Photograph of the Month Screen Saver & Wallpaper Archive Gallery

In May of 2007 I began creating a series of photographs specifically intended to be used as screen savers that I would send out to all my clients on a monthly basis. This idea has proven to be very popular with everyone who receives the images.

When I began my blog I stopped sending the images themselves through e-mail, and instead simply sent a notification out and posted the monthly image in my blog. Many people have asked me to post the past images so they can be downloaded because they hadn’t been included in the list the entire time, or the images sent through e-mail were lost, deleted or misplaced.

I have created an archive gallery of all my Photograph of the Month Screen Savers going back to the very first image “Flight” which you can see here (click the thumbnail to see a larger version.) I will continue to post the images to my blog and send e-mail notices on a monthly basis and I will also add the images to this archive so anyone can see and download them at their convenience.

So, please take a look at the archive, download any images you like and share with your family and friends with my compliments.

A Career Milestone

I am very proud to say that this image I created of the Golden Gate Bridge was added to the permanent collection of the California Museum as a part of their “Only in California” exhibit.

Golden Gate Bridge from Marshall's Beach

I am honored that the curator selected my image as the “definitive” image of the Golden Gate Bridge from the thousands they had to choose from. I’m told my image captured the feeling grandeur they sought and communicated the context of the bridge admirably.

I did not set out to create an iconic symbol, only to capture my impression of the bridge as the work of art it is and one of mankind’s greatest engineering achievements. I think I achieved my goal.

You can view more of my images by following this link to my portfolio galleries.

Architectural and Interior Design Photography Slide Show

Several people have suggested I create a flash based slide show to use as a splash (introduction) page to my web site. I designed my web site to quickly and easily provide the critical information a visitor needs to answer their questions and help them make decisions about hiring me to photograph their projects without unnecessary distractions. I didn’t think a slide show was really necessary.

I don’t liked the idea of using flash as the front end of a web site because doing so forces the viewer to stop what they’re doing while the web designer takes control of their computer for however long the designer wants the show to last. And there is no guarantee that what the designer wants to show is what the visitor needs to see. Not to mention the fact that search engines ignore flash when scanning websites.

But I want to do all I can to provide for the various wants and needs of my clients and prospects as they define them; so, I created a slide show this morning. You can view it by following this link or by using the slide show link in the navigation menu at the bottom of each page of my web site.

Please take a minute (fifty four seconds, actually) to look it over and let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Dean

Expanding My Portfolio

Over the past few days I have been adding more images from my archive to my portfolio galleries. It’s been quite fun reviewing these images from the past and I am pleased with how my style has evolved through the years.

There are now well over four thousand images in my portfolio galleries displaying images from 1992 through today. These images provide a very good sampling of my talents and skills photographing residential, commercial, institutional, hospitality, retail, education, civic, healthcare and justice interior design and architecture.

I even included the last photograph I took as an “amateur” photographer way back in February of 1992, just a few weeks before I made the final jump to being a full time professional architectural photographer on March 13, 1992. It’s a wonderful shot of the Temple Hoyne Buell Theater in Denver, CO. I was pleased with the shot then and I am still proud to include it in my primary portfolios to this day. I even sold the image to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts which is why I have enclosed the amateur above in quotes.

Take a look at the galleries. If you want to see if I have the talent skill and experience to shoot your project, I’m sure you’ll find what you are looking for. And remember it is a searchable database.

Adding Client Ads to My Portfolios

Several of my interior design clients are engaged in active advertising campaigns. Shooting these images is a lot of fun because not only am I expected to get great shots of the interiors there are other elements added to the images, such as people, or props.

Because these are such interesting images I have, on the recommendation of Gina at Viscusi Elson Interior Design, created a new portfolio that showcases the finished ads as they appear in print. Please take a look at these wonderful collaborations between several creative professionals by following this link to my ad portfolio gallery.

Photograph of the Month – Autumn Skies

High Dynamic Range Image

This month’s photograph is titled “Autumn Skies.” I hope you like the image.

I shot this image as I was returning to the San Francisco Bay Area from Monterey late one afternoon. I was planning to shoot a sunset shot of Pigeon Point Lighthouse, but dense fog was rolling in and I knew I couldn’t reach the lighthouse before conditions deteriorated beyond any hope of getting the shot I wanted. So, I decided to stop at Ano Nuevo State Park to see if there were any scenes that would photograph well. I was pleased to find this scene right at the entrance to the park and knew I had a spectacular image. And since this wasn’t a commissioned shot I was free to not worry about the photorealistic representation of the scene and let my creative energies run free.

I used the high dynamic range imaging technique to create this image.  With this technique I captured a range of contrast and luminance values far beyond what is possible with conventional photography. This technique helps me communicate my perceptions of the emotional character of a space or scene. All of my clients love the results when photographing their projects. I will continue using this technique to help my clients win awards and secure new clients by communicating the emotional character of the spaces and structures they create.

All images in my “Photograph of the Month” series are sized and formatted as a screen saver or computer desktop wallpaper. You can click on the image to open in a new window or download; please, share it with your family and friends, with my compliments.

2009/2010 ASID CA Peninsula Installation Meeting

Last night was the installation meeting  for the 2009/2010 board members of the ASID CA Peninsula Chapter. They handed out many certificates of appreciation to the industry partners and made sure everyone knew how important it is to wok within the ASID community. It was my first opportunity to meet and mingle with the members of the chapter. It was a very nice night and everybody enjoyed themselves.

The meeting was held at Porcelanosa USA in San Jose. They have a wonderful showroom that was open and airy and included many showcase vignettes of their product lines.

During the event Pauline Hsu told everyone about the upcoming ASID events over the next two months and she made a special effort to tell everyone about the CEU  on Interior Design Photography that I will be giving on November 12, 2009. I’m looking forward to it and so is the membership at large.

More Architecture, Construction and Interior Design Award Winning Projects

News of awards I was unaware of is rolling in. I just added two more awards from the Western Council of Construction Consumers. This is great news to start the day off with.

If any of my other clients have awards that I haven’t listed my Award Winning Architecture and Interior Design Projects Gallery please let me know.

Brick Monkey

Last month I helped a new retail store client, Brick Monkey, populate their website and get ready for their Grand Opening. Their store is full of unique items and high quality furniture. It’s a great place to browse for a unique greeting card or conversation piece.

I suggest you stop by if you’re in the area. I’m sure you’ll love it.

It was a lot of fun working with Kirsten McKay, Stephanie Kolka and Barry Johnson and I look forward to working with them again often in the future.

You can see the images I created for them using the high dynamic range imaging technique (HDRI) in my portfolio galleries.

Architecture and Interior Design Awards Portfolio

Yesterday I assembled a portfolio gallery that showcases  projects I have photographed that won  architectural or interior design awards.

It was really a lot of fun to go back through my archives to find the projects and review them once again. I am surprised at how many there are, they just kind of creep up on you.

I only included the seventeen projects that won awards from 1999 through today because I was out of time and the deeper I dig into my archives the less well organized things are, and the documentation becomes difficult to decipher and cross check. I began my conversion to digital photography back in 1998 and since that time my digital asset management has gone through major evolutionary changes. So, I just didn’t see it as worth while to dig throught my digital catacombs in search of files that no longer represent my style or my level of professional expertise.

I am very pleased to see that 2009 was a watershed year for me and my clients. Collectively my clients five ASID design awards this year, and the feather in my cap is that every one of my clients that eneterd the competiton won an award. And Joseph Hittinger of Joseph Hittinger Designs won three awards for projects I photographed for him.

I’m very pleased and look forward to outdoing myself next year.