# Kitchen commission



## Don Kondra (Apr 22, 2012)

To shoot that is 

The budget didn't allow for setting up any lighting but I did have a nicely overcast day.

Just out of frame on the right is a glass door and then twelve feet of louvered windows. 

Shot with the E-30/7-14 @ 7mm. 

Processed first with DxO Optics Pro 7 and then Elements 9.   Still some distortion to deal with..








A close up of the fused glass back splash, Very nice piece of craftsmanship.

I would Love to mess up this kitchen with some Cooking, he, he...

Shot with the 14-54 @ 22mm...






FYI this is one of the most unique houses I've ever seen.  The outside is all black stucco/window frames and the interior walls including the floors are gray.

Cheers, Don


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## Don Kondra (Apr 22, 2012)

Final edited version....






Removed most of the purple color cast from the top cabinet lights and corrected for distortion.

Cheers, Don


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## manaheim (Apr 23, 2012)

Don, did you have the option to use a flash?  I've had a lot of success with interiors with a single flash popped once (bounced behind, above, and off to the side) on a longer exposure while tripod-mounted.  The flash adds a lot of life to the image .  These seem a bit flat (and actually look a -little- underexposed)  BTW with the flash you also have to watch out that you don't overheat your ceiling in the shot.  It's a little tricky to get just right.

Also, my experience shows that you always turn on ALL lights in a scene.  So those recessed lights should be on, and any lights in that space in the back there... bathroom? closet?  Those should be on too.  Even turn on lights behind and around where the camera cannot see.  They add a lot of life to the picture.

Also, with anything houses, angles and corners are your friend.  Straight on with anything tends to make a scene look very static and kinda dead.  You can see a little of this in the comparison between your first and second shots (although not the same shot, I know)

Generally I try to shove my camera into a corner (so far in that I literally can't get behind it very easily), crank the lens as wide as she will go, set the flash and pop it.

I hope this is helpful.

Neat house.  Is that water on the wall there???


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## Don Kondra (Apr 23, 2012)

I did discuss lighting with the client and basically what it came down to was budget.

If it were only as simple as sticking a couple of flashes in the corners 

It has been my experience with kitchens that flash presents a challenge with shadows in general and highlights in the glass and appliances.

It wouldn't have taken that long to set up and adjust the lighting but as I said, the client declined.

As to turning on all the lights in the scene.... 

My decision not to is based on being a maker myself.  I don't feel the light temp issues and additional reflections in the appliances, etc. is worth it.  

The images are not intended to be "interior" shots per se, the objective was to show the cabinetry to best advantage and present the "color" of the finish as accurately as possible.

If you look closely you can see that even the under cabinet/range hood pot lights have already introduced a yellow cast to the counter top. 

I would have turned off the purple upper cabinet lights also but I felt it was important to show they had lighted interiors.

This front view is just one of a half dozen shots I will present to the client.  As with free standing furniture a three quarter profile is most commonly used to show depth/width/height.

Each time I shoot a kitchen I learn a little more and I'm open to suggestions.

For instance, the toaster could have been posed a little better or removed completely.

Also the bananas under the pot light have a color cast and the paper towel is not exactly attractive.

I kind of like the three little objects around the sink, if you look closely they have "eyes" 

My snap decision was to leave them in hoping they would add some life to an otherwise stark scene.

BTW - I believe the glass back splash is meant to represent a cresting wave..

Cheers, Don


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## manaheim (Apr 23, 2012)

Ah, ok.  Maybe I was looking at it through the wrong perspective.  Never mind.


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## Don Kondra (Apr 23, 2012)

No, thank you for taking the time to post.

I am considering your comments and will keep them in mind. 

It's very easy to micro focus on one aspect and miss the big picture.

Cheers, Don


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