Lighting is key.
It affects how the environment is perceived, and related to.
As a commercial photographer, providing the client with the images and services they need is the essence of it all.
To do this and do it well, I must deliver a high quality product, regardless of subject matter and personal preference.
Being able to see the beauty of a subject, translate this into images of style and quality – consistently, regardless of subject matter and personal preference – this is a fundamental skill set for a commercial photographer.
These images for me personally embody that principle as it is not my personal style nor taste but appreciated nevertheless.
I feel these images show it.
Architectural photography’s a broad term, as a specialty it covers many area’s which in itself require different approaches.
What could be regarded pretty much straight-forward and uncomplicated, the architectural exterior, is in many ways a discipline in itself. Starting with the dusk exterior.
There is a way of looking at daylight in architectural photography; in short, “shoot early, shoot late”. Something happens during that period of late afternoon sunlight going to dusk. Long shadows in soft light, textures , warm colors, lots of drama.
A brief period of magic light.
Interior light become more visible, architectural details take on a life of their own.
These images show a variety of exteriors, covering residential, commercial and institutional architectural photography. Some pretty much straight forward, some a bit more cerebral.
But all, I hope, showing there is no “only one way” of doing it, just as much as there is no dusk that is ever alike.
Demonstrating the need to take each architectural assignment with a fresh approach, as no two locations are ever the same, and each has their own inherent characteristics, to be used, making it work and look at it’s best with the environment it “lives” in.
This product photography was created for Laser Pegs, a construction-toy manufactured in Sarasota.
These and numerous other models can be build from a variety of kits. It is a stand-alone product, that is fully integrated with the LEGO line.
My approach to photographing these products:
Taking the time to see the product, get to know it, I believe is key in product photography, or for that matter in most any discipline of commercial photography. Understanding the characteristics of the material, how it relates and react to light, and understanding the client’s needs are fundamental for the success of any commercial photography assignment.
Laser Pegs is, without any question, a very challenging product to photograph, in that the inherent light-qualities of the LED translate totally different on “film” than what we perceive with the human eye.
(Using the term “film” surely dates me ….)
In addition with the building blocks having many different shapes and forms, as well as translucent/reflective qualities, all with their own characteristic specular highlights require using every trick out of the commercial photography playbook, old school as well as digital imaging.
Fashion photography is very often something to have fun with.
This editorial fashion piece started out as a self-assignment, was then developed as a full lay-out after mentioning the concept to the creative director.
Originally I was going to shoot someone jumping or tossing something up high and then freeze that moment of total weightlessness – a moment of happiness and grace. This quickly evolved into the concept of a fashion-photography assignment, putting the person and the fashion, “das Ding an Sich..” in a different space and sense of movement.
Logistically this was quite an involved project; location scouting, casting and coordinating talent and pulling wardrobe for them, hair -and make-up stylist etc., assemble a large trampoline on stage……
Being able to produce it as editorial photography allowed me to concentrate more on the creative concept, with the additional contacts and resources a magazine brings to bear – having the benefit of a very talented fashion-coordinator and some additional dedicated assistants doing all that needs additional doing.
Getting all this done was no small feat and most certainly I am in debt to all who did all the hard work behind the scenes, so I can take all the credit……..
One of the biggest items was getting the full and enthusiastic cooperation of the Asolo Theater people and the Sarasota Ballet, whose graceful dancers made it look so very effortless, and became the last piece of the puzzle making this a slam-dunk. They made something difficult and challenging look so very easy.
A big thanks again to all!
Catching the flow of the fabrics and and body movements of the dancers was all there was left to capture, delivering exactly what was pre-visualized.
The challenging part was somehow setting the right tone, phrasing the body in such a way it conveys that movement and then the freezing of it.
A state of grace.
Speed and movement – sometimes a challenge to photograph, not always safe.
Be it photography of a car, plane, boat or a rocket – just being at rest an object at rest can show that potential of great speed and power.
Conveying aerodynamic form and shapes, a promise of what it can and will be able to do, once unleashed.
Sometimes however it is not enough to accept this promise, but kick the beast in the rear and burn that rubber, light that candle.
There is very little substitute for pure speed, very few things get the adrenaline going more than being 10 inches off the pavement going 70 miles an hour,
getting that magic shot of a car going just plain fast.
Product photography can be fun. We specialize in it.