Planning For Spring Shoots - Part 1

Spring is finally here! After a fairly busy Winter where I totally revamped my business model, along with added equipment and upgrades, I finally get to start shooting some really great exteriors! Last week, I found myself down in Atlanta taking a few key shots of the Georgia Aquarium as the sun came up between the surrounding skyscrapers. If you've never been to the Georgia Aquarium, it is an architectural playhouse. Everything is curved in a way to get visitors to "flow" through the museum as if on an ocean current. Small corridors open up to huge cavern-like spaces all over.

As for the exteriors, it works just like inside: Hardly any straight angles to be found. The image you see above was shot at sunrise and I had to do some post-processing work on the concrete to remove trash and moisture from the blue walls. This brings me to the first part of my "Preparing for Spring Shoots" blog.

There are some great advantages of shooting during Spring. Everything seems "fresh" and lively, certain trees and flowers are in bloom and can accent a structure nicely. However, there are many obstacles to consider when planning on hiring a photographer during this time of year. Rain days are the biggest problem I have. When setting up a shoot-date with an architectural photographer, you always want to leave at least a two-day window of time, preferably three; one before and one after the scheduled shoot. This will give the photographer a chance to call and reschedule if needed.

Don't let a rainy forecast stop you from trying to get a shoot in though. There are some advantages in shooting just after the wet weather clears up, especially during the Spring. Usually the day after a storm or heavy rain, the skies will be so pristine and so blue that it's almost black, perfect for architectural exterior shooting. Also, in certain cases where a parking lot or pavement is involved, shooting just after a rain works great to show dampened ground and give you that "wet surface" look like in some car commercials. Many companies just wet it down with a fire hose, but for someone on a budget, why not let Mother Nature do all the work?

More suggestions to come

So, after having a rather bad week, I woke up to find this in my email. Even though I've seen it before, it absolutely made my day. I bet you'll never guess which scene is my favorite. Enjoy....

Rain.....

That's all I see when I look out my window today. All day long it has been raining, but fortunately, I have a beautiful view of the fog enveloping the ridges outside.

Although it is raining and all hope seems lost for shooting exteriors, there are ample opportunities for interior photography. When shooting residential photos, the ambient light outside is lower, offering the architectural photographer a decent way to expose through windows and control light spilling in. Of course, sometimes the outside view is not optimal, and it all depends on the shoot. Consider this next time you would like to schedule a shoot.

Personally, I like to work at night when shooting residential and commercial photos because it gives me better control to light the scene the way I envision it. Sometimes the sun gets in the way of these shoots and can be a distraction, casting a bluish tone over the whole interior.

In the past, I have taken advantage of exterior shooting during or after rainfall to create a certain mood. It's also a good way to wet down a parking lot or driveway on a budget. :)

Of course, when stuck in the office like I am today, I get a chance to contact my clients, educate myself on new business practices, and study new styles of shooting, and there are some that I'm excited to implement this year. Stay tuned!

My First Post!

Hello! Welcome to my New Year's Resolution! I have finally jumped on the bandwagon and got myself a blog. Actually, I have been thinking of doing this for the past six months, but I never really got around to it until now, and now is the perfect time.
Why does an architectural photographer start a blog? There are a few reasons, actually. Mainly, it is a good way to stay in contact with my clients (yeah, you) and let them know a little more about the process of architectural photography. For those who aren't clients, it is a way to get to know me personally. Another reason I have a blog is so I can get back to descriptive writing, something I haven't really focused on since at least 2003. I used to love to write, and was fairly good at it, so if my first few posts look like a 3rd grader's letter to Santa, please forgive me and know that I will get back in my groove soon.
What are some of the goals I have for my blog? Well, I want a place other than my website to show off my architectural photography, I want to advertise my services, congratulate my clients on their successes, and educate others on my industry. I would like to show off my personal work as well, hopefully gaining some appreciation from someone other than my mom. :)
I plan on blogging weekly, so stay tuned and feel free to leave comments! You can also visit my architectural photography website and get my contact info there. Thanks!