Seeing 20/20

(click image for larger view)

(click image for larger view)

A shoot doesn't get much more local. This one happened to be just a few miles away, via a call from an art director in Manhattan for a trade magazine. I love it when that happens...which is never.

I'd love to shoot more retail/medical space. I'll even travel for it next time.

I Shoot People In The Face With A Canon...

...A Canon camera, that is.

(shot recently in Charleston, South Carolina)

For me, it means being able to offer my clients the best images in any area of photography. I am confident I can provide a great product, and my work speaks for itself. Having the ability to shoot both architecture and lifestyle is a great advantage for hotel, resort and real estate clients.

And they are two aspects of photography at which I can confidently say I'm very good.

To all clients and potential clients:

Yes, I'll shoot your architectural needs or your lifestyle models, but keep in mind that being able to combine those shoots into one package, have it done well and delivered on time not only saves you headaches, it's cost effective (and who isn't concerned about cost these days?)

Plus, I've recently started to shoot HD video for clients as well. More on this topic later. It's all about being able to adapt. Isn't that Darwin?

The Wright Way

When you think of Frank Lloyd Wright, the first thing that pops into your head is probably not "Florida". In 1939, Dr. Ludd Spivey, who was then the president of Florida Southern College, commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to come up with a design for a small vacation home in the Las Olas Isles. Dr. Spivey was already very familiar with the work of Frank Lloyd Wright because he had earlier commissioned him to design and build the entire campus of Florida Southern College. Coincidentally, the school does not offer a degree in architecture but is actively trying to restore and preserve some of the aging buildings.

In May of 2006, I received a call from Lori Twietmeyer, then Art Director at HOME Fort Lauderdale Magazine. The project was to photograph a scale model of a home Frank Lloyd Wright had designed. It was the model of the Spivey home.

Really? You want me to photograph a Frank Lloyd Wright design?
Yes, I want the job!

I remember first seeing the scale model and wondering how I would duplicate the look of the sun. As I looked at it under the flourescent light of HOME's office, it became clear that this wasn't going to be as easy as I had planned. I could easily set up a single light with some bounce to fill in some shadow but I still thought it would just look like an aerial view of a scale model. Not interesting.

I decided the model needed some life. Enlisting the help of Lori and the publisher of the magazine, we carefully carried the model (about the size of a small dinner table) up onto the roof and into the sun itself. Since I needed a clear view of the sky without obstructions, the resulting image was shot from the top of 2 stacked tables and a tall ladder. I also decided to utilize a very selective focus on just the house, which I think adds to the look of it being 'real'.

The Fort Lauderdale Historical Society recently contacted me about an upcoming exhibition of Frank Lloyd Wright and his Florida connections. They wanted to use the image for promoting the event. I gladly sold them the usage rights and I'm honored to have my own small connection to the great architect. Opening night is February 6, 2009.

An Introduction

So, I've finally decided to really do this. A blog, that is. It's actually my New Year's Resolution for 2009. I've never been one to put my thoughts down on paper or in writing, let alone for the world to see. I've never kept a diary and I don't enjoy writing notes or letters. I never know what to write on the inside of a "Thank You" card.
Do you?
I think the front of the card usually says it all. I don't even like making grocery lists unless it's on my iPhone. Needless to say, this will be an interesting venture into the blog world.

Although I've been shooting long before this, Jeff Herron Photography, Inc. www.jeffherron.com was born on January 11, 2006. I remember only because my accountant sent me a binder of legal notes regarding becoming a corporation. I suddenly became my own boss, my own secretary, my own best employee...and my own worst employee. The binder is full of legal gibberish that basically threatens to take your first born and dissolve your business if you don't follow the book of "accounting." I put the binder on my shelf as a testament to why I went into the creative field.

Besides opinions about worldly affairs slipping in from time-to-time, the whole purpose of this blog is to promote my business and to feature the places I've photographed, the places I'm photographing and the people along the way. I'm as passionate as ever about photography and I love the creative process. Please join me on this journey and become a subscriber of the blog. Link is to the right...