Shifting Focus: Where Heritage Meets Light

Design by Kate Towell, Photography by Tori Sikkema Photography

The air turns crisp. The light turns amber. And somewhere between the stillness of summer and the urgency of fall, there’s a moment worth capturing. As the season shifts, so does our focus. The air cools, the days shorten, and most importantly, the light changes—it softens, warms, and lingers. It catches on fabric folds, carves shadows across wood, and glows in ways that beg to be remembered. September asks us to look more closely. At what endures. At what softens. At what deserves to be seen in its best light.

Lately, I’ve found inspiration in the way film and architecture echo this shift. A film like Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) has been especially inspiring. With its golden light and painterly stillness. It reminds me that the most intimate images are often the most enduring. It’s that warmth and emotional presence I bring to each interior I photograph. Spaces that don’t shout for attention but whisper legacy through layered textiles, curated antiques, and the kind of lighting that editors love: warm, directional, fleeting.

Designers trust me to tell their story through images—just as carefully as they curated every object, every layer, every corner. My editorial process honors those decisions with clarity, intention, and a strategy rooted in how editors think. If your recent work leans into heritage luxury, fall layering, or seasonal styling, now is the time to preserve it. My editorial process is deeply rooted in storytelling and strategy—ensuring your work is not only captured beautifully, but positioned thoughtfully for publication, portfolio, and client attraction.

Design by Kate Towell, Photography by Tori Sikkema Photography

As the day fades, the dining room glows with warmth. The play of shadow and sun across the wood table captures the intimacy and invitation editors crave.

Heritage Luxury in Design

We’re seeing a return to form and feeling—one where vintage silhouettes, antique finishes, and curated quiet corners lead the story. As Fred Nicolaus wrote in Business of Home, RH’s recent acquisition of storied brands is a sign of the times: people are craving connection, provenance, and spaces with soul. From showhouses to flea markets, designers are layering memory into every project. And fall, with its amber light and natural contrast, is the perfect lens through which to photograph that story. Even the quietest corners hold power when captured with purpose.

Design by Kate Towell, Photography by Tori Sikkema Photography

A vignette of heritage luxury: vintage stool, patinated tile, and tulips reaching toward the light. Proof that even the quietest corners carry story when captured at the right moment.

Why Photography Matters Now

Design alone isn’t enough. What matters is how it’s seen and how it’s felt. Editors are looking for interiors that tell a story: a quiet corner lit by late-afternoon sun, a textile glowing softly in golden light, a vintage find given pride of place. Clients want to imagine themselves in your story. Photography inspired by quiet luxury, timeless design, and emotional resonance transforms your work from image…into invitation. That’s what gets editors to publish your work in Elle Decor, House Beautiful, or Architectural Digest.

This Fall: Capture the Shift

Fall offers a natural shift in mood that aligns with heritage luxury. Now is the time to invest in photography that captures warmth and belonging in your projects. Because great design deserves more than documentation—it deserves to be remembered. If your fall projects are ready to be seen in their best light, let’s create imagery that reflects their depth and story.

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