I traveled to Rancho Santa Fe, CA with award-winning Houston-based designer, Sandy Lucas of Lucas Eilers Design Associates. We photographed a beautiful estate for her submission into the 2010 ASID Design Excellence Awards. Click below to take the photo tour. 
The latest issue of AZ Society Magazine features the Biltmore residence and Wickenburg horse training ranch of Bob & Mary Ellen McKee. The assignment was a lot of fun, covering two days and two locations. This photo of Mary Ellen wasn’t staged, but more like a lucky shot considering I’m accustomed to my subjects not moving. She was a real cowgirl and according to her staff, a super nice boss…making brownies and cookies everyday for her hard working crew.
Anicia Burton, owner of A BRAGG Design notified me that my photo of her swimming pool made the Top 10 list of World’s Prettiest Pools in Design Drool by Kristine Hansen, featured on Shelterpop. As I recall, this image took us a couple of hours to clean, stage, prop, light, and finally shoot. It took discipline not to jump in at the end, considering I was ready to cool off. It’s a hazard of photographing pools in Arizona. 
Look for a couple of spaces I photographed for Christopher’s ad in the summer 2010 issue of Luxe. He and I met in 2007 when I shot his work on my first editorial feature for AZ Society Magazine. The assignment was the private residence of Karen Doerflein, owner of Julian’s Fine Cabinetry / Clive Christian Scottsdale.
In late 2009, I met Mario Loya, Creative Director of Artisan Design Group. As it turned out I had unknowingly photographed several of the projects he worked on, both in Phoenix and Houston, originally for an interior designer who contracts his services. He is an artist of the highest degree and we hit it off immediately. After photographing his home and studio we met several months later for a portrait session. You can’t tell from the photo, but we were working in 110 degree temperatures. Needless to say it was a short session. Check out his award-winning work at www.artisandesignandstudio.com
With few exceptions, the best architectural and interior images aren’t simply taken. A better term is constructed. Aside from composition there are many considerations, including time of day, lighting style and placement, staging and propping. The best shots result from a combination of a detail-oriented set up + post-processing.
Photographing grand-scale architecture during the day can be as simple as waiting for the sun to move to the perfect place…if indeed it will. The same shot at evening will require an extensive lighting set up, if the decision is made to add supplemental lighting…which will likely result in a more dramatic image.
I traveled to Texas for designer, Andrea Garrity of Garrity Design Group, to photograph a 17,000 sq. ft. estate in the Woodlands of north Houston, Texas. The architectural scale of the home was magnificent, as were the interiors due to Andrea’s award-winning talent. She will be submitting the images into the ASID Design Excellence Awards for the Houston chapter, and is hoping to land a future editorial feature in Architectural Digest.
I was very impressed with the subtle transition from traditional to contemporary decor, as I walked through the home. This was Andrea’s solution to the homeowner’s request for modern design, in a home that has a more traditional exterior. We had a great time, showcasing the various spaces of the home. It was a great team effort, with Andrea’s detailed staging and my extensive lighting set ups. Here’s hoping we win some recognition at ASID. Click below to take the photo tour.
