More Than Just a Fresh Coat: What Painting a Room Taught Me About Photography
When my husband and I bought our house, we knew we’d eventually make some changes. But since it was move-in ready, we figured we’d live in it for a while first and decide what projects were worth tackling.
The house is over 40 years old, and the previous owners had already done quite a bit of updating—including repainting the entire interior and exterior. Before that, every room had been a different color, some of them dark and sun-faded. To keep things simple, they went with a light margarine-yellow shade. Not the worst color, but definitely not my favorite. And the kicker? Every single wall in the house was that same yellow.
I ended up choosing a soft, neutral white with a hint of gray called Polar Bear. If I’m being honest, the name alone made me love it even more. Anything involving animals makes me happy!
One morning, on the spur of the moment, I emptied the room and declared it painting day. I was ready to dive in. But my husband, who used to paint for a living in college, gave me the look.
He knew what I didn’t want to admit: painting is 90% prep work. And as much as I wanted to grab a brush and get started, he promised me that if we did it the right way, it would be worth it.
So, we got to work.
We took down the window treatments.
Removed the doors from their hinges.
Took off all the light switch covers.
Moved out every piece of furniture.
Washed the walls.
Laid down drop cloths.
Taped everything off.
Took down the ceiling fan
The process was tedious. It didn’t do my “let’s make it pretty already” mindset any favors.
Finally, it was time to paint. While my husband cut in along the edges and corners, I followed behind with a big roller brush. It was so satisfying to see the yellow disappear. Next, we tackled the closet, which has built-in shelving. Great for storage, but a nightmare for painting. Every surface - top, bottom and sides, needed fresh paint.
After everything dried, I could’t help but notice hints of yellow. Maybe I was imaging it after staring at it for so many years. But to be sure, we painted a second coat. Now, we were done.
As I worked, I couldn’t help but think about how similar painting is to photography.
When I photograph pets and their people, I always tell clients: the actual picture happens in a split second, but the preparation takes much longer.
Scouting locations, checking lighting conditions, guiding families on what to wear, setting up poses, getting the dog’s attention—it all happens before I even press the shutter button. Then, in less than a second, the perfect family portrait is captured.
Could I take a decent photo without all that prep? Probably. But would it be as good? Definitely not. Just like with painting, the effort beforehand makes all the difference.
Once the walls were done, we painted the doors, replaced the dated hinges and doorknobs, rehung the window treatment and swapped out the old, faded light switch plates for fresh new ones. And just like that, my office was transformed.
The best part? Now, every time I walk into the room, I love it. The space feels brighter, fresher, and so much more inspiring.
Was it a lot of work? Absolutely. Was it worth it? Without a doubt.
At least… until I decide I want a new color again. 😉