FEATURED IN LOVE HAPPENS MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE BEST INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS: CAPTURING BEAUTIFUL INTERIORS AROUND THE WORLD

“The art of interior photography is not an easy one. The right light, the right angle, etc. Everything must be just so in order to successfully photograph an interior atmosphere with style. Working tirelessly to capture beautiful interiors by top interior designers from around the world, these 27 interior photographers are some of the best at their craft! So, read on and enjoy!”

A model wearing fabric designed by interior designer Michelle Nussbaumer in one of her interiors is beautifully captured by ©Stephen Karlisch.

“Surely one of the best interior photographers, Stephen Karlisch is also a travel enthusiast and Deadshot aficionado. Over the course of his 15-year career, Stephen has been published in AD, Veranda, Elle Decor, and beyond. “Being able to translate the layers of design to a two-dimensional realm has always been an exciting challenge for me,” says Stephen. Further, as a former architecture student, he has a special eye for photographing interiors. Stephen is more than just a photographer for hire, he works closely with the top interior designers in Texas and throughout the US to help elevate their brand assets for coffee table books, editorial features, and visual archives.”

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Designer Thomas Pheasant at home in Washington DC

A couple of months ago I was being interviewed on the SAID podcast with Jane Dagmi, and at the end of the talk she asked me who some of my favorite designers were. At the top of my list was Thomas Pheasant. Ironically Jane had recently interviewed him for her magazine and I decided to put the wheels in motion to get her to connect us.

A chance trip to DC was planned for a family celebration and I decided to schedule the shoot with Thomas. Everything fell into place with a few short emails and I was all set. Driving to his home I remember being a little nervous, which is strange, I’ve been shooting high profile designers and clients for years, even stuck in an elevator with Giorgio Armani once snapping his portrait, but never felt nerves before. Maybe it was because I had willed this to happen and didn’t want to fail, or let myself down somehow.

All the elements I could ask for were in place, it was a gorgeous day, the sun was hitting the right part of the house when I pulled up, and to top it off he is a PRO. So my job would be easy. After a bit of chit chat and scanning the rooms for a good spot to work, I felt like I had stepped into his instagram feed. His home is everything you would imagine it to be, and it is flawless. Homes like his can create chaos in minds like mine because the visual experience is almost too much to take in, and the options for shots are endless. Luckily he had some great ideas, and the light in the front of his home was perfect, so we stuck to his entry and formal living space to maximize the light.

Someday I would love to explore the rest of the home, and document his space, but feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet and photograph a design hero of mine. Thank you Thomas for the time, and sharing a piece of your home with the world.

Designer Thomas Pheasant catching the morning light in his living room in Georgetown, DC.

People always ask me what is your favorite thing to photograph? Easy, I’ll take an environmental portrait any day. Why? I get to combine my love of shooting interiors with spending time and meeting people usually in a place that is personal and meaningful to them. I get to see a part of their life that many people don’t. One on one on their turf, both intimidating and thrilling at the same time. Throw in the pressure of having to create a portrait that is timeless and tells a little story of who they are, in the blink of an eye or fraction of a shutter click on my camera.

Lela Rose at home in Tribeca

In most of these images I’ve never met my subjects or set foot in their home, so the first thing I’m trying to do is quickly scan the location for the best light and what jumps out at me visually. I tend to shoot most portraits utilizing natural light, and am as low tech as possible to keep things from getting too complicated and stressed. The last thing I want is to look awkward fumbling around with any equipment or analyzing a strobe while they are waiting.

Designer Celerie Kemble in NYC

Celerie Kemble

Photographing Celerie Kemble at home was a great collaboration. The shot on the right in green was a guest room in her home that we reorganized and styled with floral and art for the shot. And her clothing options were on hand to help us decide which outfit was best for the scene(I think we actually shot three versions). Then the shot on the left was at the end of the shoot when I wanted to get some more casual shots of her, more fitting of her personality and style.

Usually I find myself wanting to shoot the entire home, positioning the subject in the spaces sometimes blending in as part of the art and architecture themselves.

Sam Saladino in his living room in Oak Cliff, Texas

Bronson Van Wyck at home, NYC

Depth in an image is crucial for a successful shot. Choosing the right lens and camera position in a tight space can make all the difference between a cramped, distorted shot and a visual treat where you can’t stop looking. The image of Bronson Van Wyck above in his hallway bar at home in NYC was a super tight squeeze for me, but choosing a wide lens to bring it all in to play to showcase the volume of the space and positioning him in a casual pose looking off camera, smoking, gives you the sense you are in the space with him, enjoying a conversation. Below Sam Saladino finds a spot on the floor with his cat, blending in to the maximalist surroundings of his collected home in Dallas.

Sam Saladino on the floor in his Oak Cliff home

I’ll wrap all this up with one of my favorite images from a shoot with musician/songwriter Peter More in his family home in Ft. Worth, Texas. I shot with an old medium format film camera for this shoot, adding an element of mystery to the shoot not knowing what the film would look like, but shooting film is worth it for the thrill of seeing it come out better than you expected.

Musician Peter More, Ft. Worth, Texas. Published in Rolling Stone, Flood Magazine and numerous others.

Bronson Van Wyck

Bronson is a one-namer.  You know, like Bono or Beyonce.  Not sure why I chose to lump him into the entertainer category, since he is usually on the other side of entertainment where the true genius tends to reside.  He makes dreams come to life, and his imagination is only rivaled by his intensity to get shit done.  I met Bronson in New Orleans many years ago.  It was then that I knew I was in the presence of a true artist who could turn a blank empty lot or room into a fantasy, even if it was only for a few hours, and into a memory that would last forever.  

Bronson Van Wyck in his NY living room. Photo by Stephen Karlisch

Bronson Van Wyck in his NY apt bar. Photo by Stephen Karlisch

I’ve been fortunate to document some of the life and times of Bronson along with the rest of his family, the creative forces that make up their thriving business Van Wyck Van Wyck.

Bronson with his family at their family farm in Arkansas for a holiday celebration.

Featured in his new book, Born to Party, Forced to Work: 21st Century Hospitality

Bronson Van Wyck is one of the world’s leading authorities on hospitality, celebrated for a style of entertaining that combines wit and sophistication with the gracious warmth of his Southern upbringing. An event planner of international renown, Bronson has organized some of the most memorable and imaginative parties of the past two decades in locations all over the world. Bronson’s talent and style have drawn clients like Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, Madonna, Beyoncé, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jerry Seinfeld, and Diane von Furstenberg. Bronson also creates strategic event programs for international luxury brands, such as Chanel, St. Regis, Mercedes Benz, Christie’s, Bulgari, Range Rover, and Van Cleef & Arpels among many others. Passionate about giving back, Bronson is a founding member of the Friends of the Highline and was instrumental in the creation of the beloved park, of which he is a trustee, raising millions of dollars as one of the organization’s leading supporters for more than a decade. He also serves on the Board of Directors of The Apollo Theater. An avid traveler, writer, photographer, and host, Bronson resides in New York City.

It was an honor to photograph some of the most avant-garde designs by Van Wyck & Van Wyck. When I got the call about the new book by Bronson, I was not surprised. Born to Party, Forced to Work: 21st Century Hospitality was released on October 23rd by Phaidon.

Bronson, tell us a story…

I never knew that what I do, producing parties, was actually a way to make a living, much less a way to make a life. I got here after an extended process of elimination during which I learned I had no other marketable skills. My mother and I accidentally started our business, Van Wyck & Van Wyck, twenty years ago in 1999. In a way it was an escape for both of us. Me from years of hard living on the Hollywood D-List (with more than a few glorious brushes with the A-, B-, and C-lists) and her from an isolated nest whose birds- like so many in rural America – had flown the coop. We come from a place where parties are given, not produced. And it’s precisely for this reason that what we do seems to work. What is it that we do? Actually, nothing revolutionary. We are taking part in a tradition as old as man, using the same tools to create the same feelings of welcome, of being appreciated, of being taken care of, and of being loved.

Bronson Van Wyck holiday shoot. Photo by Stephen Karlisch

Favorite piece of clothing you own?

I’ve never met a cape I didn’t like

Favorite must read book and why?

Edie: American Girl by Jean Stein. She’s the original influencer!

Bronson in his NY home library. Photo by Stephen Karlisch

What modern design trend makes you cringe?

That faux-hipster Brooklyn Pinterest aesthetic

A skill you’re working on mastering?

Photography. Tell Stephen I want a lesson.

- Bronson, they don’t call me a photo coach for nothing! Let’s chat! - sk

A book that everyone should read?

My publisher would want me to say mine

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If you had one more hour in the day what would you do with it?

Keep the party going.

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Blurbs about his new book:

"This book is like a shot of tequila at the beginning of an unforgettable night. Appropriately so, because serving tequila to guests right when they arrive at our house for a night of revelry is a party trick Bronson van Wyck taught me - and one I highly recommend. In his book, Bronson shows us that being a great host is something we can all achieve. This beautiful book is a fun gift for those who like to entertain, and for the anxious host as well."—Jessica Seinfeld 

"I've watched Bronson van Wyck grow up, as he's turned his passion into a profession. Born to Party, Forced to Work is an inspiring, beautifully written read for anyone who's ever wondered how to make a career out of doing what you love. Bronson's sincerity, graciousness, and sly sense of humor come across in every page. And the pictures of the events make you feel like you were there yourself."—Diane von Furstenberg

"Every party Bronson van Wyck designs is a party you want to attend. And every party is a creative tour de force, full of innovation, great music, wonderful decoration, and an all-encompassing friendly ambience. Energy, joie de vivre, incomparable glamour, vivaciousness, and otherworldly beauty are just a few of the building blocks Bronson employs to accomplish his wizardry at any party venue. This evocative book captures so much of Bronson's work and evokes the range of his amazing talents."—Martha Stewart

Thank you Bronson for sharing your creative spirit and talents with us. To keep the party going head over to Phaidon to buy his newly released Born to Party, Forced to Work: 21st Century Hospitality. Also check your local bookstores or we just found on Amazon too. To learn more and see the multi-talented Van Wyck & Van Wyck head over to their website.

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Are you a client of ours that would love to be featured on our blog?

Shoot us an email at hello@stephenkarlisch.com to find out how.

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Chad Dorsey is a gift in the design world. He's a breath of fresh air in a growing sea of sameness, pushing a narrative of masculine comfort, similar to his personality. When you are in one of Chad's homes, you just want to stay there because everything just feels right. He was trained as an architect and his design is a fluid relationship to the architecture where proportion, light, and scale are as essential as taste and lifestyle. He believes furnishings should be impactful without being overwhelming and rooms should flow and transition seamlessly. I have been fortunate to have photographed Chad’s designs over the past decade. He is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades (scroll down for the long list) and we are excited to share our Q&A with him as well as some of the imagery I have shot for Chad recently. Enjoy!

Chad, tell us a story…

Recently at a shoot I mentioned to Stephen I needed a new portrait for an event.  He appeared to hear the comment but really didn’t acknowledge this comment….. I am thinking should I be wearing something else or maybe I am just not portrait worthy?

Stephen went about the day, shooting the project and taking great shots…. When I least expected it, he said “Hey Chad, get on the bed”.  

Shocked, I wasn’t sure if he was being funny or not.   

Thoughts to myself-

 - we have worked for the past hour to perfect the bed for the shot, and now Stephen wants me to destroy this?  

 - Should I act like I am sleeping?  

Stephen says, “Just do it……  RELAX…..  Act like Kelly Wearstler”

Not sure I ever relaxed, but somehow Stephen always finds a way to pull out some sort of character or spirt in each shot.  This is the really cool unique angle Stephen has.  His humor is another.  I feel like this image was the Telenovela of the entire shoot.

If you need inspiration for a design project, what do you do first?

I like to think of all of my travel and remember experiences that I have had that maybe relevant to a project.

How would you define your work in three words?

Relaxed, Bespoke, Timeless

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Favorite piece of clothing you own?

I have this old grey hoodie that has a cool lining in the hood…. The company that made this hoodie is no longer in business, and well my hoodie isn’t long for this world either.  I wear it all year long…. Inside during the summer…. Outside during the winter… I have even worn it with a sport coat on top.  

What modern design trend makes you cringe? 

Anything purchased as a set or collection….  No matter the budget, find things that make the space unique to the person.  

What is one thing no one knows about you? 

I am not sure that this is a surprise, but I really have to work at being social.  This also goes for social media…. I am super critical of my own work, so one single post takes a lot of thought for me… I have been trying to be more spur of the moment and think less about them and just go with it….

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Favorite city to recharge? 

I love Los Angeles right now.  I go there and become so inspired, yet so relaxed and at ease.  It feels good.

If you had one more hour in the day what would you do with it?

Sleep.

What’s inspiring you in life (in the industry) right now? 

I really like seeing the texture, details, and layers coming back into interiors.  This is happening in both modern and traditional spaces.  I think we are all ready for a lot more dimension after a long more minimal period.

Awards-

• Recipient of three Paper City Design awards in 2018.

  Best Overall Interior Project over 3500 sq

  Best Kitchen

  Best Entertaining Space

• 2019 LCDQ Legends Designer 

• 2019 Veranda Orchid Dinner Designer

• 2019 Hampton Showhouse Designer

• Dpages Blog August 19, 2019

Upcoming National Features in

Traditional Home (Oct 2019)

Interiors Magazine (Sept/Oct 2019)

Western Art & Architecture (Oct 2019)

Thank you Chad for sharing your creative spirit and talents with us. To learn and see more of Chad’s talents please visit his website www.chaddorseydesign.com/

Are you a client of ours that would love to be featured on our blog?

Shoot us an email at hello@stephenkarlisch.com to find out how.