Construction Photography That Shows the Finished Craftsmanship
This was my first construction and renovation photography shoot for Amy and Chris of Hare Construction. The team completed a transformative renovation of a historical Pacific Grove house, using many repurposed pieces in the final design per the choices of the owner of the house. It was a collaboration with Amy and Chris making these photos, highlighting key areas of the renovation, like the interior entryway doors and staircase, the unique faucet fixture in the bathroom, and the newly exposed alcove feature above a fireplace that used to be a column of brick. It was really interesting to me to hear how the house was before the renovation, how old features of the house were rediscovered, and how windows used to be parts of old doors Thank you to Hare Construction for choosing me as your photographer for capturing this beautifully updated PG home.
How a Conversation Led to a Guest Room Photo and Video Project
You never know what may lead to a photography job. Such was the case of how I ended up working with Odeli of Del Mesa Carmel. I received an invitation to the first Makers’s Market at Asilomar Conference Grounds in December. Setup across from my table display was an artist. He wandered over and we got to talking. I had the drone on display on the table, so in talking about that, he mentioned having a friend who was talking about needing drone video. I gave him my card to give to her. Well, shortly thereafter that person walked by so he introduced us, and here one month later I was on site starting out by making interior photos and video of a guest room available for residents of the community. Thank you Eric for the intro and thank you to Odeli for your help during the shoot. I will be back to make the drone video next!
This short marketing video above was created to complement interior photography by showing how the guest room flows, how light moves through the space, and how the room is actually used. Videos like this work especially well on websites, social media, and digital marketing platforms where attention is limited and first impressions matter.
Interior Event Venue Photography showing off Asilomar Conference Grounds
This was my first opportunity to make interiorevent photos at the nearby Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove focusing on the setups and venue spaces themselves. This was the first of three nights in a row, all within a different space on the grounds, with this one being in Crocker Hall and a country theme to the food and venue presentation. The fireplace was a focal point, as well as the hay bales used for display and even seating! I used a variety of photography styles from typical wide angle shots, to shallow DoF (depth of field) shots, to even a long exposure letting the people “ghost” out of the shot, allowing a photo to be used to show the venue rather than actual guests, while still showing guests in the space without identifying them.
Blending drone video and gimbal video for a Nursing Home in ABQ
It is often a client’s request that pushing me to add new skills to my photography toolbox, so when the Odelia Nursing Home in Albuquerque, New Mexico wanted both drone and interior video, I had to quickly buy and learn how to use a handheld gimbal. The results came out well, combining aerial drone video with interior views of the nursing home. To that I added still photo interiors shots too. Since this shoot I already invested in a much better handheld gimbal and look forward to offering clients the option to add “from the ground” video to the drone videos I have been making already for years. Thank you to the team at Odelia for the opportunity!
Mountain setting for Airbnb in the La Luz area of Albuquerque New Mexico
Hidden far up La Luz in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is this Airbnb nestled in a stunning mountain setting. I took my camera and drone through winding dirt roads to reach this Airbnb to make professional photos of it as the owner wants to stand out from all the competition in Albuquerque. I sent the drone up first to show the Airbnb listing’s proximity to the Sandia Mountains and hiking trails. Inside, I featured using a wide angle lens the open floor plan of the main level, and then the two upstairs bedrooms. Switching lenses I then made highlighting photos of the features in this Airbnb, like a crib for a baby, high chairs, and a cool bean bag chair for lounging around. My goal when photographing an Airbnb is showing others what I would want to see if I were considering this Airbnb listing using my 10+ years experience of staying in Airbnbs all over the U.S.
Incredible art makes for being incredibly careful when making personal branding photos in Santa Fe
Making personal branding photos and interior photos in a fine art gallery is very cool, but also very nerve wracking as close to six figure priced sculptures sit upon, to me, very small pedestals! So when you have a 42” diameter round soft box you are moving around to photograph gallery owner Steve, it’s time to be extra, extra careful! However, as you can see, inside and out, Globe Fine Art Gallery is a bold visual statement. Steve had ideas for which artwork pieces to use in his personal branding photos, and then the Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM lens did the rest! I really like shooting in an art gallery like this for unique backgrounds. Thank you Steve for being so great in front of the camera and helpful during the shoot!
The peacefulness in photographing an apartment community in Albuquerque
I actually find photographing an apartment community one of the most relaxing types of photography I do. Why is that? Because most of the time I am given access to a space, then left alone to make the photos I need. Such was the case when I photographed Stride West in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The leasing office area and lobby was largely empty when I was there, the gym totally empty, same for the pool, and of course the model unit was just me and the furniture. In this way I made my way around the apartment community grounds (with a lift from the staff on a golf cart) getting the 75 photos I needed to per client guidelines. I did start out getting aerial drone photos because the skies were pretty good, and it is my policy to get all exterior shots when I arrive because you never know when the weather will change. Sure enough, by the end of the shoot things would have been too cloudy. Thank you to the team at Stride West for getting everything prepped for the photo shoot.
