Dallas Restaurant Interiors: Sky Canyon
This Sky Canyon restaurant project was a little different due to the nature of the restaurant locations. I had two different locations to shoot at, one was in Dallas and the other was closer to Fort Worth. Working out logistics in something that makes me very happy as a commercial photographer in Dallas, as I always love solving puzzles and challenges. However, there was more to it than just the distance. Each restaurant was located inside an airport. DFW International Airport and Love Field Airport, to be exact. So, a traditional load-in became anything but. I normally load all of my equipment on the cart and roll my way in. I may have to sign in with security depending on where I’m at, but it’s no big deal. However, the airport is a different story as you might imagine.
First, I had to go through all of my equipment and make sure that any potential weapons and contraband were removed. I realize that makes me sound like I have some pretty interesting items in my equipment kits. Not to worry, I’m generally harmless. Commercial Photographers in Dallas typically carry a knife or two for cutting tape, paper, etc., so I certainly made sure I didn’t lose my trusty Case knife and kept it out of the grip kit. After searching through for any other potential items they might not like, I was ready to go. You can imagine how it looks to TSA when you have a photographer roll up with this huge cart of bags, and on x-ray shows wires and electronics everywhere. In addition to not having threatening stuff in with my gear, I feel like I don’t look a suspicious person either, but as a Dallas commercial photographer I am used to my gear throwing up a flag at airports. Comes with the territory. Thankfully it did not take too terribly long to get everything checked out and passed through to the airport.
The other challenge was in shooting the interiors. Each space had to be occupied while I was doing photography. Dallas restaurant photography professionals know it is of course easier styling chairs without people in them, but that just meant doing a bit more directing and choreography. Again, the love of puzzles comes in to play. I placed some of the guests strategically whenever it was necessary, and also gave them guidance if they needed any. Others were just left to their own devices to go and do their thing, so between those two sets of people I just had to wait for the right timing on the different shots.
I can only imagine what all of the travelers walking through the airport thought, as they passed by the restaurant locations and see all of these photo lights going off at random intervals. Hopefully this commercial photographer in Dallas was able to at least give a bit of a show for them! I would have done a few twirls or somersaults, but that probably would have been the end of my back, and the shoot. The client would most likely not have been pleased to wheel me out on a gurney before the shoot was over.
After getting a variety of shots with getting people to line up just so in the images at each restaurant, I was all set. The architecture and feel at each space was very welcoming, and certainly fit the type of food that Chef Stephan Pyles had on the menu. Speaking of the food, check out the next blog to see some of my favorite food and beverage shots from the second leg of the Sky Canyon shoot!