Fiat 500

However I recently found myself drawn to Detroit’s city center in search of suitable locations for photographing the new Fiat 500. I spent a good part of a day walking the streets of downtown scouting for the quintessential backdrop for my planned automobile shoot. Not only was it a successful photo scout and car shoot, but it was enjoyable to reconnect with the Motor City, not just by driving through, but by actually treading feet on pavement.

Bottom line: It was fun to be Back to Detroit !!!

I completed a shoot for Letica not long ago. They make, among other things, plastic and paper cups, and plastic food containers. I shot the product in action. The photos were used for trade show banners – 84 inches high! Pour shots are challenging. It is necessary to do a fair number of pours to get exactly what you need. This shoot combined product and food as a prop. Ordinarily when I shoot food I like to work with a food stylist, but since the food in these shots was only a prop to help show off the containers, it was not essential to work with a stylist.

There is no question of the value of an excellent executive portrait. It may be the first impression that one gets before actually meeting someone in person. It also represents the company’s image as well as yours. It can illustrate your corporate culture: casual, aggressive, or buttoned up.

Is it cheap? No. Professional photography is a business. We have years of experience making people, products and places look good. It’s how we make our living, and like all businesses there is overhead that we contend with too. It’s true we don’t use film anymore, and that was an expensive part of photography; but now we have computers, printers, networks, and digital cameras. In addition, there is all of the basic overhead, like rent, insurance, advertising, utilities, transportation.

Is it worth it? Well of course I think it is, but objectively, it depends on your individual situation and how important your image is to you.

Dave and I recently finished a shoot for Raymond. The project included shooting in the studio (Tom) and on location in a warehouse (Dave). The project included video as well, so we had to coordinate closely with the video crew to make everything work smoothly. We had two excellent models from Productions Plus. Thanks to terrific clients, organized pre-production and teamwork, the shoot came off smoothly!

"Willow Run Facility"

I was hired this past year by a New York communications firm to shoot a project that was decidedly not glamorous by any stretch of the word. It was a three-week stint photographing the “old” General Motors bankruptcy properties throughout the state of Michigan. My job was to photograph these assets in their varied states of condition, from repopulated to vacant, from stages of demolition to vacuous parcels of land.

"Historic Sign"

Although not the style of work I normally strive for, the assignment paid fairly well and there were no tight deadlines to contend with. I met several interesting people along the way, some who shared their stories with me of a lifetime of working in these factories and the deep sadness they felt in seeing them ultimately closed. I couldn’t help but think of all the workers who had once walked the floors of these plants, providing for their families and of the cycle of life that surrounds us, both in the living and in the manufactured.

From careening a three-wheeled bicycle with camera gear in tow through a darkened million square foot edifice, to being chauffeured in a golf cart through the historic Willow Run plant in Ypsilanti, we can find the silver lining in all assignments that come our way if we’re open to them. Mine came especially true knowing that I was retracing the footsteps of those workers from a generation ago who had built my father’s World War II B-24 bomber on the very floor that I now had the opportunity to stand with my camera poised.

Not a glamorous shoot, but for me, a memorable one.

I recently did a shoot for Con Leche Watch. It was interesting for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a clever and attractive product. It’s a watch for breast-feeding mothers to help keep track of when they last fed their baby, and from which side. This may sound trivial, but if you are a sleep deprived nursing momma, I’m sure it’s a godsend. (I’ve only been a sleep deprived papa, so it’s only an educated guess…)

The watch comes in three models and with a choice of several strap colors. My client wanted a web customer to be able to select the watch model and then the strap with out the images jumping around on the screen. This turned out to be best solved in post production. After shooting all the watches and bands, I put all the images into a single layered photoshop file, then aligned and retouched them. By turning layers off and on, all of the various combinations are possible. I’ve created an animated GIF to illustrate the concept.

The real appeal of the watch is that it removes a distraction and allows moms to better care for their babies. The challenge for me was to capture the enormous emotional and physical bond between mother and child.

Let me know what you think!

"Chefs Joe Muer and Jim Oppat"

In case you haven’t heard, Joe Muer, the famed Detroit chef is making a comeback with a new downtown restaurant in alliance with the Andiamo chain. And fortunately for Blue Sky, we were chosen to create the photography for this upcoming event.

"Delicious"

Shooting at Andiamo’s flagship restaurant, Tom and I worked in close quarters, with Kirby photographing the plated foods and myself taking on the lifestyle shots of Chef Muer and his associates. We shared an assistant and equipment, but more than that we shared an experience of real teamwork, both of us working together to create photographs the client would be proud of showcasing for their new endeavor.

In business, choosing a team that you can trust is one of the most important decisions an entrepreneur can ever make. I knew early on that to have a business capable of riding out both the good and bad cycles of our industry, I would need a partner that I could trust, and in turn, for that partner to be able to rely on me.

Don’t get me wrong. Tom and I can be like The Odd Couple at times, from the differences in our lifestyles, to our politics, to our choices of restaurants; but, we do have that one paramount notion in common…..to run and sustain a business using teamwork.

What is the difference between high quality commercial photography and amateur or semi-professional photography? A professional photographer is able to consistently produce high quality images that represent your product or service in the best light. How do you want your company’s image projected? Your brother-in-law with his new DSLR is pretty good at taking pictures of his kids, but does he have the knowledge and experience to portray your product or service well?  What impression do you project with poorly designed sales materials and amateurish pictures?

Ideally, you want potential customers to see your website, mailer or brochure and realize that you have a well managed company that produces high quality products or services at a fair price. You offer good value and can be trusted.

 But it costs so much!

Yes, but, you get what you pay for. High quality commercial photography is not cheap. Neither is getting your car fixed at the dealership or hiring a plumber. Still, it makes sense to look for value. You need to ask yourself some questions. What is the useful life of the photography you need? How much will sales be affected by the quality of the photographs? How many visitors to your website will move on to the next site because your product or service looks amateurish. If you can amortize the use of the images over three years, good photography seems like a wise investment. A better company image, better brand recognition and repeat business are dividends you are likely to enjoy.

 It’s Your Business

Commercial photography is not only about putting your product or service in the best light, it also triggers a positive emotional response.

So it turns out that high quality commercial photography is not expensive, but an excellent investment in the future of your company.

"Buster" on assignment.

It began four dogs and three studios ago with a Golden Retriever pup, named Kodak. He had his own business card stating simply his name and, of course, his occupation: “Studio Dog.” He was a smash with clients, often times receiving preferential treatment over the photographers, agents and stylists they had come to collaborate with.

Buster came next, and years later, Scout. Both ran stints as semi-professional talent, with their images occasionally gracing the interior pages of automotive brochures.

"Jake"

In an already agreeable business atmosphere, having the companionship of your pet near your side can only make the day brighter and livelier. There are of course occasions when having a dog on site is not appropriate. Being attuned to your client’s disposition is critical, and in those cases our dogs have received the day off, spending some couch-time at home.

The latest addition to the Blue Sky studio is Jake, an exuberant black lab, still waiting for his first-time gig. Jake doesn’t have his own business card yet, but when clients request he be at the shoot, we know we’re doing something right.