Entry No. 1: A Shoot with Arcadia

It was cold—like 10˚ feels like -2˚ cold—but it was sunny, which is ideal for taking interior photos and video. We were heading to a shoot with Arcadia Kitchen and Bath to capture footage of a recently finished kitchen project. We packed all the gear into the Subaru and were on our way. 

We arrived early, so we sat in the nice heated car and scheduled some posts for other clients, not wanting to waste any time in our busy schedule. When AKB arrived, we walked into the cute cape-style home and were instantly greeted by their adorable doodle, Oliver. Who doesn’t love walking into a shoot with a ready and willing model—as long as you have a treat—waiting for you?

The designer of this kitchen did a phenomenal job, the subtle Swedish-inspired tile in the entryway leads into the newly laid wood floor and bright airy kitchen. The subtle design touches of the brass bridge faucet and wood hood created an elegant space.

We started by taking it all in, it was a small kitchen so there wasn’t much walking around. Standing in the dining room, we went over our shot list and made tweaks as needed. We had already been in the space once for a countertop install, so we were pretty familiar with the layout of the space. A couple days prior to this shoot, we came up with some new ideas to try at this shoot. When it comes to the construction industry, projects take a little while to complete, so we have learned to get as much footage as possible while we’re in the space so we can spread it out.

Once they were done wiping the kitchen down and removing all the owner’s belongings, we got to work. What’s great about this kind of work is that it is ever-evolving. Even if we go in with ideas of what we’re looking for, things change while we’re filming. Either something isn’t working or we come up with an idea on the spot and want to execute it. 

We find that the more versatility in shooting style, the more engaging it is. It’s almost like when you’re having a conversation with someone with a lot of inflection in their voice as opposed to someone who speaks very monotonously. Our goal is to keep viewers engaged for as long as possible—obviously. 

When we finished filming, we went around and took photos of the overall kitchen including the small details. This allows us to engage with their audience about why certain decisions were made in the designing process; for instance, there was no silverware drawer, instead, they installed a utensil pull out because there wasn’t any room. 

While we’re at shoots, we try and talk with the designer as much as possible to get all the intimate details about the design. The more personable and honest the content is, the more their audience will trust them. Authenticity matters. We’re not just chasing followers; we’re building connections with people who might one day renovate their own kitchens or recommend AKB to someone they know. Engagement, not just reach, is what we’re after.

We finished shooting and packed up our gear, said goodbye to Oliver—who was a wonderful model—said thank you to Arcadia, and were on our way.

- Taylor