We had the pleasure of working with Andy Campbell Design Studio in Minneapolis last fall and decided to take you on a look into part of the process from being on site to post production.
A look into the post-production workflow.
ACDC Studio transformed this what use to be chain restaurant into a modern industrial hang that people could enjoy both inside and out. With the addition of a brew room, outdoor patio, and unique materials; the vision came to life. We picked a particularly good time in MN to be able to capture the space with fall just getting into full swing.
Photographing commercial spaces can have some interesting work arounds. Especially restaurants. Having the space look alive without be intrusive, helping the viewer grasp a sense of workflow, etc.
The image to the left was a behind the scenes of one of the twilight images we were able to capture. Capturing a busy location and showing off how happening this place is. If you're wondering why the camera is on the ladder... The trees just under the "brewing" sign were completely blocked. So, we used the ladder to show the whole logo.
Below is our final image.
The interior posed some problems and was a little more tricky than expected. It had some bigger windows that let in a ton of light and a very dark interior design made up of navy blues, black, and dark-unique wood patterns. Given our time crunch for putting the images together on site, we had to take what we could get and shoot around high noon. Using a combination of artificial and natural light, we were able to show off details in the interior with out drowning the image with flash or having blown out windows.
Scroll to see a few images from the interior.
One of the most important things we had discussed for the exterior of Inver Grove Brewing was the addition of the outdoor patio and the lifestyle and community that it would bring. To bring this idea to life, we captured images at two different times of the day to show off the architecture and the lifestyle elements we were after. Working around the busiest time they were open allowed us to have a lively feeling but also proved to be difficult as to not impose on the guests.
A favorite image from the night.
The most time consuming part of post production was easily the front exterior. Here, we captured several images trying to highlight the extensive work that took place on behalf of ACDC Studio.
Starting with the morning glow, we shlepped picnic tables, umbrellas, parking cones, etc out of the way. Capturing the images we were looking for, we then put everything back where we found it so the employees coming into open wouldn't have to clean up the mess.
The images below highlight a before and after from the on site tripod location down to the removal of the signage on the building in post production.
Each exterior required similar post production to remove signage and clean up the image the way the client meant it to be.
The image to the left features a brand new addition to what once was a chain restaurant. It houses everything necessary for brewing and is complete with large windows on each side to provide necessary natural light for an inviting work environment.
The final image we are going to show below, highlights shapes and colors. With the direction it faces in relation to the sun, it creates a unique depth into highlights and shadows. One of my favorite image we captured. And finally, if you've made it this far thanks for reading. Feel free to share or drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts.