The Westgate Centre in Oxford has attracted many new shops and restaurants and right at the front is the Comptoir Libanais. I was commissioned to photograph the opening. As is often the case with these sorts of events I was working around the clients and their builders. Shops and restaurants always seem to need last minute adjustments and here was no different. It creates a very buzzy if slightly stressful atmosphere. Everyone is working hard and fast to get the place ready for when the doors open so little chance for me, the lowly photographer, to set up the shots I want in peace. It is a matter of working fast too, assessing what will be required and getting the shots with the minimum of fuss and distraction to the clients.
This restaurant has lots to look at, it is a busy space and trying to capture that feeling was one of my prime intentions, it some ways I would have preferred to have customers to give the space a human feel but then I would have been in their way too.
I was booked for 2 hours but as is so often the case waited for about 90 minutes then had ten minutes to do my work. Knowing how to get the shots, having the experience is so important in these situations.
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