In the mid-1990s, I had the opportunity to shoot for a Gopathi furniture showroom brochure at their Begumpet location in Hyderabad. To avoid any disturbances from customers, we scheduled the shoot at midnight—a decision that brought a unique calm and focus to the session. The year was 1993, and under the guidance of Art Director Satish Kochrekar, we created a set of images that beautifully showcased the showroom’s elegant furniture.

The lighting setup was simple yet effective. I used directional heavy softboxes positioned on the right side to highlight the textures and finishes of the furniture, particularly the wardrobes. To soften the shadows and ensure an even look, I bounced a little light off the ceiling as well. A black suede cloth was strategically placed on the left side of the camera to prevent any unwanted reflections on the glass surfaces of the wardrobes, ensuring a clean and professional look.

I shot with the Bronica ETRS (6x4.5) medium-format camera, using both negative and slide film to capture the richness of the scene. The Elinchrome lights provided consistent, reliable illumination, making the furniture pieces stand out with a polished, brochure-ready aesthetic.

Looking back from 2025, this midnight shoot remains a memorable experience—a testament to how careful planning and simple techniques can yield stunning results, even under unconventional circumstances.

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— Fotocafestudios