Bromberg's & Co at The Summit - Birmingham AL Commercial Photography /  by Tommy Daspit

I returned near sunset to create this "blue hour" image. It's actually a composite of 11 separate  exposures. Overall it took about two hours (in the freezing cold) to get this one shot. I really like the blurred people inside. This helps …

I returned near sunset to create this "blue hour" image. It's actually a composite of 11 separate  exposures. Overall it took about two hours (in the freezing cold) to get this one shot. I really like the blurred people inside. This helps show that the business is vibrant and not just a building. 

Last week I had the great fun and challenge of creating a Google Maps Business View 360º virtual tour of Bromberg & Co at the Summit here in Birmingham. 

I say it was a challenge for a couple of reasons. First, there’s glass and mirrors EVERYWHERE. This makes it fun making sure that the camera and myself are positioned so we don’t appear in any of the photos. This is where the wireless triggering of my camera with an iPad is so valuable. There are many times where I’m hiding around a corner. Very often this is the only way to keep me out of the image. Then there are my lights. For the conventional still images there are multiple light sources involved. Making sure reflections from the lights don’t come up in the mirrors and glass takes a lot of geometry (thought I was done with that in High School), understanding how light interacts with various surfaces, and a lot of trial and error.

Second, we wanted to create a “blue hour” exterior of the store (check out this post to learn more). I love doing these. There is simply no better way to make a building look beautiful and really capture the viewers attention than with a blue hour image. These are actually multiple photos taken at different times (just before and after sunset), and with multiple strobe exposures. They take patience, time, and skill to pull off. One blue hour photo can take two hours to complete. That’s just the in camera part. Once back at the office it’s time to composite all those photos. Using photoshop, and a graphics tablet, it can take several hours at the computer to get it all right. The results can be truly spectacular and I think worth the effort!

I’m also very excited because these photos and virtual tour are going into the new website being created for Bromberg’s by Vehicle Media. I’ve worked with Vehicle Media on several projects before Just this last week they won an ADDY for our joint project for the Sonnet House! I know that they will do an amazing job incorporating the tour and photos into the site design.

Take a look at the virtual tour and photos below. To learn more about Bromberg & Co check out their Google + Local page.

click and drag to pan, click arrows to move to next panorama

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Learn more about the Google Maps Business View Program here. Have a business that could benefit from a Google tour or high quality commercial photography? Contact me today to see how I can help you stand out from your competition.

Pho Pho Vietnamese & Sushi - Birmingham AL Google Maps Business View Photography /  by Tommy Daspit

Birmingham AL Food Photography

There’s an all new restaurant in Birmingham’s 5 Points. I had the pleasure of creating a Google Maps Business View virtual tour of Pho Pho Vietnamese and Sushi. Along with the virtual tour I photographed the inside and some of their dishes. 

I will say that unlike some food photography, what you see is what you will actually get at Pho Pho. I did very little in the way of arranging what the chef prepared for me to photograph. Of course it doesn’t matter if the food looks good if it tastes bad. To that I can testify that it’s excellent! I was able to sample some the day of the shoot (I wish I could say I usually eat the food I photograph but this is rarely the case). Then later that week I took Kelly there for an evening out. We both love sushi and we hadn’t had any since she became pregnant with Pippa, some 18 months ago. So we were really excited when we tasted how amazingly fresh and wonderful the sushi and sashimi were! Seriously, it was excellent.

Pho Pho is open for both lunch and dinner, closed only on Sunday. If you are looking for some great Asian food with a great atmosphere, check out Pho Pho and be sure to tell them I sent you!

Check out the still photos and virtual tour below. You can also learn more about Pho Pho on their Google + page.

click and drag to pan, click arrows to move from one point to next

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Learn more about the Google Maps Business View Program here.

Do you have a business that you want to show off on Google? Contact me today to see if it's a good fit for you.

Cocina Superior Brunch - Birmingham AL Food Photography /  by Tommy Daspit

birmingham al food photography

Did you know that Cocina Superior in Brookwood Village serves brunch? It’s true, and I have the photographic evidence to prove it!

Yesterday I photographed several of their new brunch menu items. I’ve worked with Cocina in photographing their menu, restaurant and creating a Google Virtual tour. I’ve always been impressed with how good the food and service are there. So of course I was excited to shoot their new menu items!

Valentine’s Day is THIS Saturday and I would highly recommend Cocina’s brunch as a different treat for your sweetheart. After all, I know they will be packed (along with every other restaurant in Birmingham) that night.

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View the photos and virtual tour of Cocina Superior that I created last year.

3861 Cove Dr - Mountain Brook AL Real Estate Photos /  by Tommy Daspit

Birmingham AL Real Estate Photos

Earlier this week I got the opportunity to work with a new agent, Susie Denson, from Realty South. Her normal photographer had left the business and I had come recommended from others in the Realty South office (nice to know people are speaking positively about me)! So she contacted me about shooting a new listing of hers in Mountain Brook, and of course I was excited!

What a house to start out on! Most homes in Mountain Brook are very nice and this one is no exception. Five bedrooms, finished basement with a cool bar, a really awesome bathtub in the master bath, and two living areas. My favorite feature, however, was the stone back patio with the brick fireplace! The owner had even gone to the trouble of building a fire in that fireplace and the one in the living room. This was a first for me! Normally I have to add one in Photoshop, so this was a nice bonus!

Check out the photos below and contact Susie for a showing if you’re interested in owning this magnificent home! See the complete listing here.

Susie Denson

sdenson@
realtysouth.com

205-870-5420

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View more of my real estate portfolio.

3809 12th Ct S - Birmingham AL Real Estate Photographer /  by Tommy Daspit

Birmingham AL Real Estate Photographer

When it comes to real estate photography there are three things that go into making the photos great. One, is obviously the house itself. How does it look? What’s the style? What kind of condition is it in? If the walls are orange and pink there isn’t a lot I can do to make it look good! 

Two, the light. What time of day is it? What’s the weather like? I actually have an app that tells me where the sun will be in the sky at a given time of day and location. This helps me plan my shoots to maximize my main light source. Having good light can make a huge difference in how the home looks in the images. 

Lastly, the furnishings and decorating. This one is the most overlooked and that can be bad news. Too many times the owner has moved out of the home and now it sits empty. This might seem like the perfect situation. After all there’s no ugly comforter in the master bedroom to worry about. It’s a blank canvass. However, furniture and decorations allow a potential home owner to get a better understanding of the size and layout of a room. It helps them imagine themselves being in and owning that home. Properly matched furniture and decorations can help give the image viewer positive feelings about the home.

That’s one of the reasons I love working with Michael Murphree of ARC Realty. This condo that I photographed last week was empty. Before I got there he had SWAG Home Staging and Design come in and decorate. They brought in furniture, wall art, place settings, plants, lamps, and more. All to help showcase what the condo could be. This makes my job of photographing the space so much more interesting, and the end results speak for themselves. Michael paid them for the staging out of his own pocket, that’s how important it is to helping the listing sell (that and my photos of course)!

This was the first time I’d worked with SWAG and I couldn’t be happier with the results. The furniture and decorations they brought in were high quality, stylish, and a perfect fit for the space. I was very excited when Michael told me he was having the condo staged and I think you can see why!

Take a look at the images below. You can click here to view the listing with all the details and more photos!

Michael Murphree

ARC Realty

205-936-6075

 

SWAG Home Staging and Design

info@swagdesignstudio.com

swaghomestaging.com

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