beyond. The master bedroom followed, filled with soft light and grounded by earthy tones and bold antlers. We even captured a few lighthearted outtakes, a reminder that humor always has a place on set.

Overall, the shoot was a success. The story was published in Hudson Valley Living, we created a strong body of work that reflects the collaboration, planning, and creative intent behind the project. I’m grateful to have worked with Michael and Anthony and look forward to future interior photography collaborations.

Couldn't resist the opportunity

Explore more images from this project and additional work on my website.