ShupeStudios Turns 40

Forty years ago this month in 1983, I started my business, originally called Freelance PhotoImages. I was fresh out of college and due to the November 1982 recession recently released from an assistant position with a well-known Newbury Street photographer. To keep up cash flow, I spent the next four months bartending, stocking shelves at Toys “R” Us, and helping out at a mom-and-pop color lab called Panna Photo which offered large format prints. One of their clients used the lab to print tradeshow prints, and after learning I was an RIT grad, offered me a job shooting their products. While I had all the necessary camera equipment, I didn’t have the required lighting equipment needed in the days of film. At the time, the equipment cost a substantial sum which I didn’t have, but a family friend offered to loan me the money.

I remember talking with my girlfriend (wife now) explaining that I was thinking of borrowing the funds, buying the lights, and going into business. I reasoned that we had very little debt, no car payments, no mortgage, and no children. What was there to lose? She agreed, and the business was born.  

From day one, I decided to do only corporate work – no weddings, bar mitzvahs, or anything of that nature. I offered lifestyle, product, and architectural photography, plus executive portraiture. My marketing strategy was straightforward – offer a superior product at a fair price and deliver it on time. It worked. A year later, after marrying Deb, we purchased the Framingham house, which had an unfinished 28’x48’ two-story garage next to it. We spent the next few years building out the garage and turning it into a first-class studio. It had 11-foot ceilings, a dressing room/bathroom, and large office/conference area on the 2nd floor. I did all the construction myself with the help of friends. I was bootstrapping and financed all construction materials from business profits as they came in. No additional loans.

In the high-tech heyday, I was knee-deep in product photography, and the studio got a lot of use. I also did a lot of location shooting, frequently setting up in a conference room or on the production floor. Business thrived until the internet bubble burst, and it was clear that my company had to adapt. I researched moving into digital photography, which was still in its infancy, but I clearly saw the benefits. To go digital meant a $50,000.00 investment that could be obsolete in a year, given the rapid pace of technology. However, it took out the middlemen making digital film scans, and I’d have much more control.

In 2000 I took the leap when Nikon came out with its first professional DSLR. Along with it I purchased a top-of-the-line Mac computer and editing software. Digital allowed me complete control from concept to deliverable – and no film lab to screw things up. I did one last job on 4 x 5 film and have never looked back.

At about the same time, it became increasingly clear I should specialize. So, I threw a virtual dart at the wall, and it landed on Architectural Photography. That ended up being a really good dart. Soon after, we went through another recession, which put a lot of studio/product photographers out of business. Ironically, commercial construction has a seven-year cycle - concept to occupancy. That meant many of the buildings I was shooting were completed in the peak years of the recession. Fortunately, I learned that while people were willing to forego product photography, an architect or builder would not cut corners when photographing their multi-million-dollar buildings. Even the smaller firms who were stretched thin on their projects knew they had to look like the big guys when it came to marketing, so using a good professional photographer was an expense they were willing to incur. Hence my business weathered the storm.

As my business evolved, I decided to rename it - transitioning from Freelance PhotoImages to ShupeStudios. The word Freelance didn’t have the professional connotation I wanted, and I learned there was another PhotoImages out there. The name was right when I launched the business; however, the time was right to professionalize the name while making it more personal; and I rebranded as ShupeStudios. People liked the new name, it rolls off the tongue, and is easy to remember – I’m glad I made the switch. This is what my new logo looked liked like for many years but as you can see from the top of this post its evolution continues.

In 2020, with my children out of college, we decided to downsize out of our beloved Framingham house/studio. The house was too big, and shooting primarily architectural work, the studio was not getting used. On occasion, when I do studio work, I can use other spaces but most of the time all concerned find it easier to shoot at the client’s location.

You may ask where I anticipate going from here. The short answer is that I love my job, so plan to keep shooting. I’m always learning, always improving, always seeking out new technology.

One of the few things that has not changed is my marketing strategy which is as good today as it was 40 years ago – offer a superior product at a fair price and deliver it on time.  

Forty years later, and the best is yet to come.

With that said, let me close with the question I always ask my clients - How can I help you today?

Gregg

How to Combine Photography and Photoshop for a Creative Holiday Card

My grandmother taught me the joy of sending holiday cards when I was about seven years old. She said making one’s own card was a way to share your creativity and to put a smile on people’s faces. My first card had a live pine twig with a drawn ornament below it. I remember that envelope being a bit thick and uneven. Over the years, I have kept this tradition alive as a way to stay connected to friends, colleagues, and clients from around the world. It is my way of reaching out and thanking people I care about while adding a little fun to the season. Let me show you the behind the scenes of how I created it.

The cover this year was simple and traditional. An ornament passed down from my great grandmother’s family. I worked on lighting and composition to give the ornament an effect of almost floating in space.

The inside imagery is a bit more complex and is composed of four separate and distinct images - three from our trip to Iceland this year. The first image captures Icelandic horses galloping in southern Iceland adjacent to the Seltún hot springs.

The second is a lovely shot from one of our Airbnbs as we criss-crossed the country.

At another Airbnb in Iceland, the owner provided cereal and milk for breakfast. When I saw this milk bottle, I couldn’t resist and took it outside for an extraordinary photograph. I knew I’d find a way to eventually use it.

The last picture came not from Iceland but from Gloucester. This is a freshly made slice of apple pie photographed in natural light on a plate from the former Gloucester Ocean View Inn and Resort.

Here is the final composite image, which entailed removing the fence posts, silhouetting the pie and plate, the milk bottle, and stone, and subsequently dropping them onto the background. Adding the horses and merging the grass took a bit of finesse.

John Salozzo, (a friend, retoucher, and pioneer Photoshop composer) and I worked on a few cards together in the early days. He liked to include family members, especially our children into the cards. Which in one form or another, I have continued to this day.

The back of the card is composed of 7 images. The background is a glacier at the Jökulsárlón Lagoon near Vatnajökull National Park in Iceland. The images include my children - the wedding of my son Ben and his wife Alex, and Kristen and her horse. The pie making images are all from Gloucester, while the background of the pie recipe was picked from one of the apples.

I think my grandmother would like that I’ve kept her tradition alive. She would have loved that the card included family, a little creativity, and a heartfelt message. Even more, she would have hoped, as do I, that it brought smiles to you and your family.

ShupeStudios Best Photographs of 2022 - People and Places

One of the many things I love about being a professional photographer are the people I meet and the places it takes me. Looking back at 2022 I thought you might enjoy seeing this year’s top ten. Since most of my work tends toward architectural photography, my favorites begin with buildings.

Home

Houses are buildings of course, but they’re a little but different. The interesting thing about houses is that people take them, stamp them with their personality, and make them uniquely their own. In the process a house becomes a home. Here are a few of my favorites - places uniquely called “home.”

People at Work

We spend a big part of our lives at work, but since we do it everyday we think of it as commonplace and unremarkable. However what we do is quite remarkable, and I love recording it. Here are two of my favorites.

The Horizon

One of the amazing things about the times we live in are views we have, that no person could have experienced 120 years ago. The first flight hadn’t taken place and there were no skyscrapers. If you wanted a birds eye view the best you could do was hike up a mountain. You couldn’t look out your window and see for miles, and you certainly couldn’t look down on a city from the sky.

Man’s Best Friend

The bond between man and dog is a unique one. Our dogs are always so happy to see us and so excited to go out and play. They never fail to put a smile on our face and I never pass up the opportunity to catch a dog doing what they do best - having fun.

2022 was a year unlike any other with unique events, challenges, ups and downs - and a whole lot more. I’ve been very privileged to capture a small part of our world and thank all of you for that opportunity. I look forward to 2023 and my best wishes to you for a wonderful year – hopefully the best yet.

Sincerely,
Gregg

Using Depth of Field for Better Photos

A hallmark of professional photography is that the photographer isn’t just creating an image but he/she is directing your eye where to go in that image. In a simple photo you might be able to do that with composition alone, but in most cases you need to define the focal point via depth of field. In other words, what the photographer wants to you see is in focus, and everything else is out of focus.

Looking at the image below notice below that the boats are in focus while the foreground and background are blurry — your eye knows right where to go and it makes a much more interesting photo.

In this image, the entire kitchen is in focus – foreground, middle ground, and background. Although you might focus on the faucet because of its prominence, your eye is not being given a strong clue where to go.

Let's take a different approach, say you were a manufacturer and wanted people to focus on the microware. Adjusting the depth of field so the faucet is out of focus and the back wall is in focus makes a significant difference in how you experience the photo. Your eye is drawn to the microwave and it becomes the star of the picture with everything else playing a supporting role.

In the following two photos notice the subtle difference depth of field creates. In the first case the foreground and background are equally in focus, but in the second, the foreground, left side and background are blurred, drawing your eye toward the pool table and fireplace.

Here is another example where the photographer wants to draw your eye toward the middle ground, but in a larger space. Where does your eye go and what do you focus on first? The lamp and red bean bag chairs.

The Traditional Way

Historically photographers created the depth of field and focal points we’ve demonstrated using different lenses and aperture settings. This works just fine but the downside is that it is baked into the photo. You don’t have any flexibility to alter it. If someone decided they wanted the faucet or blue chairs in the images above to be most prominent it would mean re-shooting.

A Better Way

A more flexible way to handle depth of field is to shoot images with a full depth of field and then electronically blur images to create the desired effect. In all the photos you see here we have utilized this technique. This work is typically done by your graphic designer in post production and provides flexibility in your marketing efforts. If you don’t have a graphic designer we can handle it for you as an add-on to our typical post production work.

The Most Bang for you Buck

At ShupeStudios, we've adopted the protocol of shooting most images with a long depth of field to give your marketing team and designers the greatest flexibility in utilizing our photos. Using just one shot, a designer can create multiple images, each with different focal points, giving you more options while reducing costs. This is another example of using technology to give our clients the most for their money.

If you are looking for great architectural photography and maximum flexibility with depth of field, we’re here to help. Now is the time to plan for spring and summer photography of commercial buildings, residential structures, interiors, or landscapes. Give me a call and let’s take a look at your marketing calendar. I look forward to working with you!

The Christmas Gift that Propelled a Kid’s Future

When I was in Junior High, I dabbled with the guitar, including lessons at the YMCA and photography using my parent’s Pentax camera. As Christmas approached that year, I made my list asking for money to go towards either a guitar or camera. I was leaning towards a camera - the hot new Olympus OM-1. As we opened our presents on Christmas morning, I realized that my parents and grandparents had placed checks and cash into an assortment of festive boxes and wrappings throughout my gifts. In dribs and drabs, I saw enough money coming in that maybe, just maybe, I’d have enough. As soon as I could, I bolted to my room with my Christmas money, pulled out cash I had saved from summer jobs, and began counting. Dollar by dollar, I counted until there it was - I had enough to buy the Olympus OM-1!

Some of my first “architectural photography” as a kid

At that time, Hunt’s Drug of Malden (now called Hunt Camera) was open 365 days a year. I convinced my parents to drive me down there that Christmas afternoon to buy my very first camera.  The OM-1 was perfect, and I used it almost every day until I got to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). I was always thankful to Hunt’s Drug for being open that Christmas day.

One of my first Holiday compositions with the OM-1

In the years following, Hunt’s Drug became my go-to camera store. As I prepared to leave for college, I learned that RIT wanted incoming photography students to have a 4x5 view camera. So, with the money I had saved from my part-time job at Balston Filter Company, I went back down to Hunt’s Drug to buy an inexpensive 4x5 view camera. It was a quiet weekday, and the owner was there. He overheard me reminiscing about my first camera purchase there on Christmas and that I was back to buy a 4x5 view camera. I explained that I was leaving for college and had just enough money for a basic unit. The owner paused and said, “ hold on, I might have something better.” He went out back and returned with a Sinar 4x5 kit. Sinar is a high-end Swiss manufacturer, the Porsche of view cameras. He said to me, “It has been out back collecting dust, the person who ordered it backed out. An no takers since.” He sold it to me for the funds I had on hand. At RIT, everyone gawked at my amazing camera. Even the school had only one in their inventory.

Yours truly showing some of my early work as an undergrad

As college ended, I wound up with all-new equipment in a way I could not have foreseen. About three weeks before graduation from RIT, our apartment in Rochester was broken into. The thief took my Sinar and my Nikon cameras, plus my roommate’s 2 ¼ Hasselblad system. They left the stereo. The police said it looked like one of our fellow students planned to set up a studio with our equipment. We never saw it again. But the insurance payment enabled me to start my career with the latest Nikon camera equipment. It goes without saying; I purchased it from Hunt’s Drug.

Fast forward to last month. Nikon announced a new camera with a dynamic range larger than my present equipment. The mirrorless Z9. It is a fantastic camera for Pros only and nearly impossible to obtain. Off I went to Hunt Camera, who worked miracles, and as soon as it is released, I’ll be at the head of the line to receive this superb piece of equipment.

That gift propelled this kid into a 40 plus year career as a leading edge professional photographer

Looking back over these many years, it’s amazing to think about the power of a gift or a small act of kindness. Consider a business owner who reached into his own pocket to help a kid on his way to college or a business that has come through for me time after time during my career. We often think of the Holidays as a time for presents – and of course, it is. But even more so, it is the opportunity to give a gift – something with the power to fascinate, inspire, and lift us up. Gifts can be for fun, or they can move mountains. That ride to Hunt’s on Christmas day so many years ago lit a spark, launched a career, and changed the trajectory of my life. It was a Christmas gift that propelled a kid’s future.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All

Gregg

Schedule Your Fall Photography!

Fall can be a magical time for architectural photography and landscapes. Less moisture in the air means cleaner crisper shots and more vibrant color. However, you are dealing with a short window and mother nature can be fickle – start now and you have more options.

Landscapes

Once September arrives plants have had a full growing season behind them and have recovered from summer dryness. Lawns are greener, plants look healthier, and the landscape is more lush. In many respects fall is the best time of year for landscapes. If your intent is to make the best impression - think fall.

Building Exteriors

Building construction tends to finish in the fall so you will be shooting completed projects while everything is new and fresh, with easy access to the premises. It also means that this year’s projects can be photographed and utilized for marketing purposes during winter and spring. Too many times I’ve seen people wait for spring only to be done in by weather and lose months of promotion.

If your building is under construction fall exterior shots allow you to make it appear that the project is farther along and provides the opportunity to merchandise it in advance. Good examples are apartment buildings or condo complexes where you will be pre-selling prior to project completion. Photos go a long way toward helping people visualize your project, making for an easier sell.

Fall Foliage – or Not

Landscape photography in the fall doesn’t necessarily mean that it has to include fall foliage. The great thing about fall is that you can get the best of both worlds – a nice summer feel or a colorful fall foliage scene. Your subject matter and the purpose of the photo will be the guiding factors. For example, you may want your building to say summer - while a cozy outdoor fireplace is perfect with a little fall foliage.

Stick Season

I spend a lot of time in Vermont where they refer to late fall, when the leaves come down, as stick season. You might think that when stick season arrives all is lost, but we can often pull a rabbit out of a hat. Shot at the right time of day with the right lighting trees are less visible, with the added bonus of showing off the architecture. For example, in summer you can barely see the first two floors of the building below. (This is a great example of a just-completed building that can be promoted throughout the winter and spring as discussed above.)

Another option in stick season is shooting at dusk, i.e., magic hour, where the lack of foliage goes unnoticed and can make for a terrific shot - with your building architecture in full view.

Don’t Wait

At ShupeStudios our goal is to wow you this fall. If you need a head start on next year for residential structures, commercial buildings, or landscapes - fall photography can provide superb results. However, the window is rapidly closing so the time is now. Please give me a call and let’s make it happen.

Pulling it All Together

I just finished a four-day shoot that allowed me to provide my full suite of skills to one client at one time. This enabled a big picture approach to the project eliminating inefficiencies, saving money, and most importantly, giving them a better end product. From my perspective, it was a great challenge and an enjoyable four days working with a terrific new client.  

The project came to me due to a referral from one of my current clients, which I greatly appreciated. My new client Anisoptera Mercantile has a new business offering wellness products, including CBDs, and art selections, to the 45-70 age demographic. In particular, they target people that lead an active lifestyle which informed much of the styling, props, and locations used throughout the shoot.

Every good project starts with a well thought out plan, and this was no exception. We began with several ZOOM meetings to brainstorm, discuss the products, and think about the most appropriate lifestyle shots for this target group. As we continued, the plan came into focus, including props, locations, composition, and all the factors that make the difference between good and great. Let me walk you through the project.

Days 1 and 2

We started with a two-day studio shoot photographing individual products for use in the eCommerce portion of the website. We started with tight shots on a white background that needed to be easy to identify and differentiate.

This was followed by product groupings where we added lifestyle props to enhance the message and add interest.

We even used studio shots to put the product into use applications our target audience could readily relate to.

Day 3

On day three, we went on location to begin the lifestyle portion of the shoot. One of my clients, Baystone Development, graciously allowed us to use their high-end Beachhouse model apartment and amenity spaces throughout the complex to put the products in appropriate lifestyle surroundings. The location was perfect and afforded us the ability to stage products in a variety of settings.  

Day 4

On the last day of photography, we shot on location in Gloucester. During the planning process, I had scouted area locations, so we were highly efficient moving from shot to shot - covering a lot of ground in one day. The location shooting effectively framed the brand and told the active lifestyle story so important in attracting our target audience.  

This project allowed me to provide a full line of services, from implementing brand strategy to art directing. I enjoyed the studio work that calls on a very separate set of skills from architectural or location photography. By art directing, styling, and location scouting, I provided one-stop shopping for my client - saving them the expense and effort of hiring separate specialists for each aspect of the project. Not only that, but having one person in charge allowed both the client and I to see the big picture - resulting in a more effective shoot that produced a superior end product in less time with less cost.

My new client’s website is stocked with all the images they will need for a while, plus we filled their social media library with months of photography.

At Shupe Studios our goal is to wow your audience. If you have a large shoot coming up with a mix of studio and location shots, I hope you’ll reach out to me.

We provide one stop shopping for great photography.