Larry Lefever Photography

TVOR Library

On this shoot most of the spaces were occupied and so resident activity dictates when we can shoot certain areas. In general we save any rooms without windows to shoot later at night or very early in the morning when most normal people are sleeping. Scenes that include windows must be shot in daylight (Or dusk/dawn) as nothing kills a shot more quickly than a black window. This time of year when dawn is early and sunset late is perfect to shoot around resident schedules. We can start the actual photography at first light, around 5am, and shoot as late as 8:30 or 9pm. Before resident breakfast and after their dinner.

Shooting interiors can be a grueling experience at times. Our approach is to stage and accessorize the first shot, then while my long-time assistant Fred and I light and shoot it, the rest of the team, in this case Jodi and Stef from RLPS and my now right-hand assistant (and wife) Marcia move on to set up the next shot. And so it goes, shot after shot … in this case 29 of them, until we pack up the gear and head for home. This time we drove two and a half hours, arriving at 2pm, shot until 11pm, slept a few hours and began shooting at 5am, then packed up and headed for our own breakfast at 9am.

The adventure is one of constant motion, continually moving furniture and accessories, lighting the final scene, and through it all a healthy dose of problem solving. Words don’t do justice in expressing my gratitude to everyone involved in making these shoots successful, in this case Marcia, Fred, Jodi, and Stef, along with the staff at Orchard Ridge who helped with the logistics.

When we’re on site I know for certain that our efforts were successful in creating a beautiful scene. It’s only at home, after all of the processing is complete (in this case about 24 hours worth) that I can breathe a final sigh of relief in knowing that I did my job … lighting and capture. My name may be on the photos, but the creation is always a collaboration, so thanks again to all involved.

TVOR Private Dining