The end of summer and beginning of fall is a busy time for landscapers and construction companies. With an office, apartment, or other commercial architecture, you want to wait until everything is perfectly complete before you call up a photographer. However, mother nature may not be so accommodating as recent hurricanes have shown, and cleanup might mean your first photo op is in the dead of winter. If you’ve got an unfinished landscape and construction, that doesn’t mean you can’t have great architectural photos.
The Problem: Blotchy grass (circled in white).
Solution 1: Change angle of view.
Solution 2: Shot at twilight to add atmosphere.
Schedule Early and Get a Walk Through
While you can schedule a rush job (and photographers like myself can usually accommodate) with a hurricane warning coming up, the best option is to schedule early. Photographers can do a walkthrough of the site and help you figure out where landscaping and construction can be hidden or rushed for completion.
Work with Your Construction Crew
Getting even just one face of new construction finished can be enough for a photo shoot. Work with your crews and see if they can finish up certain parts early. These can be small things like removing window stickers, finishing up siding, or that one piece of trim on that premium front façade.
Old Signage needed to be down played.
Work with Your Landscaping Contractors
Likewise, for your landscaping work see about getting finished up in areas your construction crew is finishing up. This could be as simple as a new layer of mulch for your ground coverings or new plant installations on those strategic places.
Don’t Get Caught in a Natural Disaster
Recent hurricanes like Harvey and Irma have shown that sometimes you want a well-done placeholder than to hope for time for later fall photography. With tricks like these and others your photographer can show you, you’ll have some great shots to work with.
St. Peterburg Florida before hurricane Irma
If you’re in need and in the Greater Boston Area, contact me at Shupe Studios. I can provide a free consultation and walk of the shoot, and quickly jump in and get great shots even when a hurricane is coming.