Architectural photography for new Student Housing in San Marcos
Architectural photography for new Student Housing in San Marcos
I was asked to provide some professional architectural photography for new Student Housing in San Marcos. The student apartments is called The Lyndon. It services Texas State University. One of the feature amenities is an amazing pool with a jumbotron TV system that really rocks. I love the portrait of LBJ in the entry of the great room. My client was Berkadia out of Philadelphia, and the current management of the property is by Asset Campus Housing out of Houston.
Aerial drone Pool Exterior and Jumbotron at The Lyndon Architectural photography in San Marcos by Johnny Stevens
The Lyndon Architectural photography in San Marcos by Johnny Stevens
Aerial Drone Architectural Photography
Aerial Drone Architectural Photography
I was asked by an architect named Humphreys & Partners Architects who have offices in the US, Vietnam, China and Uruguay, to photograph some twilight aerial drone architectural photographs of a property in Austin, called ThinkEast Austin. Student Housing photography is my main forte so this apartment complex was a familiar project. As a professional architectural photographer in Austin I have learned that the drone is my best friend. Just to be elevated 10 to 15 feet to photograph a structure can make all the difference. The rain had just ended and I launched the DJI Mavic Pro in pretty heavy wind. Getting a fast enough shutter speed with the lowest possible ISO is always the challenge when shooting in the dark. You cannot shoot from a drone with a shutter speed higher than 1/30 especially if it is windy. My ISO was pumped up to 1000 but it worked out well after I did my adjustments in Adobe Camera Raw. The lighting on the building was not very attractive so I had to create my own light in Photoshop. I had to push and pull the shadows, highlights and white quite a bit to get a nice looking final image. Here is the before and after.
Aerial architectural photo with Mavic Pro Austin AFTER editing
ThinkEast Drone architectural photo before editing
Family Portrait in Zilker Botanical Gardens
I was recently asked to help with a family portrait in Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin. I was a anxious as there were 11 members of the family and 4 of those were kids under the age of 5. Fortunately I had my wife Samantha available to entertain kids and goof around behind the camera to get them to smile. But it worked out. In Photoshop, I had to replace only 5 heads in the group with other shots. I was really happy with the background textures in the Botanical Gardens!
This is what the client wrote on Google reviews:
I was looking for a photographer for a family photo and found Johnny online. I didn’t think that most of the other sites with wedding photos would be really relevant to what I was looking for. I liked Johnny’s portfolio of family pictures. I also figured that since he had heavy commercial experience, he would be a pro. I figured correctly. He did a great job on an extended family of 11 in an outdoor setting. He was also great to work with, very easy-going and flexible. His wife also helped out at the shoot, coaxing cooperation from 4 grandkids under 5. I thought I might have to resort to serious bribery but didn’t have to. Finally, his prices were very reasonable. I really appreciate his efforts and the results and would highly recommend him to anyone.
Family portrait in Zilker Botanical Gardens in the jurrasic area
The Mavic Pro drone perfect perspective
The Mavic Pro drone perfect perspective
How many times have I been shooting architecture from a tripod and wishing I could get just 10 feet higher? The Mavic Pro drone adds the perfect perspective for those situations. The drone does not have the vertical perspective adjust-ability as the TS-E 17 lens does, but once you are up 10 or 20 feet, you don’t need it because the verticals are true at those heights.
Aerial architectural photo with Mavic Pro photographer Johnny Stevens
Aerial architectural photo with Mavic Pro Austin
Aerial architectural photo with Mavic Pro Johnny Stevens
Testing the Crop loss with Canon TS-E 17mm lens on Canon Mark iii versus on the Sony A7R with Matabones V adapter
Testing the Crop loss on with Canon TS-E 17mm lens on Canon Mark iii
and on the Sony A7R
The Canon 5D Mark iii with TS-E 17 mm tilt shift lens professional photographer austin
My buddy Marc Swendner and I got the idea of testing the focal Canon TS-E 17mm tilt shift lens on both my Canon Mark iii and with his new Sony A7R with the Metabones V adapter ring. Both of us shoot architectural photography and since he bought the new Sony A7R he wanted to see if the new Sony camera would support the TS-E 17 mm tilt shift lens that we both depend on for our work. This 17 mm tilt shift lens is absolutely the cats meow because it is dead on sharp and it allows us to control the perspective of our interior and exterior photographs. Our hopes were that the Sony AR7 could deliver the same focal width with the adapter ring on it. Here are the results. The adapter ring on the Sony does crop the image significantly. It renders the TS-E 17 mm lens to be equivalent to about a 26 mm lens after the crop effect.
Austin photographers Johnny Stevens and Marc Swendner testing the TS-E tilt shift 17 mm lens with the Canon and the Sony
The Sony AR7 with adapter ring
Image from the Canon 5 D Mark 3 with 17mm tilt shift lens Johnny Stevens photography
Image from the Sony AR7 with Metabones V adapter ring on the 17mm tilt shift lens Marc Swendner photography
Painting installation for Laurel Daniel
Painting installation for Laurel Daniel
I recently drove to Houston to shoot a painting installation for Laurel Daniel who was commissioned by Methodist Hospital to paint three large canvases to be installed in their corridors of the new North Tower. Here is a little about Laurel:
The Paintings:
“Roses in Hermann Park” (mother and son, red roses)
“Bayou Bend Pathway”
(Man and woman, pink azaleas)
“Tunnel of Trees”
(Father and son, tree tunnel)
All are scenes of Houston.
All are oil on canvas. all are 56″ x 120″ (Essentially 5′ x 10′)
Laurel Daniel installation of “Bayou Bend Pathway” at Memorial Hospital Houston corridor shot photographed by Johnny Stevens Austin architectural photographer
Laurel Daniel installation of “Tunnel of Trees” at Memorial Hospital Houston corridor shot photographed by Johnny Stevens Austin architectural photographer
Laurel Daniel installation of “Tunnel of Trees” at Memorial Hospital Houston corridor shot photographed by Johnny Stevens Austin architectural photographer
Laurel Daniel installation of “Tunnel of Trees” at Memorial Hospital Houston close shot photographed by Johnny Stevens Austin architectural photographer
Laurel Daniel installation of “Tunnel of Trees” at Memorial Hospital Houston elevation shot photographed by Johnny Stevens Austin architectural photographer
Laurel Daniel installation of “Bayou Bend Pathway” at Memorial Hospital Houston close up photographed by Johnny Stevens Austin architectural photographer
Laurel Daniel installation of “Bayou Bend Pathway” at Memorial Hospital Houston elevation shot photographed by Johnny Stevens Austin architectural photographer
Laurel Daniel installation of “Roses in Hermann Park” corridor shot at Memorial Hospital Houston photographed by Johnny Stevens Austin architectural photographer
Laurel Daniel installation of “Roses in Hermann Park” at Memorial Hospital Houston photographed by Johnny Stevens Austin architectural photographer
Laurel Daniel installation of “Roses in Hermann Park” elevation shot at Memorial Hospital Houston photographed by Johnny Stevens Austin architectural photographer
Fun Family Portrait with 3 kids
Fun family portrait with 3 kids
This was a fun family portrait with 3 kids. But first you have to let the children play. This playground was exceptional for entertainment and it offered several nice scenes for a family portrait. This first one is my favorite because the kids were the focal point and the starts of the shot. That always make shooting kids easier – when it is about them! This portrait was lit with my 2 Vision4 strobes and my Canon Mark III camera.
Shelton Family family portrait Austin at playground
Shelton Family family portrait Austin at playground
Family Portrait for Daniel Family
I was just honored to shoot a Family Portrait for Daniel Family.
One of the young boys was adamant about not having his picture taken so I reached into my bag of tricks and asked him if he could help me with the Vision 4 lights. I hoisted him onto my knee so he could reach the shutter release on the camera and fire so he could admire the strobes firing when he pulled the trigger. That is all to took. He now had ownership and he smiled like a saint.
Daniel Family Christmas Portrait by Austin photographer Johnny Stevens
Testing Neewer Vision 4 lights at US Money Reserve
Testing Neewer Vision 4 lights at US Money Reserve
For my Client US Money Reserve I spent the first full day shooting business portraits, and on day two we spent half the day running from office to office shooting candid office lifestyle photographs. This gave me the opportunity to test out my new Vision 4 lights. I was excited about the price, but failed to think about that fact that at that $200 price point, there had to be something that was missing. Indeed it was that I cannot control the output of the lights from the remote trigger on the camera. This is only a slight inconvenience to get up from behind the tripod and go dial up or down the f stop on the lights. They are battery powered and one battery lasted all afternoon.
Office candid lifestyle photograph 1
Office candid lifestyle photograph 2
Office candid lifestyle photograph 3
Office candid 4
Lane Orsak
My friend Lane Orsak has written a new book called Dylan’s Divide. He needed a new portrait for the back page of the book. Here is his review:
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I have worked with many photographers as an Art Director, and owner of a boutique creative agency. In past, I have worked with Johnny Stevens on two projects for clients, an international software company to produce viral videos, and a very unique art project. Now that I am writing novels, I needed a portrait of myself. I am really uncomfortable being photographed and find it almost impossible to relax and feel good about the experience. Therefore, when Johnny came to my residence, with an intern to shoot my photo, I was initially anxious. In little time, Johnny was set-up, and I was completely relaxed. I actually enjoyed the process. More importantly, when he sent me the proof, I was thrilled with the images. I posted the final image on my Facebook account and more people “liked” the image than have ever commented. Bottom line, I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to capture this image, that I feel is truly representational of me in my “best light.” I will proudly display it on my next book, soon to be released. Thank you Johnny!
– Lane Rockford Orsak
Portrait of Lane Rockford Orsak
