Houzz

Next time you’re doing a little web surfing on the couch, check out Houzz.com. It’s a site I stumbled on while researching options for setting up our new home in Chicago, and it’s already earned a spot on my list of favorite web resources.

Houzz is like Pinterest, but built specifically to connect professional contractors, designers, and architects with the people who might hire them. It’s great for finding inspiration and for communicating ideas visually with the people who will help bring them into reality. Photographers are welcome too because all those creative professionals needs great images of their work. I went ahead and set up a profile—check it out!

If you’re looking to do some remodeling or just need some decorating ideas, you’ll want to start browsing Houzz. I found a great designer for help with our basement project.  Cathy Zaekse has put together a fantastic plan. She’s been recognized on Houzz a few years running. Even if you’re not in Gurnee or the Chicago area, she can help you.

Is hiring a professional designer worth it? I really think so. Here’s an example from our (now former) Florida house. Our kitchen breakfast nook features a fantastic lake view just the right amount of tree cover.

There’s designer detail at work here that you may not even notice — we didn’t either, at first. With a west facing view, the Florida sun can get pretty intense in the late afternoon. The trees provide just enough shade without obstructing the beautiful light and water. Our next door neighbor has no trees, making the afternoon sun too harsh to enjoy.

Just a small decision can make or break a view, or transform the usability of a room. A professional’s insight can be key to enjoying your corner of the world.

We've Moved!

It’s official, I've relocated to Gurnee, Illinois! I plan to serve the northern Chicago suburbs. And there’s a bunch of them, Libertyville, Grayslake, Lake Villa, Lake Bluff, Lindenhurst, Mundelein, Lake Forest, Long Grove, Lincolnshire, Ivanhoe, Indian Creek,Vernon Hills and Highland Park. The list goes on...

If you’re in the area, drop me a note, I’d love to hear from you!

Dancing Back in Time

Many years ago, in high school, I photographed a dance class for my friend Lori. I was always impressed with her talents, especially since I have zero ability in the dancing department.

Can you tell that these images were captured on film? The aged and grainy look is all natural. Shooting film was lots of fun, a whole different experience really. But it did have limitations. Today, an iPhone would likely produce technically better images in the same light, especially for the action shots. But the film definitely brings out a great feel.

A few years ago I scanned a lot of my old film images, and I’m glad I did. When Lori sent me a note asking about those pictures, I was able to load them right up. I’m sure the negatives are around somewhere, but I couldn’t tell you where.

Today’s tip: Scan your old photos or negatives.

I’ve used a service called ScanCafe on several occasions. The process is a simple, just box up photos, negatives, or even video tape. They’ll scan it and send you a link. You can then review the scans and purchase what you want. This feature alone is great because you don’t have to spend time deciding exactly what to send. Just ship it all in and then decide later online.

Go find a box of old photos and send in a few for scanning. Your family and friends will be glad you did—after getting over the embarrassment of your next #tbt post.

Headshot with Mark

Recently, my good friend Mark inquired about a headshot. He was looking to brush up his LinkedIn profile. And it sounds like his mom was in need of a new photo of him as well (moms are always good clients, no matter how old the kids are).

Headshots are becoming increasingly important in networking. You should always have a solid photo of yourself handy — even a good selfie is better than nothing. A Facebook profile photo can be a little less formal, but try not to have a drink in your hand. Your profile images, current and former, are typically more public than your other shared photos, so if there’s even the remote possibility that you’ll need the photograph to convey a message to an employer or potential client, a professional headshot is wise.

Mark and I met outside his apartment. He lives in one the coolest areas of Jacksonville — very urban and walkable with amazing restaurants. We didn’t have to look far for a background. The bricks add a bit of subtle context to the photo and avoid the stuffiness of a studio backdrop.

I love the challenge of photographing kids, but working with an adult was a nice change of pace. Mark follows directions much better than your average five year old! If that were a LinkedIn skill, I’d endorse it.

Here’s a quick portrait tip. Keep the background as simple as possible. A brick wall, as shown in this photo, is perfect.  A simple background will keep the viewer’s attention on the subject. You’ll be amazed how much an uncluttered scene can do for a quick portrait.

House and Family

As you might’ve seen from some recent social media activity, my family will be relocating to the Chicago area in the coming months. It will be an exciting change of pace (and change in weather). Having grown up in the midwest, my wife and I know what we’re getting into. The kids, however, are as clueless as the snowman in Frozen.

In preparing our house for sale, I decided to undertake the real estate photography as my own project. We have a great realtor, and she comes with a photographer. But I wanted to put my spin on the images. I will miss our house — our home — dearly. Taking the real estate photos was as much about giving myself a new photography challenge as it was about taking a moment to reflect and pay tribute to this space.  

Though the technical challenges of lighting and composition were considerably different, in some ways, taking these pictures felt just like doing portrait session. It’s all about trying to communicate something of the soul of your subject.

I’ve captured so many great moments in this house over the years that at first I thought I’d have enough existing photos to use for the real estate listing. But my photo library has very few images without someone in them — not surprising, given my portrait photography focus. I figured that prospective buyers probably wouldn’t want to see my kids running around their new house. So we set up a traditional real estate shoot. The house never looked so clean! With kids (and toys), the difficulty level goes up considerably. As you enjoy each shot, remember that all the toys and clutter are piled up just off camera. That made the shots with multiple rooms extra fun.

Looking back at all those great moments helped me realize how big a role our surroundings play in our family life. The house is just a house, but throw in a few people and the space is defined and enriched. A home almost seems to interact and embrace the family living in it.

Whether you live near the beach, the mountains, the desert, or somewhere in between, take a minute to think about how your space defines your family. You’ll see it in your family photos.

So here are a few candid images with house and family. Enjoy.