Architecture

Adams & Gerndt - Mountain Brook AL Architectural Photographer / July 20, 2018 by Tommy Daspit

Twilight exterior of the rear and pool. This is one of the most extensive remodel projects I've ever seen. Hard to comprehend the before with the after!

So much amazingness in this project!

This was a remodel in Mountain Brook of a truly epic nature. My client, Adams & Gerndt Architecture in Homewood, did a truly phenomenal job transforming this home. The before images are truly mind blowing. It’s hard to believe that it is the same house.

Of course I was totally excited when I walked through the door to see this modern creation inside. I don’t see very many like this in the Birmingham area. In the living room, a huge wall of windows flooded the space with amazing natural light. The kitchen featured an amazing kitchen with clean lines, bright cabinets, and one of the coolest looking islands I’ve ever seen. I knew this would be a special project for sure!

It turns out that Birmingham Magazine thought so too. They featured my image of the living room on the cover of the 2018 Home and Garden Issue with a six page article!

Birmingham Magazine Home and Garden Issue 2018

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Architect: Adams & Gerndt Builder: Twin Construction Interior Design: Defining Home

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Watters Architecture - Pass Christian Ms - Architectural Photography / January 24, 2018 by Tommy Daspit

It had been raining all the way from Birmingham to Pass Christian and we wanted to get the twilight done that evening so we could drive straight back the next day. Things were looking bleak until about 20 minutes before we go there. Then the rain st… — It had been raining all the way from Birmingham to Pass Christian and we wanted to get the twilight done that evening so we could drive straight back the next day. Things were looking bleak until about 20 minutes before we go there. Then the rain stopped and we got some great light!

This comes as a bit of a surprise to many, but I actually do a lot of travel. I’m perfectly happy to go wherever I’m needed. I can go by plane, train, or even automobile (I actually put about 30,000 miles on my car a year). I often do shoots in Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, and throughout Alabama. So when I was contacted by Leah Watters of Watters Architecture in Pass Christian Mississippi about photographing one of her amazing projects, I was all too happy to help out!

I grew up in New Orleans but my grandparents had a home in nearby Waveland Mississippi. So I spent many a summer day on beaches very much like the ones right in front of this house. The instant I opened the car door it was almost like I’d been transported 30 years into the past. Much had changed over that time but much was still the same. Katrina and commerce had done much to change the landscape but the smells and feel of the ocean air were just as they’d always been. I knew this was going to be a special shoot.

The home was originally built by architect James Lamantia in 1940 and was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Leah was hired by the new owners to renovate and add on to the home in 2016. I was honored to photograph her work, which did so much to enhance and modernize the original design, while staying true to its spirit. It had actually been photographed once before by another photographer. Leah felt that the images she had really didn’t represent the project well. She wanted higher quality images that reflected the quality of her work. I was happy to accept the challenge of course!

We shot over the course of two days but I could have easily shot for two more. Every room held potential for great images. Narrowing it down was quite a challenge. In the end I took more images than I normally would. This caused a bit of a larger than normal workload in post but I was happy to put in the extra time for such a great project. I think the results speak for themselves!

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Ridge Rd - Willow Homes - Homewood AL Architectural Photographer / August 17, 2016 by Tommy Daspit

It may seem like I'm becoming a bit of a broken record, but I sure do love photographing projects for Willow Homes and Willow Design Studios. This home, designed by the amazingly talented Katherine Bailey, is no exception. A new build in Homewood, this was one of my favorites to date. As soon as you walk in the front door and look up at the barreled ceiling you can tell this home is different. The kitchen has beautiful tones, rich appointments, and has one of the best layouts I’ve ever seen.

The master bath features a massive and beautiful rugged beam above the bathtub. This really gives it a warm and organic feel that’s rare in a master bath. Every room, and every feature gave me great opportunities photographically. As with all Willow Home projects, deciding on what to feature is one of my toughest tasks. I could spend days there and not run out of subject matter!

If you’re in the Birmingham area and are looking to build an amazing home, I couldn't recommend Jason and his team more. The quality, attention to detail, design, and professionalism can’t be matched!

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4700 Colonnade - Birmingham AL Apartment Photography / August 9, 2016 by Tommy Daspit

This twilight exterior image of the clubhouse and pool took 7.5 hours to create, 47 individual photos, 54 total layers, and resulted in a 13GB file. The fire pit wasn't functional yet so I created the fire in Photoshop. This was one of the rare case… — This twilight exterior image of the clubhouse and pool took 7.5 hours to create, 47 individual photos, 54 total layers, and resulted in a 13GB file. The fire pit wasn't functional yet so I created the fire in Photoshop. This was one of the rare cases when I used the actual sky from that night.

One market I’ve been looking to expand into is luxury apartment complexes. I’ve photographed several nice, but not exactly high end, properties in the past. High end luxury projects give me more opportunities to be creative and to showcase the work of other talented professionals like architects, masons, and builders.

So when I was contacted by Joseph Holt at Kore Companies here in Birmingham about photographing the brand new 4700 Colonnade Apartments I was thrilled! I had seen it being constructed for months. You can’t miss it as you approach the 280 exit from 459 North. The location is perfect for people working downtown. I knew it would be a project that I wanted to photograph and seeing it finished confirmed that.

The clubhouse is stunning. Two stories with multiple lounge areas, coffee bar, game room, yoga studio, huge fitness center, conference room, pet washing area, pool, and a computer bar with iMacs! I could have spent all day shooting just the clubhouse. It was that impressive. Everywhere I looked there were potential images. I did my best to capture the highlights with a few details as well.

The model apartment and grounds didn’t disappoint either. With great lighting, fixtures, and finishing touches reminiscent of the luxury homes of Mountain Brook or Homewood, there were so many great images to be had. I started shooting at 8 in the morning and finished up at 8:30 that night. Even then there was so much more that I could have done. The property is simply amazing!

I was also excited that they elected to do a twilight exterior. After scouting our options I felt that the view of the clubhouse from the pool was the best option. I spent about half an hour just looking and testing different angles and compositions before deciding on the final positioning. The number of elements involved (the two story building, pool, fire pit, interior, grounds, and five story building in the background) made this one of the most challenging twilight shots I’ve ever created. In the end the final image was the combination of 47 separate shots, and 54 layers in Photoshop. The full image file came in at a whopping 13GB. Even with 32GB of RAM, my computer struggled to put this together. I started shooting at 7:00 and finished at 8:30. Creating the final shot in Photoshop took another six hours. In the end I feel that all that work was worth it. The client now has an image that will grab the attention of potential residents. It will help 4700 Colonnade stand out from the crowd and stand above their competition. This image will help Kore Companies be more successful. That’s ultimately my job. I help my clients be more successful in their businesses. It’s a responsibility I take seriously and think about when I’m creating images of their work. I’m proud to be a part of their success!

My assistant Cry with a gray card. We shoot a picture with this in the scene for each lighting condition. It's used as a reference in Photoshop to make sure colors are accurate. We have a ton of images just like this. One day I'll make a gallery of … — My assistant Cry with a gray card. We shoot a picture with this in the scene for each lighting condition. It's used as a reference in Photoshop to make sure colors are accurate. We have a ton of images just like this. One day I'll make a gallery of some of the best ones!

Me with my magic wand. Now you know my secret! Actually, I use a flash on a monopod to light just the areas I want to. I trigger the camera remotely with an iPad and the flash is triggered via a radio remote.

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If you’re looking for a luxury apartment in Birmingham be sure to add 4700 Colonnade to your list. If you’re an architect, contractor, or investor with an apartment complex you want to showcase, contact me to discuss how I can help you be more successful!

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Project Oglsby - Willow Homes Parade of Homes Entry / July 15, 2016 by Tommy Daspit

Recently I had the honor and pleasure of photographing the Birmingham Home Builders Association Parade of Homes entry for my great client Willow Homes and Willow Design Studio. This was the second year in a row that I’ve photographed their entry. I will say that I think both of us have come a long way in a short period of time!

This new construction home in Homewood is also the personal home of Katherine Bailey, on of the designers at Willow Design Studio. I’ve worked with her on a couple of their projects but there was a little added pressure to make sure this was done right (not that I don’t strive for perfection in every shoot! Honestly, Katherine really makes my job easier. She has a great sense of style and has everything styled perfectly for me. This really does make all the difference in the world. An empty room with four white walls is tough to photograph in an interesting way!

This project gave me so many opportunities for great images that it was kind of hard to narrow them down. I could have spent a couple of days there easily! I wasn’t the only one to notice this either. The mega all things homes website Houzz did an article on the home as well!

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