What's in My Kit? Behind the Lens at Bondi Beach
Chapter 1: The Bondi Vibe – Setting the Perfect Scene
The brief was simple: capture the quintessential Sydney summer experience. Our location was the stunning Bondi Pavillion, overlooking the iconic stretch of Bondi Beach. This high-end bar photoshoot demanded images that felt bright, fresh, and irresistibly inviting. The biggest asset, and challenge, was the incredible natural sunlight.
To start, we leveraged the amazing light, capturing lifestyle moments of a group of friends sharing drinks and seafood. The focus here was capturing authentic, joyful interaction—a vibrant toast with colorful cocktails, and the hands-on fun of peeling fresh prawns right from the bucket. The stunning blue of the Pacific Ocean and the coastal cityscape provided a truly unparalleled backdrop for the restaurant’s elegant high-top dining area.
Chapter 2: What's in My Kit? Mastering the Light
One of our main technical subjects was the TATACHILLA wine cart. We dedicated a specific setup to the bartender pouring a glass of wine under the elegant fringed umbrella. This shot was critical for branding and required meticulous lighting control to make the white cart and the glassware sparkle against the deep blue of the sky and ocean.
When shooting outdoors in bright sun, relying purely on ambient light can lead to harsh shadows and blown-out highlights. To ensure a professional, consistent result that made the food and brand elements shine, we deployed a multi-light setup from Profoto:
Profoto B10plus Bare Bulb - Key Light
Positioned to illuminate the model and the TATACHILLA cart, providing strong, directional light.
Profoto A2 Bare Bulb - Fill Light
Used to soften the shadows created by the key light, especially crucial for evening out the light on the model, the cart, and the white umbrella top.
Profoto A1XAccent/Fill
Placed specifically to fill in the often-dark side of the cart, ensuring the TATACHILLA branding was crisp and readable.
We also had a simple indoor setup, with a Profoto B10plus Bare Bulb Key light set up near the window, ready for any indoor-lit scenes, confirming that professional flash gear is essential for achieving studio-quality results, even on location.
Chapter 3: Spotlight on the Menu & Brand
The shoot featured a fantastic array of food and drink, highlighting the diversity of the menu:
Fresh Seafood: Beautifully plated fresh oysters and delicate Kingfish sashimi.
Hearty Fare: A classic, appealing cheeseburger and a hearty-looking sandwich on red paper.
Beverages: Bottles of BALTER CERVEZA served chilled in an ice bucket with lime slices, alongside various bottles of wine, including a beautiful Rosé, from TATACHILLA.
Chapter 4: The Final Polish – Editing Notes
Photography doesn't end when the shutter clicks. Post-production is key to perfecting the image. Our editing notes for the cart shot show the focus on meticulous clean-up:
Umbrella Consistency: We "evened the shine & shade on the umbrella top" to ensure the white fabric was perfectly uniform and appealing, despite the varying light.
Distraction Removal: We also "tidied the structures considered to be distractions" in the background. This involves removing any unwanted elements such as cables, stray poles, or background clutter that pull the viewer's eye away from the main subject.
This dedication to detail ensures the final images are clean, professional, and put the restaurant's offering: the amazing food, drinks, and prime location front and centre.
