Case Study: Campos Coffee x The Charlotte Photoshoot “8 venues in a Day”

Case Study: Campos Coffee x The Charlotte Photoshoot 2019.

I was thrilled to get the second session with Campos Coffee. The goal was to photograph the cafe using their beans, The Charlotte. I needed to create a variety of images that show the products, the activities, the atmosphere, the customers, the friendly mood, and their services to clients. Everything should look natural, with minimal staging.

I needed to photograph 8 cafes across Sydney from 6:30 am to 4 pm. The locations included Eveleigh, Birchgrove, Gladsville, and all the way Mosman the end at Manly. I quickly realized that travel time would be a problem, and I couldn't set up monoblock flash lighting because of the tight schedule. It had to be quick. I also had to work with non-models busy making coffee for customers. Timing and approach were crucial.

Charlotte Cafe, Manly

I calculated the travel time between venues using GPS and maps to find the best routes and parking options. This helps me determine how much time I have for each photoshoot. I need to coordinate with The Charlotte about their venue's traffic patterns since we need an audience for the shoot. Most customers are typically at coffee shops in the morning, which is important for capturing great photos, but finding a crowd after noon may be difficult. I will need an assistant to help speed up the process. I sent a preparation checklist to the client for more information and to help them prepare.

Another challenge was Campos Coffee's specific demands for their latte art since it serves as their logo. I need to make sure the barista knows how to make great Campos Coffee latte art.

Charlotte Cafe, Birchgrove

On the shooting day, we arrived at Eveleigh, Redfern at 6 am, and began photographing coffee and food preparation, as well as taking orders. The crowd hasn't gathered yet because it's still early for the local workers. I need to tell the client to wrap up here and move on to the next location. Arrived at Birchgrove at 7:45 am, which was a great time as locals were enjoying breakfast and coffee. I allowed extra time here capture at least 40% of the target. I was worried about the other venues, especially Manly, since I will get there at 3:15 pm but I was surprised to see people waiting in line for coffee when I arrived.

We finished at 4:15 pm. I took 900 photos, with 200 chosen for the client and 100 final images selected by them. Processing the photographs took 2 days. I am happy that the client was pleased with the project's results.