Photographing the Walper Hotel by BNC Architects

One of my favorite commissions from last year was photographing the Walper Hotel in Kitchener, ON. My client, BNC Architects, led the renovations of the hotel. I got access to photograph the hotel before it re-opened, which was great.

All interiors (except the staircase and ballroom) were lit with two strobes and a flash. I then blended frames in Photoshop, using ambient lighting and flash exposures.

We started with the lobby, a beautiful bright space. I had to be careful with lighting, not to overexpose some areas, as everything is white.

Lobby (1)

Lobby (2)

Then, a beautiful staircase leads to the second level. We asked a staff person to walk in the shot to get some motion there. No need for additional lighting, the natural light was just gorgeous.

Stairs

The lounge area was great to photograph. A lot of interesting materials and furniture.

Lounge (1)

Lounge (2)

Here’s a before and after, to give you an idea of the impact of lighting on that room (the left shot is ambient lighting without retouching):

I then moved on to the rooms. I photographed a normal room and a suite. The color touches really make things more interesting!

Room (1)

Room (2)

Because the ballroom was very large, and without furniture, I decided against using lighting.

Ballroom

At the end of the day, I finished by shooting the exteriors at dusk.

Entrance

Main view

I would definitely stay at the Walper Hotel. I had a great time shooting it, and I hope you enjoy the images.