Lighting For Real Estate Photography – The Movie

It’s Official!

I’ve been holding this one close to the chest for a few months, although some hints leaked out now and then. I’ve just wrapped shooting on a comprehensive video series about lighting for real estate photography. I worked with Malia Campbell, who has sat (patiently) through more than a few of my workshops, and who knows the material I’m trying to present. She helped me condense the message(s) and make them work in a series of ten-to-twenty minute videos that I think ROCK.

Twenty-One videos in all, totaling a few hours’ worth, that cover just about every aspect of lighting real estate shots using small flash. I’m STOKED about this project. We start basic, then work up to multi-light setups that should challenge even the experienced real estate photographer.

The website where they’ll be available is still under construction, but rest assured, there will be more blog posts here as launch day approaches. TONS of work still to do on the back end, but it looks like we’re going to be ready to go live on March 1st, if not a few days before. I’m headed to the desert for a few days of R&R – but I’ll be back to answer questions next week! Meantime, drop by Malia Campbell Photography for more info on this!

iPhone Photo of the Day

Behind The Scenes with Malia Campbell Photography

I’m heading into a brutal shoot sked this weekend which (hopefully) will mark the end of shooting on a long-term project. A couple of weeks ago my friend and colleague Quentin Bacon dropped by the set to shoot some BTS footage.

Before you ask:  I’m not sayin’……yet.

Maybe next week.

New Work — Winter 2012 Collection

I’m very late with this, but it’s been a very busy fall/winter. Still, I’ve been itching to get this portfolio together, so today finally it’s live!

Click the image above to see the entire collection….and Thank You!

Outtakes

From a very cool project…

photos courtesy Quentin Bacon

The Remmies Are In!

Yeah, Baby!

Back on November 11th,  my lunch was interrupted by a call from Jerry Wilkins, of Custom Kitchens. He was letting me know that he had (the night before) accepted the Grand Prize, All Categories, at the 2011 Remmies with a project I photographed. This marks the second consecutive year that my photographs were part of the presentation that ultimately won Grand Prize — last year it was this project with McCutcheon Construction.

Congratulations to Jerry and the entire team at Custom Kitchens! This was a HUGE project, which was fraught by red tape and countless obstacles – Jerry and the crew perservered and ultimately created a real work of art….Arts & Crafts, actually….that was a pleasure to photograph. This project is now off to the Nationals…which are announced in April. Wish us luck!

Sausalito Residence by William Anderson Interiors

 One last project to finish out the year!

A few short weeks ago I spent a morning in Sausalito, California, with William Anderson Interiors, shooting a residential project they completed earlier in the year.

I loved the muted warm colors, and the way the shapes and themes followed through this main room! We shot a bedroom, two living room views, a wide establishing shot of the whole main floor, and a dining room view. Not bad for a half day!

Happy New Year….exciting stuff coming for 2012!

2011 Flipbook

View it big.

It’s been a good year! As I was recently reminded (thanks, Klaus!), I have the best job in the world. I spend every day doing what I want to be doing (except, maybe, bookkeeping day. Blech.) I’ve got enough money, and enough time (usually) to be good to myself once in a while.

When I reflect on 2011, I can’t help being aware that there are an awful lot of folks out there who are having a really hard time right now. People are out of work, or stuck in awful jobs that they can’t leave because there aren’t any other options. I’m pretty lucky.

Thanks to all my clients who give me such great stuff to put in front of my camera! See you all in 2012!

Northern California Hospitality

A few weeks ago I spent a couple of (long) days with Cox Concepts, in the tiny seaside village of Mendocino, way up on the Northern California coast. We were producing material for the launch of a new bed & breakfast, slated to open soon.

I drove up with PA Ellis Au on Tuesday evening, and met with Creative Director (and president of the company) Jim Cox, who had flown in earlier that day. We did a quick night-time walk-through of the place, and then headed out to a late dinner to go over shot lists and logistics. Our hosts had arranged housing in their other B&B’s, so we were living in luxury! I’m normally a Comfort-Inn kind of guy, so a room with a feather comforter and a working fireplace is definitely a step up.

November Workshop Recap

It’s been a long month! But fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!!!

As has become a tradition, I spent WAY too much time on airplanes in November, clocking over 17,400 miles (that’s 28,000km) in less than 30 days.

That’s a lot of airports, a lot of crossword puzzles, a lot of bad food. On the other hand, you can get SO MUCH work done on a plane! And the destinations were great: Phoenix, Arizona; Calgary, Alberta; Ronda, Spain; and even some vacation days in France. Not a bad month.

And the workshops! Without a doubt, these were the best workshops I’ve ever taught. We had an absolutely GREAT group of photographers in all three cities, and the venues were top-notch, as well.

By far, the most interesting one was with The Camera Store — the 2-day Advanced workshop. Twelve intrepid photographers and I spent two solid days shooting a townhouse in Calgary – and pushed our light and our compositions to the limit. Even I got stumped on a shot and had to resort to hand-blending two exposures together! Sunday afternoon we hit The Camera Store’s new classroom facility, did some post-production work on our images, and then projected them on the big screen for a group critique. This was the first 2-day workshop I’ve done, and there will be more like it. Jim at TCS is already bugging me about dates.

Thanks to The Camera Store, Lennar Corp., and the Ronda Mountain Retreat for hosting these workshops! Great locations, and great people to work with!

Me, I’m glad to be back home, trying to get back into running condition, and deep in pre-production on a very exciting project that will be announced soon after the first of the year!

Here’s a few photos —- credits are Malia Campbell, Marc Muller, Suzanne Feinberg, Me, and possibly someone I’ve forgotten — if you see your photo in here let me know so I can credit you! Thanks, you guys, for some great shots!

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