One Room Challenge – Week 5: The Photo Shoot

Well, as I proclaimed on Instagram this past Monday…

 

My One Room Challenge, “Project Vestibule,” is officially complete. If you’re just checking in for the first time, thank you and welcome! Here’s a page where you can get caught up on the past four weeks, if you would like.

If you think I’m about to reveal the room, well, I’m sorry to disappoint you! That’s not allowed until next week – Week 6. I had my photographer, Eric Roth, stop by on Monday to capture my little 4×10 vestibule in a way I knew only he could. I rushed over the weekend to get all of my finishing touches in place, and worked on styling the room for photography. I decided to include my Beagle, Harrison, in the action, so he could lend some of his “I’m really bubbly but it’s also my job to look at you with the saddest eyes ever” personality to a shot or two, and I’m so glad I did!

OK, I’m getting ahead of myself! I had hoped to share a big “behind the scenes” story today, but unfortunately the unofficial photography was pretty limited. Photo shoots are pretty much all-consuming. Lots of moving, fixing, looking, adjusting, looking again, running around the house for extra props, and before you know it you’re moving on to the next shot, and the next, etc. That fact, combined with a tweaked back and my advanced case of “mom brain,” resulted in me taking just a couple of pictures. However, I can give you some insight into the process – although the pros make it look effortless, there’s a lot more that goes into creating these photographic works of art than meets the eye.

Oh, I did promise last week to share a picture of the front door, which I had painted with Benjamin Moore Grand Entrance. Luckily, I have the one that Eric took already!

One Room Challenge - Week 5 | Interiors for Families | Kelly Rogers Interiors

What do you think of that green and glossy old thing? I wish I had a good “before” image – it was green, but very dark and probably had a satin or eggshell finish, so it didn’t pop at all. I love my big green door 🙂 The color is Colonial Verdigris, from the new-ish Williamsburg collection.

 

One Room Challenge - Week 5 | Interiors for Families | Kelly Rogers Interiors

Eric is really a genius when it comes to lighting. In interior photography, it is nearly always preferred (unless you’re trying to highlight lighting design) to shoot in natural light – aka artificial lights are off. This is a tricky proposition in such a tiny space, with such limited natural light. We basically had available what was coming through the leaded glass side lites, and that’s it! His assistant, Caroline, is holding up a giant reflector to bounce some of that light back into the room. In the finished photographs, it looks totally natural. But it is actually highly calculated and contrived. There is a lot of trial and error involved in getting a shot “just right.” And it’s always worth the extra time it takes to make it so.

 

One Room Challenge - Week 5 | Interiors for Families | Kelly Rogers Interiors

Because there was no space to move around in the vestibule, or any way to avoid photobombing a shot if you were in there at all, Eric set up the camera in the room, but his computer in the other. Professional digital photography is so incredible – you can even do a live view which is like a video monitor so you can see real-time how little adjustments are looking. We were in and out of the vestibule about a million times – moving items, adjusting the camera angle, and going back out to look at the computer….rinse and repeat. Hey, you can kind of see the rug from here! I don’t think I’ve shown that yet.

In addition to shooting my ORC vestibule, Eric also photographed two other spaces in my home. So it really was a crazy weekend of preparation, times three! I’ll be revealing those separately, so stay tuned…

But more importantly, please come back next Thursday for the big reveal! I can’t wait to share – and there is one very big surprise you haven’t seen or heard anything about yet. You’ll have to come back to find out what it is!

In the meantime, please show the love and support for the many other linking participants who are in crunch mode, trying to finish their rooms. Let’s cheer them on to the finish line! See them all at Calling it Home (thank you again, Linda!).

 

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Kelly Rogers

16 Comments

  1. Sonya ~at home with the barkers on April 30, 2015 at 6:41 AM

    LOVE the green! It is so gorgeous. Such a treat to have a photographer taking photos, I am sure they will be gorgeous. Can’t wait to see the reveal. ~Sonya

  2. whalingcitycottage on April 30, 2015 at 7:49 AM

    That door! Gah! Love it.

  3. Kim on April 30, 2015 at 8:17 AM

    KELLY!! That green is PERFECT! Looking forward to your reveal and now stressing because my photos are not being taken until Tuesday! AGHHA!

    • Kelly R. - Interiors For Families on April 30, 2015 at 2:45 PM

      Oh I wish I had had until Tuesday to get ready! As you said in your post today, sometimes you have to make tough choices based on the impending deadline. I guess it’s always stressful leading up to it, no matter when it is. I’m glad you got some R&R before D-day – I am so looking forward to seeing that headboard and bedskirt (and the whole room, of course!).

  4. Marty@A Stroll Thru Life on April 30, 2015 at 8:32 AM

    Can’t wait for the reveal, the green door is fabulous.

  5. Traci Hutton on April 30, 2015 at 2:07 PM

    This is going to be so good…can’t wait to see the finale!!

    • Kelly R. - Interiors For Families on April 30, 2015 at 2:53 PM

      Wow, thank you – I hope it lives up to your high expectation. I’m looking forward to sharing – I got the pictures already and they are burning a hole in my pocket, as they say!

  6. Erin @ the-organized-life on April 30, 2015 at 7:58 PM

    Exciting! Can’t wait to come back next week for the big reveal!

  7. lindzaymc on May 1, 2015 at 9:05 AM

    The suspense! Excited to see everything you accomplished!

  8. Linda @ Calling it Home on May 8, 2015 at 7:05 AM

    I’m still on week 5 posts….it’s all so good.

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