979 Cobble Creek - Birmingham AL Real Estate Photography /  by Tommy Daspit

A rather large amount of my real estate photography business does not come from agents. Instead, it comes from the homeowners themselves. Often they aren’t satisfied with the photos the agents take themselves or ones taken by a photographer that works more on volume (I take much longer to photograph a home than most real estate photographers). The homeowner recognizes the importance of great photos to attract potential buyers. The homeowner is the one with the greatest stake in selling the home. I’ve had more than one homeowner tell me that they could recognize my style. That they could tell which homes I’d photographed!

In the case of this beautiful home in Hoover the homeowners knew they wanted the house professionally photographed before they even hired an agent to list it. They found me online and we picked the perfect day and time for the sunlight to be just right. I could tell right away that this couple had taken a lot of pride in maintaining this home. No detail was left unattended to. They even went so far as to stage the kitchen, livingroom, and dining room to help the photos look even better. I will say that this was a first!

I love working with people who understand that it takes more than just a “nice camera” to get great images. They were patient with me as I lit each room and composed each shot. There were little details that take a little extra time for me but can make a big difference in the final image. For example, the homeowner told me how she was disappointed that the ferns by the front door had died. We’d just had a big cold snap and they didn’t make it. She lamented how brown and dead looking they were. So in the image of the front porch I used the magic of Photoshop to bring them back to life. It took me a few extra minutes at the computer but it was worth it. The photo looked much better and the client was thrilled! In fact here’s what they had to say:

“Tommy:  The photos look FANTASTIC.....we absolutely love them. Nice touch up job on the ferns at the front door!  GREAT JOB!!” and “If these photos don't get us showings, I don't know what will.”

Take a look at the photos below and go here to get more information on this property, or contact the agent, Cindy Porter 205-755-7719.

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Walgreens - Birmingham AL Commercial Photographer /  by Tommy Daspit

Tommy Daspit is an architectural photographer in Birmingham AL

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a commercial real estate firm out of New York. They needed photos of a Walgreens in Alabaster. The images needed to be colorful, eye catching, and at the same time, demonstrate the customer traffic of this location. Of course I was up for the challenge!

I started the shoot in what photographers call the “golden hour”. This is the hour just before sunset and just after sunrise each day. So long as it’s not overcast this is often considered to be the best time of day for photography. The light is “warm”, hence the golden hour name, and the angle of the light is good for nice shadows and contrast. I continued taking multiple exposures as the light changed over the next hour and a half.

One of the challenges was to show the customers coming in and out of the store and cars in the parking lot. This is especially tricky when you’re not using models, but rather normal people going about their lives. If they’re recognizable in the image, and you’re using it for advertising, then you have to have them sign a model release form. This isn’t something we wanted to deal with so a technical solution was needed. I could just blur them in Photoshop but you end up with a photo that looks like it was shot by 60 minutes interviewing a mob informant. Not a good look. Instead, I set the camera to have long shutter speeds. This still showed people and cars there but they were motion blurred. This has the benefit of not only hiding their identity but also conveying motion and energy of the space.

The final images were actually a composite of many photos. I overlayed people and cars from multiple images to create the final vision. The sky was added from a library of skies to fit every possible lighting situation (if you wait for the sky to be perfect as you shoot the project you will be doing a LOT of waiting).

The end result was an image that showed the details of the building, customers patronizing the business, and colors that grab the viewer’s attention. I was able to check off all the boxes my client needed and they were thrilled with the results. Amazing commercial real estate photos aren’t taken, they are created.

 

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Rudulph Rents - Birmingham AL Real Estate Photographer /  by Tommy Daspit

I’ve photographed many homes for real estate agents and homeowners to help sell the property. This was the first time I’ve been hired to photograph a house for rent. Rudy Rudulph, owner of Rudulph Rents here in Birmingham gave me a call. Normally he photographs his listings himself. In this case the homeowner he was representing wanted it professionally photographed. It’s a very nice home and the photos needed to reflect that. So I was honored to be entrusted with that responsibility!

The truth of the matter is that whether you are selling a home or marketing it for rental, the photographs are what make people take notice. High quality images will make the listing stand out from the crowd. People flipping through listings on their phone or laptop make decisions about which one to look at deeper in milliseconds. A bad photo can give a bad feeling about the home even if it’s amazing in person. They may never give it that chance.
 

Earlier in the week I was photographing a home coming onto the market and talking to the homeowner (as I often do, I’m kind of an extrovert). They told me that they almost didn’t look at the home they ultimately purchased (the one they are now selling). The photos were awful. It was a real turn off and they really had no interest in the home. Fortunately for the seller, it was the only home then available in the area they wanted and in person it looked much better than the photos. They got a great deal on the home because it had been on the market so long that the price had been reduced. How many potential buyers never gave the house a chance because of the bad first impression the photos gave?

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. The photos of the home, whether for sale or rent, are what make that first impression. My job it to make sure it’s a good one!

Learn more about this property here.

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view these photos as a video slideshow

What Makes Me Different? /  by Tommy Daspit

Tommy Daspit is the best architectural, commercial, and real estate photographer in Birmingham, AL.

There are many photographers out there. What makes me different? Why should an architect, builder, designer, real estate, agent, or business choose me over any number of countless photographers out there?

Photographers are a lot like doctors. Some doctors are general practitioners and some are specialists. The same is true of photographers. You have some that do weddings, portraits, events, senior portraits, and commercial. Then you have some that focus on one discipline. You have photographers who only shoot weddings, or just baby portraits for example. As with any skill, the one you focus on will be your strongest.

I’m the rare breed of photographer who specializes in architectural commercial photography. I photograph buildings, homes, interiors, and businesses. That’s it. No babies, seniors, families, or weddings. Architectural photography is a very unique form of photography. It takes specialized equipment (tilt/shift lenses, gridded viewfinders, bubble levels, geared tripod heads, wireless camera control) and specialized techniques. Understanding how to control natural and artificial lights to create an image that accurately shows off a space while also making it inviting is difficult. Just getting the vertical and horizontal lines straight is a huge challenge.

Even though I’ve been a professional photographer for over 23 years, I’ve spent hundreds of hours learning and practicing the techniques needed for excellent architectural photography. In fact I never stop learning. I dedicate time to my daily schedule to learning photography. I’m never satisfied with where I am.

The photos below are a good illustration of the things I do on every shoot. You can see the steps I take to make sure the image showcases my client’s work in the best possible light. This builder (Willow Homes) and designer (Frusterio Design) will use these images in their portfolio to show potential clients what they can do. The quality of my work helps with the success of their businesses. This is a responsibility I take very seriously and guides my thoughts with every shot I create.

As an architectural photographer, I don’t take photos, I create images that tell my clients story. So, if you are an architect, builder, designer, business, or real estate agent who wants their projects to stand out from the competition, contact me to see how I can help you be more successful!

HDR (High Dynamic Range) image with all artificial lights on. Three photos were taken and combined together ("correct" exposure, 2 stops over exposed, and 2 stops under exposed) This is a pretty typical photo style. No flash used. Auto white balance, and that's about it. Not bad but not great either. 

HDR image with the lights turned off using only ambient light. This is another popular style shot. It's relatively easy as you only have one color light to contend with. However, it lacks depth. The image is flat with little definition from shadows and flat color.

Did you notice the missing panel for the dishwasher? The custom panel wasn't finished at the time of the shoot. Rather than leave it this way I created one in photoshop to match the look.

Precise color is critical. For this shoot I'm creating images the builder will use for his portfolio. They will use it with potential clients to help them select the style for their home. It's critical that the color they chose based on my photos is accurate. Digital cameras aren't very good at getting it exactly right. This is especially true in complex lighting situations. I use a "gray card" to use as a reference in the computer after the shoot. This insures consistent and accurate colors.

Architects don't design crooked homes and builders go to great lengths to make sure everything is level. In spite of that it's actually quite difficult to create photos that have straight vertical and horizontal lines. Normal lenses create distortion even a slight tilt in the camera's position will leave the image askew. I use special Tilt/Shift lenses and a geared tripod head to make sure all lines are straight and true.

To create a final image with depth, contrast, and interest, I light sections of the image with a strobe. I'll use multiple strobes and combine multiple photos for the end result. The look is natural but nearly impossible to pull off with one shot. Great photos aren't taken, they are created.

Here is the final image. I've covered dishwasher, blended the ambient daylight and artificial lights, the color is accurate, and there is depth without looking fake. Which one would you rather present to a potential client?

See more photos from this project in this blog post.

Learn more about my commercial architectural photography services in Birmingham, AL.

Willow Homes 702 Morris - Birmingham AL Commercial Photographer /  by Tommy Daspit

View more of his work on his homepage: http://tommmydaspit.com

Last week I had the privilege of photographing another Willow Homes project. Jason Hale and his team specialize in remodeling and new construction in the more historic parts of Birmingham. You will usually find their work in Mountain Brook and Homewood. The homes they build fit the style of those neighborhoods. They are new homes that don’t look out of place. It’s a rare talent to be able to do that and being from a town with many a historic home, I have a special appreciation for it.

This home is a perfect example of that. Right around the corner from the last project I photographed for them, this Craftsman style home fits the neighborhood perfectly. Inside you will find all the modern luxuries you would expect out of a new home, while still maintaining the feel of the exterior. The Willow homes style is easy to recognize, as is the quality work and attention to detail.
 

Timing on this one was pretty tight. The new owners were moving in the next day but there were some finishing touches that still needed to be completed. I worked around the finishing and cleaning crews to get the images you see here. I was a particularly challenging situation and it game me some unique opportunities to stretch my skills. For example, the dishwasher was having a custom panel made to make it look like a cabinet and not an appliance. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite ready at the time of the shoot. So I made one in Photoshop! (I’ll be doing a behind the scenes blog post on this soon).

In the end I think it came together pretty well. I’m proud to show off theses images and I know Jason will be proud to show them to potential clients. He not only uses my images on his website, social media, and other marketing platforms, but also to help clients with their planning and designing process. If you are in the market for a home renovation or new construction, and you want someone who specializes in historic design, give Jason and his team a call!

See other projects I’ve shot for Willow Homes:

Sterrit Ave - Homewood, AL

Parade of Homes Project - Homewood, AL

Also, check out Frusterio Design, Inc who designed this house!

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