Handcrafted Furniture Photography

Even though my studio is small, I'm occasionally called upon to photograph objects that are larger than my studio can comfortably accommodate. In these instances, I take my show on the road and take my studio equipment and background to their warehouse or factory and shoot there. This makes it easier for my clients because they have equipment and staff on hand to move things around if needed. It also saves them the expense of loading a truck, transporting to a studio, and having a couple of people away from the business for the day while they supervise a photo shoot. I shoot with my camera tethered to a laptop to the images can be studied and adjusted as their shot. The clients are able to give feedback on the spot, and the whole photoshoot moves much more quickly and efficiently.

Great photos of their furniture are essential not only for their websites but also for sending images to retail furniture stores so people can see that they can provide for customers.

The images below were recently shot in western Pennsylvania for a family owned furniture manufacturer. They make beautiful handcrafted furniture that is sold at craft fairs along the eastern seaboard. They contacted me because they were dissatisfied with the photographers in their region. They were all portrait and wedding photographers that lacked the knowledge, experience, and equipment needed to create images of their furniture that adequately captured their beauty.

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Click on the image to see it larger

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Photography of a Diner

Finished image

Primary Source Image - (Click on the images to make them larger.)

I was recently commissioned to shoot this restored diner for use in their ads and on their website. They requested a sunset shot which meant that the sunlight on the diner would also light up the hotel immediately behind it, causing them to blend together in a photograph. This caused a major visual problem that could only be solved during post-production. The job had to be done quickly as it was to have it's grand opening in 10 days and the trees were about to lose their leaves. After 5 days of rain we had our chance.

Two images were blended together with additional Photoshop work to create the final image. The primary image was a shot of the building at sunset as requested. The other image was taken about a half hour later after dark to record the lights inside the diner.

Some of the additional Photoshop work was darkening down the hotel, repaving the parking lot, removing the telephone pole and wires, removing the truck, the post on the right side and the light pole on the right which was forming a tangent with the edge of the diner. Anything that was not part of the main subject was removed or subdued in order to simplify the image as much as possible and to direct the viewer's attention to the diner.

Great photos are usually not taken; they're made. 

I'm usually more subtle in my color palette but the building is pretty unconventional looking and I decided to play it up and give it a bit of a painterly quality. It's always fun transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary.

See more examples of my work as a Philadelphia architectural photographer.

See more examples of my work as a Photoshop expert. 

Photography for an Interior Designer

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This is a sampling from 15 interiors that I photographed the other day for Dana Neeld of Staging Spaces, an exceptionally talented interior designer in the Philadelphia region. We were tight for time, so I shot with minimal lighting, averaging about 15 minutes to set up the equipment and shoot each view. I prefer this approach because the photos "feel more real" to me.

The images don't come out of the camera looking anything like this. Cameras don't render scenes the way we perceive them. Extensive post-production is required to make the most of the data captured by the camera and create an image that has depth and looks real. Up to a dozen, images are combined to create each image. The post-production time averaged about 45 minutes for each image.

I show these to illustrate that excellent interior images are possible without going in with a crew and doing extensive lighting.

These images, especially when combined with her "before" photos are invaluable for her marketing as they show potential clients what she brings to the table. Since we buy with our eyes, photographs are by far the most effective way to demonstrate what she does.

Remember, if you're providing a service, you're selling trust. You can't show a buyer in advance what you're going to deliver, but you can show what you've done for others. Perception is everything, so you can't afford to use images that are less than the best.  

Great images aren't an expense, they're an investment.

See more examples of my Philadelphia architectural photography.

Environmental Headshots

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These are from a series of location headshots of employees that I created for a company's website. They were shot on location at the company's headquarter's in NJ. The goal was to make everyone look likable and approachable. The man with his head centered is the company president.

Click on the link to see more examples of my headshot photography.

Executive photo for a magazine cover

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Had a great day shooting editorial images in Princeton and Philadelphia for a magazine. This is the CEO of a major foundation and was shot for the cover. I wanted a natural light feel, so lighting was kept to a minimum. I was granted 15 minutes for the shoot. She was photographed in two different settings to provide them with more choices.

A Recent PR Shoot

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This is one of many images created to publicize Independence Blue Cross Foundation's Healthy Futures initiative. They've granted 1.8 million dollars to fund a three year program to improve children's wellness by teaching them how to "Stay Well", "Get Fit", and "Eat Right". Many of the children were very excited about it.

Recent project for a website

This is one of many images created during a one day photo shoot for a company's website. I was hired to create images of their staff and facilities. They provide imaging analysis for the biotech industry.

Group photo for an ad.

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This was created for an ad for a foundation with ties to lacrosse that raises awareness and funds for cancer research. We were granted brief access to a radiology room in a hospital. The mood was to be that of a team of people united in the quest to beat cancer.

The lighting was set up, the people arranged and images taken during a period of about 15 minutes. When working with a group of people who aren't models it's imperative to work quickly so no one gets impatient and annoyed. In cases like this I rely on experience and intuition to know how and where to set the lights and arrange my subjects. The last five minutes were spent shooting about 30 images.

It's also very important to control the mood and thinking of all of the members of the group so that their attention and mood is "focused" in the way that is appropriate for the intended message. I do this by getting the group in the proper frame of mind and instructing them what I want them to think. Their thoughts project outward naturally through their body language and the camera is capable of capturing this.

A low camera angle and a very wide angle lens was chosen to make the group look more heroic and make the image more visually interesting. Three lights were used in addition to the ambient lighting.

A location shoot with models

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This assignment was shot the other day for a credit card processing company. They provide cashless systems for processing small payments.  One of their systems is for laundromats. It's more convenient for the customers and makes it so the business owner doesn't have to deal with massive amounts of change. 

My client wanted images showing happy customers at a laundromat. They're happy of course because they don't have to carry all that change! (I know that would make me happy). We used professional models, and shot in a laundromat during business hours. They'll be used for their marketing of this cashless system.

When shooting people on location like this, I usually prefer to keep the lighting simple. I want  the subject to capture the viewer's attention, not my lighting or camera technique. The purpose should not be to try to impress the viewer with slick techniques of photography or lighting, but rather to draw the viewer in and have them connect with the subject. The image must feel "real".

Clean room operation

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One aspect of my work that I find very enjoyable is being able to go into all different kinds of manufacturing environments and seeing how things are produced.

I recently shot this (and many other related images) at a New England pharmaceutical plant. It shows my client's product (syringes) being filled by machinery in a clean room.