Wider shots are generally more time consuming to compose and - since you can see so much more of the space in a given composition - can be subsequently more demanding to get the supplemental lighting just right.

Photographing the detail shots is a much more fluid and artistic process...

Once the wider photographs are complete I move onto the detail shots. I attach a longer, prime lens and take my camera off of the tripod so that I can move around the space free and unrestricted.

*Delivered detail photo from a shoot in Sherman Oaks, CA ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

*Delivered detail photo from a shoot in West Hollywood, CA ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

It's fascinating to see how showing less sometimes tells even more of the story.

Sometimes the smaller details, like the light fixtures and faucets, get lost in the wide shots and since a lot of time and care is put into choosing them they really deserve their own separate photo to show them off.

*Delivered detail photo from a shoot in Pasadena, CA ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017*

Although shooting this way may ultimately take less time to shoot than the wider, locked off shots they are no less important. Often these vignettes can lead to some of the strongest images in a set.

Getting to photograph homes in Malibu on days with perfect weather are times where it's hard to believe this is my job. I was hired to create the marketing photos for this recently remodeled home. The client wanted a twilight shoot to really make the property shine, so that's what she got...

...after I took an obligatory Malibu cliff-side view selfie, of course.

Delivered photo of the view of Malibu Beach from the backyard ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

There wasn't a lot of exterior lighting (the streetlight was out in front of the house and some of the porch lights didn't seem to work) so I needed to supplement that with my own portable lights.

Daytime exterior side by side with one of the early twilight rejects

Here's a super short video showing a timelapse of the shooting and lighting of this twilight exterior:

The inside was nicely staged and that always makes my job as an interiors photographer easier. Each room felt very warm and inviting and fit the beach-view vibes well. My goal then was to try and capture images which looked the way each room felt. I used some strategically placed strobe lights to make the rooms pop.

The kitchen as the camera first saw it and a behind the scenes shot of me simulating sunlight through the window.

Delivered photo of the kitchen and sitting area ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

An unlit photo of the kitchen and a behind the scenes shot of me simulating daylight through the window

Delivered photo of the kitchen ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

The unlit master bedroom as the camera first saw it

Aside from just adding fill lights inside the room, I also put a couple strobes outside to create some nice shadows and highlights on the wall:

Delivered photo of the master bedroom ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Ambient only shots of the entryway and living room

Delivered photo of the entryway and living room ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Early test composition of the rear exterior

Delivered photo of the rear exterior ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Delivered twilight photo of the rear exterior ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

Delivered twilight photo of the view of Malibu and Malibu Beach ©Ryan Carr - Legacy Listing Photography - 2017

My client needed to leave almost immediately after we started the shoot. To ensure we were on the same page in her absence, we did a quick walk through of the property prior to her departure and used her cell phone to take handheld snaps of some possible compositions. It was interesting to go back and compare my polished & lit images with her cell-phone snap shots. Take a look for yourself:

Cell phone photos vs final delivered images

The Devil Is In The Details

Twilight Shoot In Malibu, CA