Posts tagged Kips Bay
2020 Year in Review (Press!)
2020 Year in Review (Press!)
 

No matter what, 2020 will be a year to remember. It reminds me of that quote about “the best of times and the worst of times.” Despite the pandemic and shutdowns, it was still a good year for the interiors business. I am so grateful to so many talented clients and was honored to have my photographs showcased on many shelter magazine covers and in several books. The years highlight was being selected to be the official photographer for the first Kips Bay Showhouse in Dallas. 

At the end of one year and the beginning of another, I think it’s important to look back at pivotal moments in the past 12 months and to celebrate successes. It gives me the motivation to push myself even more creatively and to set challenging goals for the new year. So here’s a look at the year in review for my studio:

PUBLISHED BOOKS

I was so excited to be a part of the Lucas Eilers book Expressive Interiors, published by Rizzoli. In 2019 going into 2020 I traveled with the designing duo of Sandy Lucas and Sarah Eilers to Charleston, Park City, Galveston plus the hill country, and their hometown of Houston to shoot projects specifically for this book. Because of my work with them and other designers, I am always now encouraging all designers I work with to understand how valuable and important it is to always think about how any shoot would look in a book format somewhere down the line.  

I have loved working with iconic designer Jan Showers over the past 20 years, so I was honored to be able to shoot for her again for her newest book Glamorous Living, published by Abrams in the fall. We worked with Jan a few years ago on her book Glamorous Rooms and a few months ago at the Kips Bay Showhouse in Dallas. She’s an incredible and gracious designer and we’re lucky to be able to collaborate with her.


As if that wasn’t enough book love, I also had a photograph featured from the designer Robert Passal shoot in the gorgeous new book de Gournay: Hand-Painted Interiors. It’s a gorgeous celebration of the company’s historic and modern collections of wallpaper, fabric, and porcelain. 

COVERS + EDITORIAL

We have a great track record in the studio of getting our work published. And this year was no exception, but what was incredible for us was the number of covers our work garnered. Celerie Kemble of Kemble Interiors began the year with making the cover and a feature in NY Cottages and Gardens from our NY shoot Park Avenue residential shoot. Our photo of a kitchen designed by Jean Liu Design was on the cover of House Beautiful.

A living room we shot for Emily Summers made the cover of Modern Luxury Interiors. A Hill Country home by Deb Baxter of Baxter Design Group also made the cover of Luxe Austin + San Antonio. And a fantastic set table in a dining room by Cullman & Kravis was featured on the cover of Southern Home. 

In a time of Covid and economic ups-and-downs, it can be tempting to drop your marketing or decide not to earmark money for professional photo shoots. But I can tell you that would be a big mistake. Shooting your projects is a must for your portfolio and your image marketing. And the local and national exposure is critical for your business. Our photography for leading designers has definitely helped them increase their brand awareness and their businesses in a crazy year.

We’ve had photographs published in almost too many publications in 2020 to name, but here are a few:

And so many more including an abundance of on-line media. It was a great year for publishing in our studio. We can help you with your image marketing and publishing goals in 2021 – just contact us by clicking here.


PROJECTS + APPEARANCES

This was a year like no other when it came to large-scale photo shoots and speaking engagements – we had to do things a little differently. I shot catalogs and campaigns for both Sutherland and Perennials this year. And with Perennials we had to rethink our process since it was the Summer of Covid. You can see the entire three issues and read how we pulled it off by clicking here

I love public speaking, especially when I can talk to interior designers. This year we went virtual, including a keynote at the Decorative Center in Houston with Lucas Eilers to talk about their book a couple of weeks ago. I had a great time talking with designer Traci Zeller about tips to take your photography to the next level – it was a keynote for the High Point Market. Also for High Point Market in the fall, I shared a virtual stage with Chad Dorsey to talk about getting the most out of your photography budget. 

Podcasts have also become more important than ever for our studio. It’s another great way to talk photography and get the word out about how important image marketing is. I’ve loved talking to great experts in several field, like Kaleigh Wiese and Jane Dagmi. We’re hoping to move to more live interviews and appearances in 2021, but I think we’ll still have a few digital months to go before that happens.


AND NOW TO 2021

So what’s next? The new year starts with a full calendar of shoots of completed projects around Texas and Oklahoma. Due to Covid, shoots have been juggling around for months and we are now making up past ones and newly scheduled ones. We expect the next six months to be full and continue with caution. Hoping travel starts back up by second part of the year to work with clients again around the country. Please visit our blog post on tips about photographing your projects during a pandemic. We already have a few fun things lined up for the new year, including a BIG project we’ve been keeping under wraps. We’re not quite ready to reveal it yet, but look for an announcement early 2021!


If you’re ready to book with us for a 2021 shoot, be sure to contact us as soon as you can. We’re ready to help you reach your image marketing goals and intentions for the new year!

 

 
marketing, client projects, Media & Publications, photoshoot, podcast, Speaking, tips & tricksKristen Karlisch2020, Interior design magazine, Year in review, Lucas Eilers, Jan Showers, Kips Bay, de Gournay, Denise McGaha, NYC&G, Celerie Kemble, jean liu, House Beautiful, Baxter Design Group, Cullman & Kravis, Southern Home, Emily Summers, Veranda magazine, Departures Magazine, Paper City, Milieu, Interiors Magazine, Rue Magazine, California Home Design, Chad Dorsey, Southern Home magazine, Luxe Magazine, Sutherland, Perennials, Decorative Center of Houston, Highpoint Market, Highpoint market speaker, Kaliegh Wiese, Jane Dagmi
Photographing Kips Bay
Photographing Kips Bay
 

There are so many elements that have to come together for a successful interiors photo shoot – great design, the right light, a detailed shot list, and more. And that’s just for one project with one interior designer. When I was asked to shoot the first-ever Kips Bay Showhouse to launch in Dallas, it was a marathon event with 27 designers, 3 days of intense shooting, and a lot of directors. And all in one huge French Provincial mansion. Here’s a look at how it went:

Size Matters

I was appointed as the official house photographer by the organizer of the home, the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. It’s an honor to be a part of this group’s iconic showhome program. For almost 50 years, Kips Bay has used a designer showhouse to raise money for after school and enrichment programs for kids in New York City. In the last few years, they expanded their showhomes to include Palm Beach, and this year moved into Dallas for their third location. Here in Dallas, the proceeds of the showhome also benefited local nonprofits Dwell with Dignity and the Crystal Charity Ball.

Doniphan Moore Interiors for Kips Bay Dallas Showhome

Doniphan Moore Interiors for Kips Bay Dallas Showhome

Kitchen Chad Dorsey Design for Kips Bay Dallas Showhome

Kitchen Chad Dorsey Design for Kips Bay Dallas Showhome

So how is shooting for a showhome different from photographing a home for an interiors project? First of all, the sheer size was daunting at almost 12,000 square feet. And then there’s the fact that I was shooting for many directors, other than the organizer or designers. In a showhome, you’re also shooting for the media partner, which in this case was Veranda magazine. And you have a lot of suppliers, sponsors, and vendors who have donated to the home and need photos of their products and work. 

Entry way by Rottet Studio for Kips Bay Showhome

Entry way by Rottet Studio for Kips Bay Showhome

Rather than worrying about what a single designer wants or needs, there are a lot of people involved with what photos and angles are needed. For the most part, that meant bigger, more overall views of each space and fewer detail shots. That way, more product can be included and more companies can use each shot for promotion of their participation in the showhouse.


Long Days, Short Deadlines

We worked in the home for three days, from about 8am to 7pm, so they were long days. Luckily, we were usually alone in the home, both because of Covid and to allow us to work quickly and get the shots we needed without anyone in the way. 

The timeline for delivering the photography was also very tight – and not at all the way photographers normally work. For our interiors projects, I take my time to ensure that the photos are perfect, including retouching. For Kips Bay, I worked with one assistant and one digital tech who was doing general basic retouching as I was shooting. We kept it as tight and efficient as possible because the turnaround time was so quick. We shot about 10 rooms a day with 3-5 shots each, and delivered the finished photos at the end of the 3 days. That is definitely not how a normal interiors shoot goes.

Living room by Mark D Sikes for Kips Bay Showhome

Living room by Mark D Sikes for Kips Bay Showhome

We did a walkthrough ahead of our shooting schedule, to be sure we would photograph rooms with natural light at the right time, and to plot an efficient route that had a good flow.

We also wanted to do justice to every space and every designer and that can be grueling. In a normal interiors project, there are killer moments that you’re excited to shoot, and then there are secondary spaces that aren’t as strong, or that you might skip through. 

But in a showhome, every room has a hero moment and every designer deserves equal representation as far as my skill, time, and attention. Everyone should get the same amount of creative effort – and that is exhausting. There’s no room where you can take less time or give less of yourself as a creative.

Creative Challenges

One of the challenges in this huge project was the odd architecture. There were a lot of strange little transitional spaces and interesting angles. The flow was off from an architectural standpoint, and upstairs the room were kind of hidden and tight. That made it more difficult to shoot.

But I have to say that I was blown away by the inventiveness of the designers who were part of the showhome. If you look at the before photos of the house and see the amount of creativity that is displayed in the finished photos, it was an incredible transformation. I have a newfound appreciation for designers and what they can do to a space. It was beyond what I expected.

The morning lounge by Marcus Mohon Interiors for Kips Bay Showhome

The morning lounge by Marcus Mohon Interiors for Kips Bay Showhome

It was interesting that I didn’t even meet a few of the designers. I did know about half of them since they were past clients. But the organizers tried to keep the home clear while I was shooting. 

I was lucky enough to be hired to reshoot spaces for the designers themselves. That meant I was in the house even longer, but it also gave those designers the shots they needed and wanted, particularly those important detail shots.

A lady’s study by Jan Showers for Kips Bay Dallas.

A lady’s study by Jan Showers for Kips Bay Dallas.

La Matadora by Tracy Hardenburg Designs for Kips Bay Showhouse.

La Matadora by Tracy Hardenburg Designs for Kips Bay Showhouse.

Lessons Learned

If you’re a designer who wants to make the most impact and get the best photography from a showhome experience, there are a few things to keep in mind from my perspective. 

  • Some rooms that you’re assigned can be overwhelmed with product. Yes, you may have sponsors you have to take care of, but be careful how much you plan to use in a space. There can be too much going on in the finished photography, which won’t do you any favors.

  • Hire your own photographer. Remember that, although most organizers will allow you to use their shots, they are going to be wider room shots that showcase as much of the sponsors as possible. They may not be the shots you want and they definitely won’t include a lot of angles or detail shots. Get photos that you can use for your own portfolio and that highlight your work in the best light.

  • If you’re ever given the chance to select the space you want to design, always think about natural light. That makes for stunning photos, so if you get a space with great natural light, it’s a huge win for you.

  • Lighting is key to great photos. If you get a room that doesn’t have any natural light – and about half the rooms in the Kips Bay project did not – be sure you use good lighting as part of your design. You want nice soft lights that will enhance the mood of the room, and lighting that’s dimmable and controllable.

  • Florals are so important for photography, but they can also be expensive. Real, fresh flowers add life to a room – they really do make a difference. Choose flowers that last a long time, it will cost you less than having to replace them over and over. Since most showhomes are open for three to four weeks, having to switch them out can really add up. Avoid fussy arrangements though because they can look messy on camera.

As you can see from the photos, Kips Bay was an incredible project with stunning designs that I was proud to shoot. To see the full showhouse, see the January issue of Veranda.

Thank you Designers Today for featuring Stephen in the October issue sharing his experience of documenting the Dallas Kips Bay Showhouse. To see the FULL interview please click here.

 
blog, Media & Publications, client projectsKristen KarlischKips Bay, Interior photo shoot, Showhome Comment