Commercial

Business Headshot CEO in Pinellas Park - Barbara

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CEO Business Headshot in Pinellas Park Florida - glasses on - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/8 ISO 200 1/100th Strobist: SB-800 @ 1/4 power in brolly to frame left SB-600 @ 1/8th power with diffuser cap to frame rightEarly this morning I braved U.S. 19 to go and make an on location headshot for Barbara in Pinellas Park.  With making headshots on location I never really know what kind of space, light and background I am going to have to work with.  In Barbara's office the light and background (clean white) were good but the space was a little awkward.  I had to setup my brolly kind of around a corner at the end of a hallway.  Everything thankfully just fit!

CEO Business Headshot in Pinellas Park Florida - no glasses - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/8 ISO 200 1/100th Strobist: SB-800 @ 1/4 power in brolly to frame left SB-600 @ 1/8th power with diffuser cap to frame rightFor clients that wear glasses I usually make one headshot with glasses on and another with glasses off.  I also provide a vertical headshot like the one above and a more tightly framed headshot like the first image that can be cropped into a perfect square since many sites, including Linkedin, display profile photos in squares.  

Barbara was a natural in front of the camera and I believe her headshot was finished in the quickest time ever!  Thanks Barbara!

Model Portfolio Shoot in downtown St. Petersburg Florida dusk to night with Amy

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Model Portfolio Shoot - Amy in North Straub Park in downtown St. Petersburg Florida - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 800 1/50th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 @ 1/4 power in 42" brolly to frame left & Nikon SB-600 @ 1/16 power on ground to frame right 

Amy told me she just started modeling only three months ago, which surprised me a lot because I saw her resume before we scheduled our model portfolio shoot and it was already quite extensive!  We met in North Straub park in downtown St. Petersburg at 7pm for a dusk to night shoot.  For the above shot I broke the rules and had the subject look out of the edge of the frame instead of into the empty space of the frame.

Model Portfolio Shoot - model Amy in a thoughtful pose with bokeh in St. Petersburg Florida - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4.5 ISO 200 1/60th Strobist: SB-800 in 42" brolly above to frame left & SB-600 @ 1/16 power on ground to frame rightFor this shoot I debuted a new piece of gear, a "brolly," which is a reflective umbrella with softbox like ability.  Unfortunately, a windless evening suddenly produced gusts at two different times resulting in two crashes and the brolly getting partially damaged.  I have already ordered another since they cost less than $20.  When the new one arrives I will write a full review of it then, but I definitely like the lighting results.

Model Portfolio Shoot lighting from below - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 200 1/125th Strobist: SB-800 @ 1/4 power in brolly to frame left SB-600 @ 1/8 power behind model's footShooting late in the evening makes it easy to produce shots with pure black backgrounds (learn how) that look like they were done in a studio.  A little ambient light did get into this shot, I should have used a bit faster shutter speed, but the bright spots were easily brushed out in Photoshop.

Model Portfolio Shoot lighting from below - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 200 1/125th Strobist: SB-800 @ 1/4 power in brolly to frame left SB-600 @ 1/8th power behind model's foot

The above photograph was the shot I had in mind as the main goal of the shoot, though I ended up liking other shots better.  I will continue to experiment with ground level backlighting of subjects.

Model Portfolio Shoot with motion blur - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/6.3 ISO 800 1/20th Strobist: SB-800 @ 1/4 power in brolly to frame leftThe last shots of the evening were an attempt at motion blur portraits.  The shot was made by setting the focus on the model and then while pressing the shutter flicking the camera to the right creating motion blur in the lights behind the subject while keep the subject herself in focus.

I had a very good time during this shoot.  Amy was very patient and professional to work with and had very good balance on one leg as well!  I look forward to being able to work with her again in the future.

St. Petersburg Commercial Photography Shoot Lumber Liquidators exterior

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St. Petersburg Commercial Exterior Photography - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 5-exposure HDRAs a full-time professional photographer, I have to always have my photography gear ready (batteries charged, gear stowed in bags, etc.) in case the phone rings out of the blue with a time-sensitive job.  Such was the case this afternoon when I was alerted to a possible commercial exterior job that needed to be done right away.  After a quick e-mail inquiry I was called by the client and given the requirements for the type of photos they wanted.  They were looking for exterior shots of a Lumber Liquidators store featuring the store's signs especially and also showing the retail store in context to its surroundings.

Commercial shot showing retail space in context to surroundings - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 5-exposure HDRThat was a simple enough assignment, and the client said it only needed to be so, but I still went ahead and made mostly HDR images of the retail space exterior as they yielded much better results in the harsh afternoon Florida sun.  The store was in a nondescript strip mall on 22nd Ave N, but I used the surrounding trees to try and frame the building and show the space in its best context.

Commercial storefront photography St. Petersburg Florida - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 5-exposure HDR

This may seem like rather non-glamorous photography work, but I actually find these kind of "assignment" jobs to be fascinating in their own way.  I like being given a required shot to get out on location by a client.  It somehow makes me feel like an old newspaper photographer, out on assignment!

Business Headshots done in St. Petersburg Florida - Brian

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Corporate Business Headshot for St. Petersburg Florida professionals - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm lens @ f/8 ISO 200 1/200th Strobist: SB-800 @ 1/4 power through 24" softbox to frame right & SB-600 @ 1/16th power with diffuser cap to frame left; background digitally addedBrian and I connected via Linkedin back in the fall of 2011.  I noticed that he did not have a profile photo and I asked him if that was on purpose or if he was in need of a business headshot to use on sites like Linkedin, etc.  He said he was so this morning he came to my apartment where I did my first photography work in home!  I warned him attend of time that beloved puppy Kiki is a very enthusiastic greeter and of my Asian custom of removing shoes upon entering.  He said he was fine with both and Kiki (mostly) behaved very good during our headshot session.

Like many non-models, Brian does not necessarily like to have his photograph taken.  Part of my job as a professional photographer besides getting lighting and strobist things correct, is to make the person feel relaxed and confident so that a flattering headshot can be made.  In this regard Brian was very cooperative in following my suggestings for positioning himself and showing his smile in the shot.  Hopefully this experience will make him more comfortable the next time he has his portrait made.  

Business Headshots done on site St. Petersburg Florida - John

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Business Headshot down on client location with dramatic lighting - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/13 ISO 200 1/250th Strobist: SB-800 @ 1/2 power to frame right modified by shoot-through umbrellaI was very glad to get a call from John, whom I met through the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce a few years ago, asking about business headshots.  I had not seen him in awhile, but I remember from photographing him from at various events that he had a great smile and would be a very fun person to work with on making a business headshot.

The headshot above is actually the last one we made during the session done right in his own home.  I asked him if I could create a headshot with dramatic lighting and a black background (result of small aperture & fast shutterspeed, the wall behind him was actually white!).  This is not the traditional look for a headshot, but I thought it would be interesting just to try.  We both were pleased with the results and he selected the shot as one of his included photos with my business headshot package.

Business Headshot made right in front of a wall in a hallway in John's homeThe shot above (same image in color and B&W) was made in a more traditional headshot manner, though in a very non-studio setting.  I offer on-your-location headshots for maximum convenience to the client.  John cleared some space in front of a wall in a hallway and with just one speedlight shot through a shoot-through umbrella the results are seen above.

It was great to have a chance to photograph John again and catch up with him on what is happening in St. Petersburg.  

Old Northeast St. Petersburg Real Estate Photography 9th Ave North

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Old Northeast Real Estate Photography - living room with character - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 7-exposure HDRI got another St. Petersburg real estate photography assignment from Haike of Crown Group Realty last week to photograph a very charming Old Northeast home with lots of character.  The great room features a high ceiling with exposed beams, a fireplace, hardwood floors and a rounded archway into the dining room.  

Old Northeast Real Estate Photography - rounded archway & exposed beam ceiling - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 7-exposure HDRI wanted to include as many of the unique features of the rooms as possible in each shot.  Setting up in the dining room this shot shows the formal living room and in the back the Florida (sunroom) room that is right at the front of the house.  

Old Northeast Real Estate Photography - bright & cheery kitchen - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 0.5 sec single exposureThe kitchen is at the back of the house and connects to several nooks, one for a small office and another for a built-in bench table.  The owner keeps boxes of crackers in his oven, which reminds me of my grandparents who did the same!

Old Northeast Real Estate Photography - a tudor style home - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 7-exposure HDRI really enjoyed photographing this house and talking with the owner and his two lady friends.  I believe upon selling the house he plans to move to Rome "for the rest of his life" as he puts it.  Sounds like a great adventure.

Shore Acres Real Estate Photography St. Petersburg Florida pool home

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Shore Acres Pool Home HDR Real Estate Photography - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 9-exposure HDR tripod mounted with cable releaseNot every real estate photography assignment in Florida is for a multi-million dollar water view home.  There are plenty of other moderately priced homes on the market that need photographs made of them too, which is why I offer flexible rates for my commercial real estate photography services.  The home featured in this blog post is in Shore Acres area of St. Petersburg.  If you like it, the listing will be with Crown Realty Group.  Tell Haike I sent you.

A new backsplash brightens things in this Shore Acres home - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 1/2 sec tripod mounted with cable releaseI do not normally include HDR images when photographing a job in this price range, but for the lead pool shot I did as a bonus as it just looked night and day different.  All the interiors were single exposures, like this one of the remodeled kitchen.  I usually shoot at below eye level for interiors, but for kitchens I prefer to shoot from at or above eye level to show all the counter level features.

Huge flatscreen TV mounted in this Shore Acres living room - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 1.6 sec tripod mounted with cable releaseWhen doing single exposure interiors, as you can see I keep window blinds closed and pointed up whenever possible.  I close them pointed up so that no bright spots are cast onto the interior itself, but rather bounced off the ceiling making the light from them useful.  I had the client move a large armchair from where I was standing so I could better photograph the living room.  

Home office full of CDs in Shore Acres Florida - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 1 sec tripod mounted with cable releaseFor small home interior rooms, I choose to shoot in portrait orientation from the door way.  This creates the largest sense of space since floor to ceiling can be seen.  I photograph bathrooms the same way since they often are not large enough to even enter and photograph, especially with a tripod.

This pool home for sale in Shore Acres St. Petersburg Florida - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 1/50th tripod mounted with cable releaseFor the exterior shot, I try to include as little of the neighboring properties as possible, even if it means making a tighter shot like the one above.  I lowered my tripod enough so that the large live oak in the front yard framed the home rather than obscured the view of it.