It’s Perfect Photography Season: Start Planning Your 2027 BRICCAwards Entries Now

The 2027 BRICC Awards may still feel far away, but the strongest award entries rarely come together at the last
minute.

Summer and early fall offer some of the best opportunities to photograph completed projects across Cape Cod.
Landscapes are full, gardens are established, outdoor living spaces are in use, and natural light can help showcase
a project at its very best.

That makes now the perfect time to consider which projects you may want to enter in the 2027 BRICC
Awards—and to begin gathering the photographs, project details, and supporting materials that will help tell their
stories.

A little preparation now can save a great deal of rushing next summer.

 

Begin With Your Best Recent Work

Think back over the projects your company has recently completed or expects to finish in the coming months.
Which ones best represent your team’s capabilities? Consider projects that demonstrate:

• Exceptional craftsmanship
• Thoughtful architectural or interior design
• Creative problem-solving
• A dramatic renovation or transformation
• Technical complexity
• Energy efficiency or sustainable building practices
• A successful collaboration among several industry partners
• A particularly strong response to the client’s needs
• Innovative marketing, branding, or professional achievement

Do not limit yourself to the largest or most expensive projects. A smaller project with a compelling story, a difficult
challenge, or beautifully executed details may make an excellent award entry.

Create a working list now, even if you are not yet certain which projects you will ultimately submit.

 

Schedule Photography While Projects Look Their Best

For project-based categories, strong photography is one of the most important parts of an award entry. Judges may
never experience the space in person, so the photographs must communicate its quality, character, and
craftsmanship.

Whenever possible, schedule professional photography while:

• Landscaping is healthy and established
• Outdoor spaces are staged and in use
• Pools, patios, and gardens are open for the season
• Natural light is favorable
• The project is clean, furnished, and free of construction materials
• Seasonal homes are occupied and accessible
• Clients and project partners are available to assist with preparation

Waiting until award season may mean photographing an exterior after leaves have fallen, trying to access a
seasonal property on a tight deadline, or discovering that the homeowner has changed furnishings or landscaping
that were central to the original design.

Photographing now gives you greater control—and gives your photographer time to capture the project properly.

 

Capture More Than the Hero Shot

A beautiful wide-angle image may grab attention, but a complete award submission requires photographs that
support the entire project story.

In addition to overall views, consider capturing:

• Custom millwork and cabinetry
• Material transitions
• Architectural details
• Lighting features
• Specialty finishes
• Before-and-after views
• Indoor-outdoor connections
• Structural or engineering solutions
• Landscape and hardscape details
• Features created specifically for the client

Photograph anything you may want the judges to notice later. It is much easier to edit down a strong collection of
images than to discover months from now that an important detail was never documented.

 

Record the Story While It Is Fresh

Project details become harder to remember over time. As you identify potential BRICC entries, begin documenting
the information that will eventually form the foundation of your submission.

Record:

• The client’s original goals
• Existing conditions
• Site, zoning, structural, or design challenges
• Creative solutions developed by the team
• Custom features or unusual materials
• Energy-efficient or resilient building strategies
• Historic elements that were preserved
• Ways the project evolved during construction
• How the completed work improved the client’s experience
• The names and roles of project collaborators

Ask the project manager, architect, designer, or lead craftsperson to contribute notes while the work is still fresh in
their minds. Details that feel obvious today may be difficult to reconstruct a year from now.

 

Organize Project Credits Early

Exceptional projects are collaborative. Before award season arrives, confirm the builders, remodelers, architects,
interior designers, landscape professionals, engineers, suppliers, craftspeople, and other partners who contributed
to each project.

Maintaining accurate credits now will help your company:

• Properly recognize every participant
• Coordinate potential joint entries
• Avoid conflicting or duplicate submissions
• Obtain photographs and information from project partners
• Secure any necessary client permissions
• Present a more complete and accurate project story

It also creates an opportunity to reconnect with collaborators and begin discussing how the project may be
promoted.

 

Review the Entry From a Judge’s Perspective

As you evaluate potential projects, consider what would make each one compelling to an industry judge.
A winning entry needs more than attractive photographs. It should clearly demonstrate why the project is
exceptional.

Ask:

• What was particularly challenging?
• What did the team do that required unusual expertise?
• What makes this project different from similar work?
• Is there a clear transformation or problem solved?
• Do the photographs provide evidence of the claims we would make?
• Can we clearly explain the project’s impact on the client?
• Does the project align naturally with a specific award category?

The strongest entries combine excellent visuals with a clear, specific story.

 

Create a BRICC Folder for Each Potential Entry

A simple organizational system can eliminate a great deal of stress when submissions open.

Create a folder for each project and begin collecting:

• High-resolution photographs
• Before images
• Project descriptions
• Team and company credits
• Client testimonials
• Technical information
• Construction or design challenges
• Sustainability details
• Media coverage
• Client photography permissions
• Links to relevant webpages or portfolios

You may ultimately decide not to enter every project, but having the materials organized will make that decision
much easier.

 

Bonus Opportunity: Consider At Home Editorial

As you prepare projects for professional photography, consider whether they may also be a strong fit for At Home
editorial coverage.

A thoughtfully designed, beautifully photographed project may have value beyond an award submission. Editorial
consideration can provide another opportunity to highlight the work, recognize the project team, share the client’s
story, and showcase the exceptional talent found throughout Cape Cod’s building and design community.

Planning photography and gathering project information with both opportunities in mind can help you get even
more value from the time and resources invested.

When considering a project for editorial submission, think about what makes it interesting to a broader audience. Is
there a meaningful renovation story, an unusual property, a creative design solution, a historic connection, or a
particularly engaging collaboration?

A project with a strong narrative and a complete collection of professional images may be well positioned for both
editorial and award consideration.

 

Avoid the Last-Minute Rush

Every year, companies begin preparing award submissions only to discover that they are missing photographs,
project credits, technical details, permissions, or input from collaborators.

Starting now means you can:

• Photograph projects during the ideal season
• Gather more complete information
• Coordinate with the entire project team
• Select categories thoughtfully
• Prepare stronger written narratives
• Explore editorial opportunities
• Submit work that reflects the same care and professionalism as the project itself

The deadline may be months away, but the best time to begin preparing a winning entry is while your
projects—and the stories behind them—are still fresh.

 

Start Planning for 2027

Take a look at your recent and upcoming projects. Identify the ones that deserve greater recognition, schedule
photography while Cape Cod is looking its best, and begin gathering the details that will help your work stand out.

Your future self—calmly preparing a polished BRICC Awards entry instead of chasing photographs and project
credits at the last minute—will be very glad you started now.