My friend and client Kent Lineberger called a few weeks ago to plan a shoot at a remote mountain/lake retreat that he had designed for a Charlotte NC family. When Kent said I would want to pack a bag and stay over the weekend, he wasn't kidding. Our host family greeted us in the driveway with an invitation to the homemade lunch they were serving on the enclosed porch. Interior designer Anita Holland and her team were busy inside making last minute preparations. From the enthusiasm of the architect to the hospitality of the homeowners and the true pleasure of working with the designer, I realized this is why I do what I do.
Thank you Kent, Anita, and everyone else for such an enjoyable afternoon. NEXT time, I WILL bring a toothbrush and stow away in the upstairs sleeping porch when no one is looking.
A few days after the shoot, Anita sent the following note:
"Stephen, thank you for the beautiful work that you did on our recent lake home photo shoot... I am thrilled with the results as I think they truly capture the spirit and essence of the house, interior design work, and the architecture.
It was great to finally have the opportunity to work with you." - Anita Holland, ASID
HHDT - (How'd he do that?)
1st & 2nd images - a vertical shot with a wide-angle lens requires special attention is paid to objects in the foreground. Be mindful of chandeliers as they can appear to be much closer to the camera. We moved the ottoman and club chair about a dozen times to find the proper placement. In both shots, supplemental lighting was used to soften the harsh shadows coming from the bright sunlight. A 2nd, much lower exposure was taken to capture the view beyond the kitchen windows. The images were combined in photo editing software to simulate a natural view (what our eyes see).
In the 3rd photo, the kitchen blinds were completely closed for a shot that captured the rich grain of the wood floor without the glare of sunlight. Then, we raised the blinds and took a low-exposure shot just for the view of the hill rising beyond the windows. Finally, a 3rd shot was taken, exposed properly for the room (counters, cabinets, etc.) Of course the camera remains stationary on a tripod through all this.
If you bump my tripod, you're automatically obligated to buy the first round of post-shoot adult beverages :)
The 4th shot was the most challenging. I should have taken a "here's what the room looks like" photo. When the dining room was finally set up for the shot, a casual observer would (did) think we were crazy. Dining chairs appeared out of place. Plates and glasses were not "in front of" the appropriate chair and the orchid and vase were nowhere near the center of the table. Design magazines often include "before" and "after" shots. I think I'm going to start including "during" and after shots.
But, all of this was fun because everyone enjoyed helping out. Thank you Anita, Kent, Boyd, and our hosts. - Stephen
Kent Lineberger Architecture
Anita Holland, ASID
Anita Holland Interiors
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