updating website - john trigiani photography

Updating website? is it too late to ask to shoot a 2 year old job?

So it’s time to ad some new Instagram photos and/or updating website online portfolio, but is it too late to ask to photograph a 2 year old job?

updating website - john trigiani photography

So you spent 6 months with a client 2 years ago and completed a gorgeous Kitchen renovation and haven’t heard much from them since! The pandemic hit and everything got put on hold, now you want to get rolling again and start the updating your website and/or Instagram with new images of your work, but it’s too late to ask them to shoot it ….. or is it!

This seems to be a common question among a lot of interior designers I speak with who are looking to update their website portfolio and social media accounts.

If you feel it’s too late to reach out to a client from a year or 2 ago or even further back, to ask to come back to shoot the work you did for them, it is NOT too late.

In my experience, most homeowners think it’s kind of cool when a photo crew shows up to shoot their home, it kind of gives the work you did a fresh re-look, a sense of pride and validation and a form of “street cred” 🙂 . All good news for you.

The fact that you personally love the work you did for them so much that your coming back to photograph, updating website,  it says a lot to them, also if you’ve had minimal communication since or shortly thereafter, this will reignite your relationship and open a new opportunity to do new or more work for them.

Not to mention once your on that track, discussing their cottage or a friend of theirs looking for someone, etc , you are back chatting about the design work, it’s all fresh and new again.

Once you’ve gotten the ok to go back and shoot, think about a thank you for them after the photos are taken but make it special so it lasts beyond a week or two.

Again from designers I’ve spoken to, the usual thank you is a good bottle of wine and flowers, but let’s do that and leave a more memorable reminder.

 

A few ideas on how to thank your customer after the shoot:

1 – The traditional bottle of wine and flowers, but also enlarge and frame a gorgeous shot of the work you have done and we just photographed.

2 – IF the project was big enough, create a unique, personal, one of a kind hardcover book of their home. Use all the images we just took (at least 5 new images minimum, used full page or double spread) and mix them in with some before images.

3 – To go even one further, create the book above, but include some personal family photos of the couple, kids, dogs, important family events, milestones, surrounding the home and make something even more special.

Think about updating website for future projects you create, build in a budget and half or full day to photograph the work you do, don’t leave it for another day if possible.

updating website - john trigiani photography

What’s great about creating a one of a kind custom book?

  • The care that you put into it, imagine how special they will feel, the time and effort you (or your assistant) put into customizing a one off book will go a very long way.
  • Once it’s on their coffee table (and it will never be far from it), then everyone who comes over will definitely look at it and see your work (in an editorial style, like they are used to seeing these kinds of images in a magazine), your contact information should also be on it,  it’s a never ending cycle that good for everyone.


A few other tidbits to think about.

  • Once you create one book, you can keep the template, so for the next one you just swap out the photos and change some text around to create a whole new book.
  • Make sure to include your logo or company name on the front cover, with your strongest shot and the family name.
  • Back cover should have your full contact info so anyone looking will know whom you are and how to get a hold of you.
  • An Updated website and social media will also give you an opportunity to reach out to older customers with new work.
  • There are many online sites to create books and they all include software to just drop and drag your photos and text to lay it out and just upload the book. Many also will do it for you at an extra cost, but at the end of the day any book, even a 20 page book will cost you less than $100.

 

So think about this when it’s time your updating website or social media.

 

john trigiani corporate photography environmental

What really goes into a creating YOUR final Business Portrait .

Ever wonder exactly how a final photograph or business portrait is all put together ?

 

Most people see hundreds of business portraits every week online, on tv, in magazines, pretty much everywhere you look you’ll see someone’s profile shot.

Not every shoot requires this much post production but i just wanted to show how this particular shoot for www.Profilesofdistinction.com magazine of Scott Windham of Windham Studios (landscape architects in Naples Florida) ended up being put together after all the frames were taken.

Well i just wanted to give you an idea of what really goes into creating your final environmental business portrait.

1 – Original image, test shot, available light. 

business portrait

This is the original test shot, auto exposure. You can see the lovely sunlight pouring in from behind Scott as well as the blown out areas. All in all this is a pretty good start, we just need to control the light a bit, once i saw this i new this was going to be an awesome business photograph. The light on Scott’s face and rim light from sun is just too much, .

 

2 – Test exposure frame, looking for detail in blown out sunlit areas. 

This is simply a darker exposure that will be used to pull back the details of the stone around the pool, the sofa up front and the backlit water features. As long as the camera does not move, every frame will line up for the final retouched version.

 

 

3 – Lighting Scott separately.

This is the proper lighting on Scott now, while blocking the sun off of his back. I’ve lit him with a front/left soft-box and a grid from behind on the right. To mimic hard sun and highlight as well as a reflector (out of frame) bouncing some extra light onto his left sid. Filling in where the grid falls off. There is a lot of gear in this shot but again, with the other background images i’ll be able to merge the correct exposed frames. With no equipment showing in the final portrait image. You can see how this business portrait is starting to all come together.

 

 

4 – Corner Eavestrough frame to replace damaged in original.

For those of you with a keen eye, you might have noticed in the top left hand corner of the last 3 images. The eavestrough was damaged by a flying palm tree during hurricane Irma a few weeks earlier. So i found something similar from a different part of the house and blended that in as well. I made sure my, i photographed this image from approx. the same angle as the portrait angle so its perspective lined up.

 

5 – The Final image 

environmental portrait

The Final Image – I’ve blended all the elements together here to come up with Scotts final business portrait. From my perspective when on location, i asses all elements. Such as natural light options / strobe lighting options / background / post production tricks/additions) while taking the test images.
Once i feel i’ve got all the images i need, i’ll transfer them to the Mac and sit down with the client to show them all the options. As well how i see creating the final look and feel of the shot. What i really like about Scott’s photo is the natural, comfortable feeling you get from him in the photo. He is a very laid back individual and as his bio reads. “We build an intimate connection with our clients, who they are and how they live.”. I feel this image really represents what Scott brings to the table as a landscape architect, an individual and convey how you’ll be treating during the process.

 

Architectural-Interior-john-trigiani-kitchen

Architecture Photography: Beauty of Interior and Exterior Designs

The Beauty of Architecture Photography.

Indeed, photography serves as a voice to express the artistic stance of the architect at that time. Architectural Photography takes a step further to interpret the design in several ways. What used to be an accurate portrayal of the structure has now gradually evolved into a manipulation of different perspectives to bring out the interesting elements of a single structure. The art of photographing architecture takes on many forms. Whether it is photographing the exterior or interior, many awesome images can be resulted with the correct techniques and more importantly, the observant eye to spot the different points of view.

 Architectural-Exterior-john-trigiani-cottage -architecture photography
Read More
john trigiani corporate photography environmental

Custom Business Photography vrs Stock images

Clients will identify with your custom business photography

Not only will having custom business photography on your website give you a more professional look, it also helps connect you to your audience. Clients appreciate the effort and extra details they will get when custom business photographs are used instead of paid stock photography (also, it’s usually illegal to use random photos you find on Google, so be careful). Show clients what your business is really about, what it looks like and who you are with custom business photography!

business photography john trigianiPhoto sessions can range between 30 minutes and 5 hours depending on what you need. They are done as organically as possible, meaning I prefer to photograph your business in action with attention to details. From the personal corporate head shots, to the “Environmental Portraits” which are my favorite to the ‘businesses in action’ photos! My style is very natural feeling, real life, and I also like to be as unobtrusive as possible, a fly on the wall with a camera.

Read More
Architectural-Interior-john-trigiani-Kitchen-toronto-photographer

10 Signs That You Might be An Interior Designer

Should you become an interior designer ?

Maybe you should be an Interior Designer, if you hate your job, then you are among 70% of the populous. According to Gallup there are many more people unhappy with their career choice than those that are happy. That’s a staggering statistic!

If you are part of the 70% that are miserable at work, you might want to consider a career change. Not sure what career choice is right for you? Well, we have a little list of observations that will show you that a career in interior design might be right for you.

Designers/decorators are creative yet logical thinkers who understand what it takes to pull a room together into a cohesive, beautiful and most importantly, functional space. Do you have the unique mind of an interior designer; the mind that is capable of sheer artistry combined with ultimate logic?

If so, perhaps you should read our top ten signs that you should be a designer:

interior-designer-john-trigiani-bedroom
Read More

The Glamour And Beauty Of Stylish Bathroom Interior Design

The Glamor And Beauty Of Stylish Bathroom Interior Design

Although your bathroom may be one of the smaller rooms in your house, it is the perfect space to stamp your own signature style by incorporating some innovative bathroom interior design details with classic design features. The following hints and tricks reveal the secrets to some of the most stylish bathroom interiors.

Bathroom-Interior-Design-Architectural-john-trigianiThe bathroom is a great space to unwind in so it’s a good idea to use serene colors when it comes to painting and decorating. Jasmine whites, sea blues and relaxed greys are all excellent places to start when it comes to choosing your color palette. Generally, the bigger the space the more patterns you can get away with; if you are working with a smaller size one, it is best to use light and single tone colors as patterns can visually reduce the size of a room and sometimes look fussy.

Ideally your bathroom interior style will be full of natural light but if you don’t have a big window, be sure to invest in some innovative lighting – a chandelier maybe, if you are going for a luxury vibe, or a sea of ceiling spotlights if you are after something more subtle.

In terms of big bathroom interior design features, you cannot go wrong with a freestanding bath. They exude style, opulence and pure relaxation – everything you’ll be looking for in a stylish interior. The bath will be the focal point of the room, regardless of how big your space is, so it’s imperative that it makes a statement even if the rest of your bathroom is a model of understated elegance.

Your own style can be imprinted in the small design details – a pop of color in the tiling, an Asian influence in your choice of plants, or maybe a huge mirror fit for a diva.

Stylish bathroom interior designs should have your personal touch incorporated but make sure its comfortable.

Read More
fireplace livingroom john trigiani

Interior Design Ideas for 2015

Interior Design Ideas for 2015

The modern interior decoration trends 2015 is all about the reinvent of the classy interior design ideas, about luxury, having versatility is furniture design, serenity, modern home design ideas, and creative recycling.

These design ideas for 2015 include retro, the classic, and the contemporary design ideas, its more about amalgamation of the traditional and with the modern, creating fresh decorating colors, fusion of the traditional and new materials, ethnic décor patterns, blend of textures, exotic motifs, artistic details, along with indigenous decoration patterns.

Interior-Design-john-trigiani-master-bedroom

Master bedroom designed by Parkyn Design. Sunny day in Mississauga.

The home decoration trends is about creating modern interiors yet having the contemporary designs, ideas such as gilded antiques, accents in velvet, silk or carved wood, which are mixed with industrial metal details. This will look stylish, unique and original. The home design trends that reflects desires to establish vivid and unique way of creating the bold interior design statement, which will create an interesting living space which has a personality to reflect.

The residential design trends 2015 is about incorporating the stylish fashion trends, consumes trends, bring in innovations and versatility, like an unexpected solutions to styling of modern designs and the home furnishings.

The interior design trends is fascinating blends of the traditional materials, prints, shapes, decorating ideas, with the latest products, into rich room colors which are like artistic brushstrokes, that brighten world of interior design in home decorating.

As mentioned the 2015 trends is about celebrating the personality, versatility, serenity. Creativity will be to make a unique character, charming details, which are becoming important trends for homes, hotels, offices, and public spaces.

Elegance, sophistication, showcasing individuality, and innovation in the architecture, and interior designing are the interior trends 2015 is what the experts are saying.

The modern interior trends of 2015 are:

Read More

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada’s – Light the Night Walk.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada’s – Light the Night Walk.

I am so very proud to show you some of the work i did for the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada’s – Light the Night Walk.

As a supporter its very dear to my heart and far to many of us are affected by it, so please give what you can help out as well. I did the stills for the all print, bus shelters, and print and web promotional material.

Have a wonderful day and do all you can as life is precious and way tooo short :).