- Alabama
- Apartments
- Architects
- Artwork
- beach
- Bradenton
- Builder
- California
- Casey Key
- College
- Commercial
- Concord
- Condo
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Fire station
- Florida
- Golf Course
- Gulf Shore
- Hartford
- Historical
- Hotel
- Houston
- Interior Design
- Jacksonville
- Key West
- Lido Key
- Longboat Key
- Los Angeles
- Louisiana
- Mediterranean
- Mexico
- Miami
- Model Home
- Modern
- Monterrey
- Naples
- New Hampshire
- New Orleans
- North Carolina
- Oriental
- Orlando
- Palmetto
- Police
- Public
- Puerto Rico
- Raleigh
- Residential
- Resort
- Restaurant
- Retirement Living
- Sacramento
- San Antonio
- San Juan
- Sarasota
- School
- Seniors
- Shopping Mall
- Siesta Key
- South Beach
- Tampa
- Texas
- Townhomes
- Trade Show
- Venice
- Virginia
- West Palm Beach
Bird Key Modern
February/06/12
This assignment was pure pleasure to document with it's strong angles, zen like courtyard and water features. Additionally with the location of the property being Bird Key in Sarasota, it made shooting close to home possible for a change. Very cool modern design courtesy of architect Guy Peterson and landscape architect David Young.
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Delaware's Resort Style Retirement Living
January/01/12
Earlier this year we were given the commission to photograph ACTS Resort Style Retirement Community in Delaware. Cokesbury Village is 60 acres of colorful gardens, rolling lawns, native woodlands, clustered neighborhoods and public spaces that create an idyllic village setting. Residents enjoy a long list of opportunities and the cultural riches available in nearby Wilmington and Philadelphia.
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Public Safety Buildings
December/01/11
Architects Design Group designed this complex combining police, fire rescue, training and EOC into a 5 story state of the art facility. Modern design coupled with all the necessary elements for a fully functioning police department. Very cool!
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Los Angeles Retirement Living
November/11/11
The Covington is an elegant retirement community located in Aliso Viejo south of Los Angeles. Views of Saddleback Mountain and cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean makes this a perfect location. We're returning to the community when their renovations are complete.
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Siesta Opulence
October/01/11
This home is a statement of refinement and comfort. Impeccably designed, lushly landscaped and sitting directly on the Gulf of Mexico. The hard part was finding a stooping point as almost everywhere we pointed our cameras there was a stunning image.
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Gulfshore Modern
September/20/11
This month we were back in Florida and awarded an assignment to photograph this beautiful modern architecture located right on the Gulf of Mexico. The young couple and their children make full use of the expansive home and the beaches beyond. Nice people too.
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North Carolina Retirement Living
August/12/11
Tryon Estates boasts 215 acres of mountainside campus with walking trails, croquet courts and a beautiful, peaceful fishing lake. They have many amenities and activities on campus and off. This is the perfect place for people who want to spend their retirement years exploring and enjoying nature.
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Delaware Retirement Living
July/07/11
Country House is located just outside of Wilmington, DE and offers shopping, fine dining and a host of cultural attractions and venues. Philadelphia is less than thirty minutes away and an easy commute lands you in the heart of Manhattan. Classic architecture, acres of manicured grounds, rolling hills and habitat-rich woodlands echo its heritage as part of the original Winterthur estate.
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Casey Key Bay House
June/01/11
This month we were called back to this beautiful modern residence to photograph some areas that had been finished since we were last there. A remarkable engineering feat by ToTems Architects and custom builder Mike Walker
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Eclectic Bluewater
May/10/11
Eclectic Bluewater Style
Bluewater Construction's portfolio includes new and remodeled homes on Florida’s finest West Coast waterfront properties. Discerning clients on Siesta Key, Bird Key, Lido Key and Longboat Key agree that Bluewater's exceptional custom work, communication skills and attention to detail are all reasons why they chose them to turn their visions into reality. Family operation, nice folks too.
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New Orleans Style
April/22/11
Big Easy Feeling
This month we were favored with yet another commission from Style Magazine. This home was all New Orleans, from the gas lights at the entry to the french doors leading out to the veranda and wrought iron railing. Located on the intercoastal waterway in Sarasota the home was beautifully done with much attention to all the details. Another truly enjoyable assignment for us. The Architect was Jerry Sparkman with Totem Architects the interior designer was Laurel Phipps of Retreat Interiors and the home was built by custom builder Mike Adams.
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Palmetto Elementary
April/16/11
Elementary School
Palmetto Elementary School is a 100,000 sf., 823 student facility built to replace an existing school. Designed by Hoffman Architects, the modern design is comprised of one and two story buildings arranged around a secure central courtyard. The site is shared with the local Boys and Girls Club allowing for
combined use of parking and play areas. Builder on the project was NDC Construction.
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Sarasota's Crown Jewel
March/16/11
Sarasota's New Home of the Baltimore Orioles
This months feature is the renovated Ed Smith Stadium, home of the Baltimore Orioles spring training. The end product of much planning by our County Commissioners, the Office of the County Attorney, sports architect David M. Schwarz and executive architect Gary Hoyt and Associates. And of course overseen by the legendary Architect and urban planner Janet Marie Smith
Another Public Safety Building in Sarasota
February/12/11
The Sarasota County Fire Station No. 1 is a new 12,894 square foot fire station with a new fuel filling site. The station houses four (4) drive-through apparatus bays with living quarters capable of serving fourteen (14) firefighters/EMS personnel. Other interior spaces include a kitchen, exercise room, day room, dining area, screened porch and report writing area, a Multi-Purpose Room is programmed to serve as a training room for EMS personnel. The designers TOTeMS Architects designed the building to meet Gold LEED objectives
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Public Safety Buildings in Sarasota
January/22/11
Our commission this month was to document the new Sarasota Police building which incorporated many innovative ideas. The six-story Sarasota, FL Police Headquarters, clad in various glazing systems, was designed for energy performance and safety, able to meet stringent hurricane codes and security requirements was designed by Architect Design Group, Inc.. Daylighting was critical to building design, and the headquarters features 40,000 square feet of exterior glass and 6,000 square feet of interior glass, with a total glazing value topping $2 million. The glass framing system was supplied by Kawneer a division of Alcoa and installed by Key Glass based in Bradenton Florida. The building was designed to achieve the Silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.
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Marriott Hotels, Clearwater and Lakewood Ranch, Florida
December/06/10
We've been privileged to photograph several hotels under various brand names for the Kinsman Group all over the state of Florida. This month we were commissioned to photograph the remodeled Fairfield Inn's in Clearwater and Lakewood Ranch. Always interesting to see the updated colors and furnishings installed in the hospitality business. They are usually ahead of the curve in style and color schemes. Always a pleasure to work with the Kinsman Group's regional director Steve Dadson.
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Westminster Canterbury, Chesterfield, Virginia
November/14/10
We were off to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia this month working along side some lovely people in one of the most attractive communities we've been privileged to photograph. As a Lifecare community, Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury offers independent living cottages and apartments, as well as assisted living apartments that can accommodate couples and a health center that offers private rooms. The campus layout provides ease of movement between buildings adding to our true sense of community.
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Naples, Florida Twin Eagles Club
October/22/10
We were given the commission to photograph the remodeled golf course by The Ronto Group – a development company known for exquisite communities throughout Southwest Florida, Southern Ontario and Texas. TwinEagles already boasts the top residential golf course in Southwest Florida, the Talon, designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son, Jack Nicklaus II. Lots of wildlife lives around the course. We were fortunate enough to capture one deer crossing the 14th green late in the day.
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Sarasota's House of Curves
September/18/10
Style Magazine provides us with opportunities to document some of the most interesting and beautiful homes on the Gulf Coast. This month's featured home is no exception. Located on the Sarasota bayfront with glorious views of the Sarasota skyline. No expense was spared to the owners desires for a unique home with no squared walls and an unimpeded view of the bay.
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Toshiko Mori Architect
August/20/10
We were honored to document a project by internationally known architect Toshiko Mori. This was an addition to a residence designed by famed architect Paul Rudolph in 1957 and was carried out by the meticulous builder Michael K. Walker's team.
Toshiko Mori, FAIA is the Robert P. Hubbard Professor in the Practice of Architecture with tenure at Harvard University Graduate School of Design and was the chair of the Department of Architecture from 2002 to 2008. She is also principal of Toshiko Mori Architect, which she established in 1981 in New York City. Mori taught at the Cooper Union School of Architecture from 1983, until joining the Harvard GSD faculty in 1995.
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Casey Key Award Winner
July/13/10
Jerry Sparkman of Totems Architecture designed an award winning guest house for the owners to live in while construction was taking place on the main house he also designed. The properties trees were left untouched throughout the process providing a beautiful hammock on one side of the main house contrasting with the Gulf of Mexico on the other. Michael Walker & Associates was the builder given the responsibility of bringing this vision to life. Walker's attention to the smallest details is evident throughout the homes. Even the reveals around every door and window are absolutely parallel without exception. The home is contemporary in design but materials and furnishings create a warmth and lived in atmosphere rarely found in modern architecture.
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Architect Thomas Reed Martin's 1926 home
June/28/10
Students of Sarasota architecture quickly come to know the familiar name and distinctive designs of architect Thomas Reed Martin. Although Thomas Reed Martin is probably best known for his Mediterranean Revival-style residences, in fact, he designed many buildings in other architectural styles and was an accomplished landscape artist and designer. This house was designed, and lived in, in 1926 by Martin, who designed about 500 buildings in Sarasota from the 1910s through the 1940s.
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The Historical Society of Sarasota County
May/20/10
Conserving heritage is the Historical Society’s primary concern. We were asked to photograph 2 historical homes for the society and will be creating some videos for them in the near future featuring long time residents of the area for posterity as well.
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Bradenton, Florida for Style Magazine
May/10/10
Another interesting home shot for Style Magazine this time on the bayfront in Bradenton Florida.
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Siesta Key, Florida Classic Design
April/28/10
Renowned Architect Clifford Scholz designed this home on a beautiful lot hidden along the main road on Siesta Key. Cliff's designs are recognizable all along the west coast for his ability to incorporate gracious Florida living with classic architectural styles.
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Sarasota, Florida Ringling School Gallery
April/20/10
madeby is the Ringling School of Art and Design's outlet for students to present their work for sale. It offers an eclectic assortment of one-of-a-kind and limited edition works for sale by students and alumni including fine art photos, greeting cards, posters, prints, original paintings, screen-printed clothing and other wearables, books, and jewelry.
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Sarasota, Florida Ringling School of Art and Design
April/06/10
For the past several years we have been given the privilege of creating images for the Ringling School of Art and Design. The images are used in the school's catalog as well as posters, brochures and website.
Graduates are some of the most highly recruited students in the nation. DreamWorks, Disney, Pixar, Hallmark, Sony ImageWorks are just a few of the recruiters that come every year as well as graphic and industrial design firms of all types from all around the globe. The schools reputation for producing ready to work artists is obviously well known.
This year the school moved into two new buildings. A new classroom building complete with theater and cafe and a new student dorm building. The architect on the project was again The Lawson Group based in Sarasota Florida. Builder was Willis Smith Construction.
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Sarasota, Florida Modern Design
March/08/10
Sarasota has long been a center for modern design. This month we were privileged to photograph an exciting project on Siesta Key for Morrison Design. Patricia Morrison's work has been in numerous Designer Showcases and was, most recently, recognized in conjunction with architectural firms for both Best Kitchen 2009 and Home of the Year 2009 Awards. Patti's background ranges from Parsons School of Design in New York to the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris. Truly a talent as without the usual attitude, we very much enjoyed this assignment.
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Siesta Key, Florida
January/03/10
Tandem Construction awarded us the assignment to document the Hyatt Siesta Key Beach project. This project was built on a very small footprint in the midst of several small vintage motels on the southern end of Siesta Key. Construction was strategically very difficult to accomplish but the Tandem Team did their usual craftsmen like work and didn't raise too many protests. Hyatt Residence Club units are luxurious 2 bedroom residences measuring 1865 to nearly 3000 square feet.
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Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. ~Andre Gide
Venice, Florida
December/04/09
Venice Florida Origami House
We were commissioned by renowned architect Jonathan Parks to photograph a unique home he created in Venice, Florida. Jonathan took the concepts of origami to create this geometrically unfolding loft home within an existing older neighborhood. The front elevation appears to be a one story home however once inside you're presented with a 24 ft. ceiling height and geometric shapes that continue to unfold as you move about the home. Truly an enjoyable assignment.
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Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. ~Andre Gide
LaJolla, California
November/14/09
White Sands of La Jolla
We were fortunate to be asked back to California to document a stunning Retirement Living complex on the Pacific Coast. White Sands of LaJolla just north of San Diego was a luxury hotel back in the day and is now a paradise for retirees in southern California. They are converting from the old buildings to new apartments surrounding central courtyards. The old section is right on the coast and most apartments have fantastic views.
Awesome weather and views made this assignment hard to complain about. Enjoyed photographing it for Martino and Binzer.
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A man with one watch knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure. ~Lee Segall
Jacksonville, Florida
October/21/09
Hotel Indigo at Deerfield Park
We had been aware of a new Hotel in Sarasota called Hotel Indigo but hadn't seen the inside of one before. One of our clients that own a number of Holiday Inn hotels opened one in Jacksonville and we were pleased to be given the assignment to photograph it. It is a boutique hotel appealing more to the upscale business traveler of today. Bright saturated colors and modern contemporary furnishings let you know your not in the average hotel as you enter the lobby. A very open plan encourages interaction as you will note in the overview shot of the lobby. The bar, restaurant and business center are all within view of the reception desk. They also had the conference rooms as well as a large banquet hall. The suites are to die for with every convenience you could ask for. Located in the Deerfield Park area of Jacksonville they are perfectly situated to serve the executive business traveler.
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Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop. ~Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland
West Palm Beach, Florida
September/15/09
Devonshire at PGA National
Just a week after returning from our Retirement Living assignment in Los Angeles we received another commission to photograph what turned out to be a Luxurious Retirement Resort. Located next to PGA National in West Palm Beach, Florida this community is remarkable. Within the main building are no less than 4 individual restaurants offering everything from casual dining to the formal experience as well as a lounge for before dinner drinks and after hours gatherings. They offer 26 different entrees each night and a full staff of chefs headed by a master chef, souse chef and pastry chef. They even have one of the local culinary colleges in Florida sending their students for practical experience under this training. Absolutely top shelf accommodations and staff throughout the community. If you've got a pretty good stack of dough this is the place to spend your golden years. This assignment was courtesy of Martino & Binzer again
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We are more often treacherous through weakness than through calculation. ~Francois De La Rochefoucauld
Los Angeles, California
August/21/09
Royal Oaks Manor
We're all getting older and proof positive is the fact that we are getting more and more assignments from one of our best clients Martino & Binzer to photograph retirement living complexes. Some of these are more like resorts than the old folks homes of yesteryear. This assignment was in the foothills just west of Los Angeles. Beautiful area removed from the manic pace of LA but within 30 minutes to an hour from anywhere. Part of the assignment was for aerials and I was disappointed with the results. The charter services we have used in Florida will take me as low as I want but the folks in California are restricted to 800 feet and higher. Not the best vantage point for photography unless you really enjoy looking at rooftops. The client was satisfied so that is all that matters in the end. Hopefully we will receive additional assignments from them as they have a number of holdings in California.Click for additional images.
Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow. ~Aesop
Naples & Orlando, Florida
July/21/09
Whole Foods Markets
Whole Foods Markets were our assignments this month. The shoot was for a talented architect Barron Schimberg and included 2 locations, Naples and Orlando. The mixed lighting along with only having access to the store during business hours proved challenging. We were pleased with the results and the client already has the images on his website so we know he was proud of them as well. He has been approached about having some of the photos included in a new book as well.
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Only that in you which is me can hear what I'm saying. ~Baba Ram Dass
Sarasota, Florida
June/24/09
Holiday Inn
This week we were back at the Holiday Inn Lakewood Ranch in Sarasota that we had photographed last year. They won a corporate award for their property, occupancy average and most important the Architectural Photography. So who else are you going to call when you remodel? Pretty straight forward assignment. The client wanted all twilight shots but the budget didn’t have enough to cover multiple trips to the property. As a result we blocked windows off and did multiple exposures of various spaces to give the feeling of twilight.
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I am a part of all that I have met. ~Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sarasota, Florida
May/17/09
Sterling Park Office Building
This week we were contracted by one of our local Sarasota Architects to document their latest project. The building won several awards for design as well as “green factors”. Check out some of the other angles we captured.
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The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer. ~Edward R. Murrow
Sarasota, Florida
April/28/09
Seibert Architects
This project was for Sam Holliday the principle architect at Seibert Architects in Sarasota. They pretty much gutted the Longboat Key home with its Mediterranean design in favor of a much more modern design. Sam’s wife is an ASID interior designer so they work hand in hand. Simple, open design that takes advantage of lovely views of the bayou marina behind the home and courtyard and pool towards the front of the home. They were required to maintain the exterior look of the home and did so while transforming the interior into a contemporary modern space that flows through to the courtyard. Fine design and workmanship throughout. We were privileged to document the project.
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Losing an illusion makes you wiser than finding a truth. ~Ludwig Börne
Naples, Florida
April/09/09
The Lakes at College Pointe
What the images don't show is that it was raining and stormy up to and after the shoot. We were just lucky to slip in the exterior shots between showers. In all the years we have been shooting architecture we've only been rained out a couple of times. On more than one occasion I've needed an assistant to hold the umbrella over the camera as we took the exposure.
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When the student is ready, the master appears. ~Buddhist Proverb
Sarasota, Florida
March/12/09
Siesta Key
This month we were in the exclusive Sanderling Club on Siesta Key. Designed by Architect Arthur F. Mead and built by Sarasota custom builder Michael Walker, this home was featured by one of our clients, Style Magazine. We of course enjoyed the assignment shooting the 5200 sq. ft. home with its additional 2000 sq. ft. of balconies. Being right on the Gulf of Mexico the home is like the article stated.... a modern classic.
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A gun gives you the body, not the bird. ~Henry David Thoreau
Tampa, Florida
March/09/09
Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club
This was another model home for Engle Homes. We shot a mixture of daylight and twilight since the model backed up to the golf course. Even though this community is quite a ways north of Tampa proper it's right next to I-75 so the commute is only 30 minutes.
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Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. ~Zen Buddhist Proverb
Sarasota, Florida
February/23/09
Ringling College of Art and Design
Each of the past several years we have been privileged to provide images for Sarasota’s own Ringling College of Art and Design’s course catalog. It is truly amazing just how talented these students are.
Ringling College is located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the picturesque 35-acre campus now includes 90 buildings, and attracts close to 1,100 students from 43 states and 23 foreign countries. It is recognized as being among the best and most innovative visual arts colleges in the United States as well as a leader in the use of technology in the arts. With a better than 2:1 student to computer ratio, Ringling College’s computing infrastructure rivals even that of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT].
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A collage of some of the students work clockwise from upper left are Daniel Adrovar, Matthew Nielsen, Schin Hern Loong and Cassandra Piedra. Check out their website for more examples of student work as well as some of our work on campus and in classrooms.
The fish trap exists because of the fish. Once you've gotten the fish you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit. Once you've gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning. Once you've gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can talk with him? ~Chuang Tzu
Jacksonville, Florida
January/13/09
Volkswager Distribution Center
We were in Jacksonville Florida for this assignment which was the Volkswagen Parts distribution center for the whole of the southeast. This place was huge. 260,000 square feet under roof to be exact.
Parts for everything VW and Audi. The General Manager stated that we could actually build a car from all the parts in the warehouse. Pretty amazing considering how many models need to be stocked.
The layout was as I would have expected from the German Manufacturer. Pristine and orderly everywhere we looked. They even have a section in the middle of the warehouse that is 5 floors of nothing but electronics, small parts and fasteners.
The shoot went very well and I'm glad I started early as the weather closed in as I was wrapping up. Love it when we don't have to retouch in new skies.
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You never know what is enough, until you know what is more than enough. ~William Blake, Proverbs of Hell
Tampa, Florida
January/09/09
US Home Design Center
We were asked to shoot the design center for US Homes located in an office building in downtown Tampa. The usual mixed lighting problems to overcome but we think the shoot turned out very well.
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Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought. ~Henri Louis Bergson
Ava Maria, Florida
December/18/08
Ava Maria
This weeks assignment ended up being a bit odd. The client was a paver manufacturer and gave directions to the project that seemed odd.
The location was in south Florida in the middle of the state. Everyone knows there is nothing in the center of Florida, with the exception of Orlando, but agricultural operations and the small towns that support them.
This planned Ava Maria community was to have a minimum of 2500 homesites occupied by this time and only have 250 in total now. I guess that says just about everything in reference to the housing market. It was a big risk in the first place being so far removed from transportation hubs and shopping.
Beautiful property and they are still keeping it up quite well. Our focus was on the waterpark since that showed off the product best.
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If you think you're free, there's no escape possible. ~Ram Dass
Tampa, Florida
December/08/08
The Melting Pot
We shot one of the Melting Pot restaurants for our client who supplied the carpet. Shooting restaurants is always more challenging than residences or commercial office spaces since their lighting needs are for creating a soft mood. Bringing in enough lighting to accurately render color and detail and still stay out of the shot is interesting. We were happy, client was happy, enough said.
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You can't wake a person who is pretending to be asleep. ~Navajo Proverb
Tampa, Florida
November/27/08
Town Place Apartments
We had shot this apartment complex a few years ago for one of our brokers. The complex had sold, been renovated and now was back on the market. We've had this happen several times over the years. Guess that's job security
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To learn something new, take the path that you took yesterday. ~John Burroughs
New Orleans, Louisiana
November/24/08
Shopping Malls
We photographed several properties around the New Orleans Louisiana area on this trip. Several shopping malls and a couple of apartment complexes for the same client.
The influence of the old New Orleans architectural styles are evident in many of the properties. Lots of wrought iron in use.
We had fair weather on this trip. Always appreciated. As usual the malls were full of holiday decorations. Years ago we had clients that would have the maintenance staff remove all of it so the images would not be dated. Not anymore, I guess they found that the public wasn’t put off by it and even liked the festive feel no matter which holiday decor was on display.
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Alice came to a fork in the road. "Which road do I take?" she asked.
"Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then," said the cat, "it doesn't matter."
~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Miami, Florida
October/28/08
Private Residence Enclave
This one was a surprise. Setting among the high rise condos along Miami Beach was this spectacular home right out of the early 1900's. The pictures speak for themselves. What you don't see are the more modern guest house and caretakers residence. Fun Shoot!
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Each forward step we take we leave some phantom of ourselves behind. ~John Lancaster Spalding
Monterrey, Mexico
October/20/08
Northern Mexico
Our assignment from Chris Gorman Associates for ING in Mexico went as smoothly as any shoot out of the country could. We shot in Monterrey, Reynosa and Saltillo Mexico.
Our contacts were invaluable as they guided us to each of the industrial parks and of course acted as our interpreter. My advice...don't leave home without one. Our client
It was interesting to note how many of the products we all use are manufactured or assembled in Mexico. We photographed several electronic assembly plants in Monterrey and Reynosa as well as a huge Whirlpool refrigerator manufacturing plant in Saltillo.
Once again digital retouching is our saving grace. We had overcast skies 4 out of the 7 days we were on location. With Photoshop it was a fairly simple matter of replacing skies and still providing our clients superior images. The old film days would have required 4 weather days billed to the client or substandard images. Neither of which were acceptable. Digital imaging has saved our clients thousands of dollars as well as providing them superior final products.
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The map is not the territory. ~Alfred Korzybski
Gulfshore, Florida
September/26/08
Florida Panhandle
This weeks road trip was to the panhandle of Florida in Gulfshore and then to Auburn University in Alabama. The Turquoise building in Gulfshore was interesting to photograph. Fun angles to exploit.
The campus of Auburn is expansive and under construction in just about every direction you look. The buildings we photographed were for Pella windows so our concentration was on the their product.
Making arrangements to shoot on a campus is even more difficult today than it used to be. Security concerns and licensing were the two big ones. A weeks worth of phone calls finally got the necessary permissions.
We were met by the marketing director for the university and he provided us with access to the areas in question. Very enjoyable assignment.
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He who has seen present things has seen all, both everything which has taken place from all eternity and everything which will be for time without end; for all things are of one kin and of one form. ~Marcus Aurelius
Tampa, Florida
September/02/08
HON Office Furniture
We were asked to shoot this office for HON the office modular furniture company. Nothing particularly interesting about this shoot other than the mixed lighting that was a challenge to work with. The client was pleased and of course that is the true test.
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If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one. ~Russian Proverb
San Juan, Puerto Rico
August/21/08
Trump Golf Resort
We just returned from San Juan, Puerto Rico shooting the new Trump Golf Resort. As usual we had a great deal of scraped earth to contend with but found enough angles to provide our client with dynamic images.
We dodged the bullet with Hurricane Gustav just beginning to organize itself as it crossed the island. The next several days were a mix of overcast and sunshine but no rain or wind.
The resort will be a wonderful destination for the golfers as well as being a getaway for anyone who loves the crystal clear turquoise waters of the caribbean and the balmy breeze that is ever present in the islands.
We had one of the investors helicopters available to us and we took advantage of it for some terrific overviews of the property. The Trump organization has another resort coming up in central america in the near future. We will post that trip when it happens.
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The observer, when he seems to himself to be observing a stone, is really, if physics is to be believed, observing the effects of the stone upon himself. ~Bertrand Russell
Miami, Florida
August/16/08
Palms Pointe
Yet another apartment complex being prepared for sale. Beautiful grounds and clubhouse facilities.
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The obstacle is the path. ~Zen Proverb
Miami, Florida
July/22/08
Southern Pointe Apartments
Back to Miami again shooting another apartment complex. This time it was for one of our brokerage clients preparing a brochure to sell the complex. They do quite a bit of this and the buyers are insurance companies more often than not.
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Key West, Florida
July/11/08
Key West Resort
This month we spent several days photographing a new resort in Key West Florida. Our client Singh Resorts has several resorts from Key Largo to Key West. Always tough duty but someone has to do it.
As usual we had a few obstacles to overcome. Like the fact that the sign wasn't lit yet, and that they were open for business but didn't wish to have any people in the shots.
Digital to the rescue! Lighting the sign was fairly easy in Photoshop but finding other areas that didn't have guests walking through or lounging around the pools was more difficult. Photoshop does a great job of blending several images together and eliminating anything that changes from one exposure to another. Result...no people.
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Among creatures born into chaos, a majority will imagine an order, a minority will question the order, and the rest will be pronounced insane. ~Robert Brault
Raleigh, North Carolina
June/22/08
Shopping Malls
We were in Raleigh North Carolina this past week shooting a shopping mall for one of our larger investment companies.
Very nice area for a person that lives in flat land Florida. We just loved the rolling hills and hardwood trees that are missing from our home base.
We have done quite a number of shopping malls across the country and everyone of them comes with special problems to overcome. The key idea we always keep in mind is the architecture is the star of the property as well as demonstrating the traffic flow inside the mall.
It seems that all the malls are celebrating some holiday all year long so working around Christmas decor and Oversized Bunnies at Easter is always required.
In general we enjoy these assignments as they give us the opportunity to exercise our creativity in overcoming the limited number of compelling angles we can work with.
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You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into. ~Author Unknown
Tampa, Florida
June/04/08
Lexington Homes
This property was quite a ways north of Tampa city limits but access via the Suncoast Parkway makes for an easy commute. The Lexington Homes people build a class home with many extras unseen by the buyers. They were tying down their roof trusses long before the codes were updated in the aftermath of our worst hurricane season.
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Weak eyes are fondest of glittering objects. ~Thomas Carlyle
Tampa, Florida
May/26/08
The Pointe
It’s nice when we can shoot in our own backyard and be home for dinner. This project was named The Pointe as it is on the tip of a peninsula in Tampa Florida.
We always enjoy working with commercial architecture. As photographers we are always looking for the image that is compelling. If it doesn’t emotionally impact you as the viewer then we consider it a failure and like as not will reshoot in an effort to get it right.
We may subsequently return to this property as the client expressed a desire for a shot from the water in Tampa Bay. We have done them before from jet skies. Getting a boat to rent for an hour to shoot a waterfront property is sometimes difficult but getting a jet ski...not so much.
The client was quite proud of the serpentine walkway from the parking garage to the office tower. We agreed that it was a unique and deserving feature.
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Things are entirely what they appear to be and behind them... there is nothing. ~Jean Paul Sartre
Naples, Florida
May/26/08
Waterways Homes
This was a single family home model by Waterways Homes the same folks we shot townhomes in Summit Place down the road a couple of blocks. Nice floor plan with a fabulous oversized pool and lanai.
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The human mind is inspired enough when it comes to inventing horrors; it is when it tries to invent a Heaven that it shows itself cloddish. ~Evelyn Waugh
Sacramento, California
April/19/08
Kimball Hill's Natomas Community
We have shot in Sacramento so often over the past couple of years I'm beginning to feel like a local. Kimball Hill, Crosswinds, Homes By Towne and others have kept us coming back. We always enjoy ourselves once we get settled but that flight from Tampa to Sacramento is still a pain.
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The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth. ~Niels Bohr
Houston, Texas
April/08/08
The Preserve
Flying into Houston Texas we were able to see quite a bit of the damage they sustained in the past Hurricane seasons. Quite a bit of scrapped earth but at least they are not below sea level as one of their illustrious neighbors in New Orleans are.
This was an assignment for one of our brokers that specialize in apartments. Nothing special about the project just another complex. This particular client always wants a twilight shot that they can run as a cover to the multipage sales brochure. They came to us after seeing a competitor’s brochure and finding out we were responsible.
We’ve done several architectural photography shoots in and around Houston over the years and unbelievably the town grows every time we travel there.
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Our greatest pretenses are built up not to hide the evil and the ugly in us, but our emptiness. The hardest thing to hide is something that is not there. ~Eric Hoffer
Naples, Florida
March/27/08
Summit Place
These are the interiors of a project we photographed over a year ago. Nicely done townhomes with interesting interior design style. The subdivision was complete this time around so we had access to power unlike our last trip.
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Admiration and familiarity are strangers. ~George Sand
Sarasota, Florida
March/04/08
Oriental Influence
Most of what you find on the west coast of Florida is mediterrean in influence so it is always a treat for us when something out of the ordinary is sent our way. Such was the case for this home on Siesta Key in Sarasota Florida.
This was an editorial assignment for a regional magazine. We spent the day with the homeowners chasing the sun for the best angles. The openness and peaceful setting wasn’t hard to work with.
They are on the intercoastal waterway so the views were spectacular all day. We were tempted to stay through sunset for some twilight shots but the budget wouldn’t allow.
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No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place. ~Zen
San Antonio, Texas
February/14/08
Air Force Villages
The assignment this week was in San Antonio Texas for one of the advertising agencies we are pleased to work with. Air Force Villages were built for Air Force Officers but as numbers dropped it has been opened up for all retired Military Officers and spouses.
The project is spread between two massive complexes approximately 10 miles apart. We definitely were tired of running back and forth chasing the light for several days. We had overcast skies most of the week and had to rely on Photoshop to solve the problem.
We also had a helicopter chartered for the project but the weather forced us to change our plan. In all it was a good experience to see our elderly being cared for in a clean, safe and friendly environment.
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The moment a little boy is concerned with which is a jay and which is a sparrow, he can no longer see the birds or hear them sing. ~Eric Berne
Orlando, Florida
February/09/08
Dupont Storm Room
The room is built to withstand 300 mile per hour winds and to withstand flying debris impact. Made of steel, 3/4 inch plywood and Dupont Kevlar with a vault like door. The price is quite affordable in pre construction. One of our assistants incorporated some of the ideas while building his own house back here in Sarasota.
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Nearly all men die of their remedies, and not of their illnesses. ~Jean Baptiste Molière
Miami, Florida
January/21/08
Camino Real Condos
This one is located in downtown Ft Lauderdale. As a result it has a very urban feel from the porte cochere entrance to the rooftop lounge. Great views of Lauderdale and the Miami night skyline
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The charm of history and its enigmatic lesson consist in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different. ~Aldous Huxley
Concord, New Hampshire
January/09/08
North Hill Retirement Living
Another opportunity to travel to New England for a photo shoot. North Hill is a retirement living complex just outside Boston. We could tell the moment we arrived that the management technique employed here was catching someone doing the right thing and give them kudos. Employees were smiling, open and friendly. That was reflected in the residents. A happy relaxed place to live. We should all be so lucky to spend our final years with folks like these.
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I've observed that there are more lines formed than things worth waiting for. ~Robert Brault
Miami Beach, Florida
December/10/07
Edgewater Condos
Edgewater condos front on Ocean Blvd. in Miami's South Beach. We shot aerials of the property as well. I'll post them as soon as I run across them again. The model interiors we designed in the modern style you would expect on South Beach. The views from the rooftop patio of the South Beach park and the Atlantic beyond should have made for an easy sale.
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Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong. They are conflicts between two rights. ~Georg Hegel
Naples, Florida
November/30/07
Bay Harbor Apartments
Luxury waterfront Apartments says it all. Several lakes on property provide almost every unit with a tranquil water view. Interesting and spacious floor plans in the models made it an enjoyable shoot.
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If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts, but if he will content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties. ~Francis Bacon
Miami, Florida
October/17/07
Miramar Apartments
The Enclave at Miramar was yet another conversion project. I suspect this one made the conversion. Beautiful property, clubhouse, lakes and residences. Hard to take a bad shot on properties of this caliber.
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To believe with certainty we must begin with doubting. ~Stanislaus I of Poland
Miami, Florida
September/28/07
Mizner Green Apartments
Another of the apartment to condo flips. It will be interesting to see how many of the apartment complexes we photographed during the housing bubble actually made it to complete conversion to condo. I know many got caught as the bubble started to fade and had to revert them to apartments again.
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The world always makes the assumption that the exposure of an error is identical with the discovery of truth - that the error and truth are simply opposite. They are nothing of the sort. What the world turns to, when it is cured on one error, is usually simply another error, and maybe one worse than the first one. ~H.L. Mencken
Jacksonville, Florida
August/22/07
Crosswinds Medici
Villa Medici is a beautiful condominium complex. We traveled to this project on two occasions as they completed areas. The Crosswinds people are first class and their building techniques are as well. Everything was designed with the residents in mind.
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The future influences the present just as much as the past. ~Friedrich Nietzsche
Miami, Florida
July/18/07
Harbor Shops in Lauderdale
A strip mall type of shopping center consisting of 3 different strips one of which was 2 story. Attractive fountains at the entrance.
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When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. ~John Muir
Orlando, Florida
June/06/07
Alexan Back Beach
The only remarkable note on this project was that they were only about 1/3 finished. We did have a model interior to shoot and the twilight beauty shots didn't show the unfinished buildings behind the clubhouse.
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One does what one is; one becomes what one does. ~Robert von Musil
Miami, Florida
May/16/07
Olivine Apartments
The apartment complex was one of dozens we photographed during the housing bubble as investors were buying apartment complexes and turning them condo. Most of our clients asked for multiple descriptive shots of the complex but a couple of them only wanted 4 or 5 twilight beauty shots. We are always glad to provide either.
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In this, the late afternoon of my life, I wonder: am I casting a longer shadow or is my shadow casting a shorter me? ~Robert Brault
Miami, Florida
April/28/07
Sole of Ft Lauderdale
This was a new project for our client and they had virtually no occupancy so we lit all the windows in post production. I liked the distortion of the shot with signage. The wide shot of the building from across the intersection required removing hanging stoplights, wires and poles. For such a simple project this took quite a bit of time to do it right.
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In general people experience their present naively, as it were, without being able to form an estimate of its contents; they have first to put themselves at a distance from it - the present, that is to say, must have become the past - before it can yield points of vantage from which to judge the future. ~Sigmund Freud
Hartford, Connecticut
March/11/07
Avery Heights Retirement Living
Alway nice for us to leave the sunbelt and see different areas of our country. This retirement living facility was laid out nice with cottages, single family homes as well as assisted living and nursing care units. Nice grounds with mature trees and rolling hills. From the rear deck Hartford was visible on clear days. Unfortunately not on the days we were on site. Residents were happy and interested in our work. We love to share when we have a fan, they get an earful:)
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The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there. ~Robert M. Pirsig
Tampa, Florida
February/21/07
Fishhawk Landings
Fishhawk Landings is east of Riverview and is another planned community. The main drive winds through the subdivision and is heavily treed and landscaped. You are hardly aware there are various neighborhoods tucked away on both sides of the parkway. We were shooting townhomes on this trip but have shot single family homes and cottages on different assignments.
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When you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you. ~Friedrich Nietzche
Tampa, Florida
January/06/07
Live Oak Preserve
Back for a second week of shoot new models for Engle. Located in New Tampa this subdivision is destined to be large enough to be it's own city. We plan to be back here again and again.
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Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought. ~Matsuo Basho
Tampa, Florida
December/19/06
Live Oak Preserve
Model home interiors for Engle Homes. Professional merchandising by the interior design firm was nicely done. We had several models to shoot and they were able to give each home a completely different style and mood.
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If I make the lashes dark
And the eyes more bright
And the lips more scarlet,
Or ask if all be right
From mirror after mirror,
No vanity's displayed:
I'm looking for the face I had
Before the world was made.
~W.B. Yeats
Naples, Florida
November/02/06
Private Residence
This was the home of one of our clients and as you can see it was a piece of cake to shoot. Beautifully done interiors on a beautiful lot. Love the use of color throughout the home. A gracious couple that made the shoot easier and very enjoyable.
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It's very strange when the life you never had flashes before your eyes. ~Terri Minsky
Naples, Florida
October/09/06
Summit Place in Naples, Florida
A new project just east of Naples in Golden Gate. Upscale townhomes with nicely done interior design. We will post some of the interior shots at a later date. The front entry was unfinished and without electricity. We had to add grass and clean up the roadway. We also simulated lights in the guard house. Always enjoy a challenge.
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We become aware of the void as we fill it. ~Antonio Porchia
Tampa, Florida
June/09/06
Grand Bellagio & Grand Venezia in Tampa, Florida
Side by side resorts tucked away and backed up to Tampa Bay. Many of the local professional sports teams use these resorts to house their players during spring training and in some cases after as well. The only problem we had was trying to find a stopping place. Beautiful clubhouses with huge pools and cabanas. World class resort living and amenities.
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When the pain is great enough, we will let anyone be doctor. ~Mignon McLaughlin
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