Last Monday, after a few back-and-forth emails and a meeting with the prospective client, I ventured into an unknown (to me) branch of the cave that is photography: Furniture photography.
I met with Christina Hilborne of Splintered Minx Productions, a very talented furniture designer in Victoria, BC, and photographed her latest creation – a coffee table made of Kirei board (made from leftovers of the sorghum plant) and stainless steel.
Everything was shot on location at her studio – or rather in the corridor outside her studio. I brought my lights, a grey backdrop (and a backdrop stand borrowed from Natacha Newcombe of WillowGlass Studio in Mill Bay), and set up on the corridor. Getting the lights right was a bit of a hassle, especially since the table was so low and my light stands aren’t, but with some help from Christina, who at one point handheld one of the strobes almost at ground level, it worked.
Although shooting in a studio has its perks, and I probably wouldn’t say no to part-own one, I think I prefer shooting on location. I think it stems from the fact that was an office bloke for so many years, and right now I shy away from a workplace environment that reminds me of my old life. I might go for it later, but not today.
But back to the table shoot. It went well, and I look forward to photographing more of Christina’s amazing work.
Oh, and two things have been added to my to-buy list: A backdrop stand and a very low strobe stand.