Coffee Shop
There’s just something about a Coffee Shop. Ah, that smell when you walk through the door. The people, some alone, others in small groups. I think it’s one of the few places that we go that still feels like community, even though we may not socialize with anyone.
This photo was not taken in a real coffee shop. It was taken in my living room. “WHAT?” You say. I know, it looks nothing like my living room. That’s where some tricks come into play. I really had no idea if this was going to work. I had the idea of using my living room tv as a backdrop. If this worked it would certainly open up tons of possibilities.
I found an image of a coffee shop interior on my tablet, (the blur effect courtesy of some quick Photoshop work.). I then took the tablet and projected it onto the TV. Ok, that takes care of the background. So, what about the forground? I found a TV tray. It was too short. I found another small accessory piece that turned out to be too tall. I needed to find something that was the perfect height to put in front of the tv monitor. After trying a few things, I settled for a couple of empty plastic tubs, then tossed a black cloth over the top that would blend into the background. I’ve had the coffee book for quite some time. It was a gift. I grabbed it from the kitchen.
I needed to find the perfect cup of coffee. My coffee mugs didn’t have the vibe I was going for. I wanted something very “cafe-ish.” Again, I returned the the interwebs in search of a coffee mug. I looked at way too many coffee mugs but ultimately found one. It was a lonely looking cup and saucer. It needed some coffee beans. At this point even Leonard Nemoy couldn’t help me. Once I found the beans, I snuggled them tight up against the saucer.
The steam? a fun little Photoshop effect – again, lots of choices. But the steam with the heart at the top seemed appropriate. These are called Photoshop overlays. They don’t come with Photoshop, but are purchased seperately. They are photos of real steam (or smoke) against a black background. Using some PS tricks the background vanishes. The steam is layered on top of the original photo. It’s fun how this all comes together and looks very real. I have a few images that were done this way. Can you find them?
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Minneapolis Portrait Photographer • Minneapolis Commercial Photographer • Minneapolis Family Photographer • Minneapolis Professional Photographer • Minneapolis Food Photographer • Minneapolis Lifestyle Photographer • Minneapolis Senior Portrait Photographer
Tom Archibald is a Minnesota based Photographer serving the Twin Cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul,
and the surrounding suburbs since 2006. His portfolio includes Commercial, Portraiture, Food, and Lifestyle photography.
©2023 Archibald Studios Photography. 39th Ave. Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55421.