*Snaidero USA kitchen remodel ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2018*

Kitchen Remodel Photo Shoot For Snaidero USA In Agua Dulce, CA

August 31, 2018 in Kitchen Photography

I was recently hired to photograph a kitchen redone by Snaidero USA in Agua Dulce, CA. This kitchen underwent quite the transformation from what it used to look like:

The kitchen before the remodel (photo used with permission of Lucy Nixon Realty Inc) — The kitchen before the remodel *(photo used with permission of Lucy Nixon Realty Inc)*

The designer and I first discussed their goals for the photo shoot and then we both got to work right away. I walked around mapping out different compositions and figuring out which gear would be required...

*Behind the scenes of the kitchen photo shoot ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2018*

...while the designer staged the counter tops to add some life to the kitchen - details are important!

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After spending an embarrassingly long time fussing with the bar stools (those things are never fun to get the same height!), I was finally able to start taking photos. Some people would be surprised to see how much time and work goes into a photo shoot before a single picture is ever taken.

As usual, I utilized some supplemental lighting to control the look of the final images. The space already had great natural light, but it's helpful to be able to add my own kiss of light here and there to draw the eye if needed.

The place looked great and photographed even better. The client and I had good communication throughout the shoot and it was great being able to bounce different ideas off each other.

We both agreed that the glare/hot spot from the skylight had to go!

Overall, the photo shoot was fun, the client was delightful to work with, and the final images turned out great!

*Delivered photo of the bathroom remodel ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

Bathroom Remodel Photography In Brentwood, CA

October 28, 2017

My client was hired to redesign a bathroom in this 1958 post-and-beam modern home. After completing the remodel, my client commissioned me to create some images of their work for use in their portfolio and online marketing.

The day before the shoot my client and the homeowner cleaned and prepared the bathroom for photography. Unfortunately, the homeowner's daughter did not get the memo about my impending arrival. The day of the shoot she used this bathroom to shower and take care of her morning routine right before I arrived. There were water spots and tootpaste schmutz everywhere! No worries. Many many paper towels and shammies later, the room was ready for photography again.

Additionally, I had to move some things around to get the best possible images.

Here's a side by side comparison of what the bathroom looked like when I arrived and what it looked like after some tidying up and the addition of some of my own lighting:

Here's the full sized version:

I use several strobes to control the color and lighting when I work. Even the newest cameras and lenses just don't see light the same way our eyes do and it takes some supplemental flashes to show the camera what a room actually feels like.

Here's a super short behind the scenes video showing how I photographed this view of the sink and cabinet of the bathroom:

It's a very satisfying feeling to be able to nail the lighting of an image in a single take. This image required almost no post-processing.

I say this all of the time, but it's all about the details. My clients often refer to these images taken with a longer focal length as "vignettes." These types of photos may not tell the whole story like the wide shots do, but they really show off the textures and specific features of a space. Here are the detail shots of the Edison lights, Kohler sink fixture, Caesarstone countertop & sink, cabinetry, and TileBar tiles & installation work done by my client...

When you watch a movie you're not supposed to notice the CGI and special effects. When it's bad you're aware of it and it takes you out of the movie. The same is true in certain aspects of photography. My camera, tripod, and lights should be visible in the following two photographs, but through the clever use of dark fabric and compositing trickery all that we are left with this are these clean images of the shower. Also, if you go back and look at the previous photographs in this post you may notice that I have also removed all of the light switches and electrical outlets as these too can be distracting in a photograph.

*Delivered photo of the shower in this bathroom remodel ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

*Delivered photo of the showe in this bathroom remodel ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

Photographing a single bathroom seems like it would be a quick and easy job, but it takes some thought and effort to do things right. This home in Brentwood was gorgeous and the work my client did on this bathroom was excellent so not putting the same effort into the photos would be a disservice to both of them.

*Delivered photo of the kitchen ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

Home Remodel Photography In Hermosa Beach, CA

June 18, 2017

Photographing a home that has just been remodeled is always a lot of fun so I'm always happy to book these gigs. After finishing their work remodeling a home, companies will hire me to create photos of their work which they can then use to market their services to others.

This particular set was for a lovely home overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Hermosa Beach. The house was bright, cozy, and you could smell the ocean coming in from the balcony door.

Sadly. there was only a narrow window of time to shoot this one, so had to work swiftly. I had to hastily get my gear set up...

...and quickly move my camera around and take a few test shots until I landed on this composition:

While this shot was quite nice as is, it needed some help so that I could capture what it really felt like being there. I added several lights to sculpt the shadows better and allow the pretty blue sky to become visible.

The finishing touch was to crumple up some old newspaper in the fireplace to give me a few seconds of fire while I took the final shot:

Delivered photo of the living room ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Is this the look of a satisfied photographer?  I'm not sure, but it's the only photo of me from the shoot — Is this the look of a satisfied photographer? I'm not sure, but it's the only photo of me from the shoot

I took three different photographs of the kitchen (easily my favorite room in this house, but I do love to cook!). I mainly used light to embrace the light pouring from the ocean-facing balcony and filled in the shadows on the side of the surfaces opposite the windows. The lights allowed me to control the color casts from the various light fixtures, but still allow their true color to be apparent.

To finish off these kitchen shots, I just needed to spend some time with Photoshop (and coffee!) to remove all of the unsightly mechanical elements like light switches, outlets, and vents.

As I said earlier, I was short on time so I had to work fast to grab some key detail shots. These are very helpful for showcasing the choices my client made to deliver the best space possible.

Delivered photo of the dining room ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Delivered photo of the stairway ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Delivered photo of the bathroom faucet ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Delivered photo of the kitchen faucet ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Delivered photo of the master bathroom ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Delivered photo of the guest bathroom ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Delivered photo of the upstairs bathroom ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

The shoot went amazingly despite the time constraints. The homeowner was thrilled with their new home and the remodeling company loved the new marketing photos of their work.

An added bonus from this shoot was that I got to hang out by the ocean in Hermosa Beach after the shoot was completed. :)

Delivered detail photo from a shoot in Los Angeles, CA ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017 — *Delivered detail photo from a shoot in Los Angeles, CA ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

The Devil Is In The Details

June 18, 2017

Wider shots are generally more time consuming to compose and - since you can see so much more of the space in a given composition - can be subsequently more demanding to get the supplemental lighting just right.

Photographing the detail shots is a much more fluid and artistic process...

Once the wider photographs are complete I move onto the detail shots. I attach a longer, prime lens and take my camera off of the tripod so that I can move around the space free and unrestricted.

*Delivered detail photo from a shoot in Sherman Oaks, CA ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

*Delivered detail photo from a shoot in West Hollywood, CA ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

It's fascinating to see how showing less sometimes tells even more of the story.

Sometimes the smaller details, like the light fixtures and faucets, get lost in the wide shots and since a lot of time and care is put into choosing them they really deserve their own separate photo to show them off.

*Delivered detail photo from a shoot in Pasadena, CA ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

Although shooting this way may ultimately take less time to shoot than the wider, locked off shots they are no less important. Often these vignettes can lead to some of the strongest images in a set.

Delivered twilight photo of the exterior ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Twilight Shoot In Malibu, CA

May 21, 2017

Getting to photograph homes in Malibu on days with perfect weather are times where it's hard to believe this is my job. I was hired to create the marketing photos for this recently remodeled home. The client wanted a twilight shoot to really make the property shine, so that's what she got...

...after I took an obligatory Malibu cliff-side view selfie, of course.

Delivered photo of the view of Malibu Beach from the backyard ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

There wasn't a lot of exterior lighting (the streetlight was out in front of the house and some of the porch lights didn't seem to work) so I needed to supplement that with my own portable lights.

Daytime exterior side by side with one of the early twilight rejects

Here's a super short video showing a timelapse of the shooting and lighting of this twilight exterior:

The inside was nicely staged and that always makes my job as an interiors photographer easier. Each room felt very warm and inviting and fit the beach-view vibes well. My goal then was to try and capture images which looked the way each room felt. I used some strategically placed strobe lights to make the rooms pop.

The kitchen as the camera first saw it and a behind the scenes shot of me simulating sunlight through the window.

Delivered photo of the kitchen and sitting area ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

An unlit photo of the kitchen and a behind the scenes shot of me simulating daylight through the window

The unlit master bedroom as the camera first saw it

Aside from just adding fill lights inside the room, I also put a couple strobes outside to create some nice shadows and highlights on the wall:

Delivered photo of the master bedroom ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Ambient only shots of the entryway and living room

Delivered photo of the entryway and living room ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Early test composition of the rear exterior

Delivered photo of the rear exterior ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Delivered twilight photo of the rear exterior ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Delivered twilight photo of the view of Malibu and Malibu Beach ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

My client needed to leave almost immediately after we started the shoot. To ensure we were on the same page in her absence, we did a quick walk through of the property prior to her departure and used her cell phone to take handheld snaps of some possible compositions. It was interesting to go back and compare my polished & lit images with her cell-phone snap shots. Take a look for yourself:

Cell phone photos vs final delivered images