Whatever Happened to Good Photography?

I am always a bit surprised, and highly disappointed, when I thumb through magazines and click through websites and see pages and pages of truly bad architectural photography.

I specialize in high-end interior and exterior architectural photography.  So, I find it quite disturbing when I look at an image supposedly shot by a professional and I can't see through the windows.  Ask yourself, when have you ever been in a room on a sunny day and haven’t been able to see through the window? Exactly.

How about when window treatments are blown out and unrecognizable, and you can't see what the light fixtures should look like?  Have you seen those wide angle views with walls and doors that resemble the shape of a banana?

I can’t stand it when someone  shows me a photo in a magazine and tells me how 'airy' a shot looks. 'Airy'? Really?  The technical term is 'over exposure', and it is caused by someone who doesn't know the first thing about running a camera.  Images like these would have NEVER been accepted for publication by a qualified photo editor not too many years ago.  What has happened to our industry's standards? 

I was commissioned to photograph the interior of a designer's home.  It was a beautiful house in a lovely, rural setting.  It reminded me of being in a lodge or resort.  The designer actually had the home already photographed by another Chicago professional. I didn’t see those images until my client and I were viewing the work that I had shot. 

Below are a few comparisons. You won’t have any trouble telling my work from theirs. I later learned that the first photographer had worked with a crew and brought in studio lights. I came in with a camera bag on my shoulder.  That's it.  All I ever have.  Oh, I was also holding a cup of coffee.

This reminds me of a photo shoot with another designer, who hired me to photograph the interior of a amazing Chicago condo.  When I arrived I learned that space was being photographed by another photographer for publication.  No problem.  I met the photographer, all dressed in black, along with his assistant also all dressed in black.  They had with them tripods, soft boxes, bank lights, light packs, scrims, reflectors, laptops and more cameras than one has a right to own.  I smiled and watched them work; they were very busy setting up lights, moving about, holding reflectors taking light readings. After about six long hours, I think they had created maybe three or four shots. 

In less than four hours I photographed the entire condo sans one bedroom and we ended up with about thirty final images.  They are stunning and clean, beautifully lit, and highlight the design and architecture of the space.  No over-exposed lights, blown out windows, or distorted vertical lines.  

I guess my point in all of this is that our industry as a whole now accepts poor photography overall and I don’t understand why?  There are many outstanding photographers that specialize in this field. 

Photographing interiors and exteriors requires skill, usually honed with years of experience.  It is important that when you select a photographer, that their work will accurately reflects yours. There is no reason to compromise.  One good photograph is worth more than dozens of poor ones. 

I think there is a widespread misconception that quality photography must be prohibitively expensive.  If you are using images with any of the flaws mentioned above, please contact me for a quote.  You might be surprised to learn how affordable high-end photography can be.

Creative Spotlight: The Peter Scherrer Group & Abode Design Studio

One particular assignment that I enjoyed this past year was a team effort of high-end design/build firm The Peter Scherrer Group and interior designer Jana Dahl.  The project had a perfect hideaway setting and produced many challenges, not the least of which was that we had only one day to photograph it.

Notice the fine architectural lines and classic Scandinavian symmetry.  Each level and every room is a conversation piece in its own, offering expansive views and superlative craftsmanship.  The homeowner is a man of many interests, including a love of classic wooden boats.  Notice how the living area opens to offer a full view of his collection…truly breathtaking.  It was like being at a fine nautical museum.

Peter, Leslie and Sam (The Peter Scherrer Group) and Jana (Abode Design Studio) were a joy to work with.  Listening to them tell the story of how this project came to fruition was truly captivating.  This project was one of my favorites of our 2013 workflow.

Creative Spotlight: Centaur Construction

I had the opportunity to photograph a spectacular beach house on the south side of Chicago, built by Centaur Construction. The day of the shoot, I met Centaur CEO Spiro Tsaparas, and marketing manager Christina Pascente at the location.  They took me around and pointed out to me the incredible attention to detail that was carried out during the construction process.  As I stood on the main floor looking at the Venetian plaster on the ceiling, Mr. Tsaparas explained that it was the objective to bring the 'feel' of the beach into the home.  Looking at the spectacular view, I was greatly impressed with how successful this execution was. 

Another photography firm had previously shot this project.  Though the images generally looked good, it was this high detail, such as that of the Venetian plaster ceiling that Mr. Tsaparas wanted accentuated.  It was his desire for those looking at the images to get the feel of what was accomplished. 

It was a challenge for us in many ways; first knowing that our images had to exceed what had already been photographed.  Secondly, we were shooting on one dreary January day, whereas the previous photographer shot during an optimal time of year and over the course of several days.

Christina stayed for the entire shoot, and assisted by walking through and staging each room to be photographed.  Working quickly, we were able to photograph the entire home during the daylight hours and also had time for a few dramatic dusk shots.

I was very happy with the results of the images.  I felt we accomplished exactly what our client was looking for.  Each image encompasses a solid composition, excellent lighting, detail and sharpness.  Given the circumstances I could not have wished for better results.

Centaur is among those rare companies that have a highly skilled staff of professionals. As a bonus to their clients, they also staff an in-house design team, Centaur Interiors, headed up by noted interior designer Michael Miller.  This provides their client the ability to take an idea from concept to completion and fully realize the potential of the architect, builder and designer. 

Here are a few highlights from that day.

Creative Spotlight: HJH Homes

Hank Haff, president of HJH Homes, Inc., is driven.  His homes are all distinctive masterpieces that cater to, and surpass, his clients' dreams.

Having worked with him for several years, I can say that his personality is reflected in his work.  Hank is a 'no compromise' type of guy - only the best, only the finest will do.  Browsing his vast portfolio of superlative estates, one can quickly surmise that if you are serious about building an upscale, high-end home HJH Builders should be at the top of your short list.

Creative Spotlight: Terri Weinstein Design

Today’s images come from a spectacular project by noted Chicago interior designer Terri Weinstein.  Her work is simply amazing!  

As soon as I met Terri on the day of the shoot, I knew that these images would be fantastic. Very often clients do not take into account the way a room looks from different angles.  Not Terri!  We made sure that each composition was free of obstruction, and that the arrangement of furniture and accents complimented the shots.

Since we had such a short time to photograph the beautiful condo, we had to work very quickly.  That was not a problem! Terri works fast, furious, and full of energy.  The efforts were worth it, though – the results were stunning. This ranks among my all-time favorite spaces I’ve photographed.  Terri, it was a pleasure working with you and I can’t wait to do it again!

View more of Terri's work here.

Creative Spotlight: Huber Homes

I began my working relationship with Dave Huber approximately eight years ago. I was walking through one of his beautiful homes listening to him describe the construction process to a writer, who was interviewing him for an architectural magazine. Something about Dave’s personality struck me that day. He was easy to listen to, had a very methodical description of his business, and the custom home building process. The manner in which he thought about everything that he was going to say...you knew without question that this man has a PASSION for his work.

Dave said something that day that I think about every time I pull up to one of his homes to photograph them. He smilingly said to the writer, “I hope I won’t have to say too much when it comes time to sell the home, but that the quality of the construction and the detail of the finish will say it all.” Having now photographed several projects for Dave, I can attest to this. He is a master custom home builder, and is as kind and courteous a professional as one could ever want to work with.

It is my pleasure to feature Dave Huber of Huber Homes as our Creative Spotlight this month. To see more of his work, please visit his website here.

Creative Spotlight: Interior Viewpoint

I met Paula a few years ago when we photographed some projects that she had completed in Chicago. I arrived on a crowded street and helped her unload her car so that she could complete staging the home. She greeted me with a wide smile and a huge burst of energy. Often times when I meet a designer, I find that their personality comes across in their designs…this was certainly the case with Paula.

When I walked into any of her projects, I felt like I could move right in. Spaces were beautifully furnished with extremely upscale quality pieces, many of which were antique. Peaceful, comfortable, serene, timeless were thoughts that came to mind as I toured the homes and began thinking of compositions. I listened as Paula described the families’ needs and how she achieved them.

The results were exquisite coordinations of color and functionality throughout. Paula more than met her clients’ expectations; her work, her glowing, positive personality left an indelible impression on me.

Here are just a few samples of Paula’s work. For more information please visit her website. Thank you Paula for being our February Creative Spotlight!