Thursday, November 16, 2017

My instagram page and feed!

  I have to confess something - I avoided Instagram for quite some time. I keep facebook to just close friends and family members, and just didn't see any need for multiple social media outlets. I really didn't. When I went through my last image / business rebranding (which was long overdue), I decided to give Instagram a go, and see how it played out.

  I was shocked at what I had been missing out on! It was so much more intuitive for a photography business as a regular outlet. I shoot so many photos that never make it to my website, or they are behind the scenes stuff, etc. It's been a great way to share those "live", as I take them, instead of forgetting the image is on my phone for weeks. I do occasionally toss some portfolio stuff out there to remind my audience what it is I am truly passionate about doing - Commercial Photography.

  If you're bored, nursing a paper cut from writing a check to pay the water bill, or truly interested in what I do with my time on and off set, go have a peek at my Instagram!

Texas Advertising and Commercial Photographer Instagram Feed

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Another study...

i
I, like many of you, work out of my home. So forgive me if I am a little biased towards a soothing, functional home office / study space. I get genuinely excited when I do a walk through and one is on the shot list!

I think this speaks for itself - so I will shut up and let the image do the talking!












Texas Architectural Photographer

Photography for Interior Designers

Photography for luxury real estate

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

A lake house project...


Stunning lakeside house in Texas.
 It's easy to get distracted or fixated on one thing. I tend to find the "hero" image from a project or shoot, and focus on that for portfolio material or promotion. Of course all the images I create are amazing (sarcasm dripping all off of that comment!), but for every portfolio image you see, I spent a whole day, sometimes several on location, shooting other equally great images. For whatever reason, they just were not the "feature" image.

   This blog post will be a slight departure from the usual, in that I will show you several images from the same project. I think it's worth noting, that many photographers can cherry pick a few images from a few shoots for an impressive website. But when you hire a photographer, you need someone who can shoot every room of the house with the same stunning look as that one hero image. I'll shut up, and let this gorgeous custom home, built by one of my best clients, do the talking - because it is way more interesting than I am!

Soak up the lake view, and morning sun in the formal living area.

Enjoy the breeze on this amazing patio!

The lower level wine room is to die for!

My favorite feature in a house - ever!

This beautiful kitchen is one of my favorites.

This is a home.

     
Even the lot is amazing!


  Texas, Oklahoma, Gulf Coast, Florida, and New England Architectural photographer

Jason Jones Architectural Photography

Custom Home by MJ Brown Distinctive Homes

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Personal work - Keeping the spark alive.

Lido Key, near Sarasota Florida.
  I am a worker. My dad taught me to work from an early age. Always rise early, work late, complete the job you were paid to do on time. Things he still tells me today.  30 some-odd years later, I rarely ever sleep in, I cant remember the last time I was in bed by 9pm and I work until the job is done.

  The problem is - all work and no play makes me a dull fellow. I still love photography the same as when it was a hobby (despite the old saying "This job killed my hobby".), but it was rare that I got to do it for myself. Clients will always take precedence.

  About 5 years ago, when my travel work really picked up, and I was literally travelling coast to coast. I knew this was a golden opportunity to do a couple of things, and instead of "burning out" like some people do on the road, I made some solid decisions about my career, life and leisure.

  1. Make my family part of it. They routinely come with me when I travel. We homeschool our kids for this reason, and enjoy every minute of it!
  2. Every destination, after the job is completed, I take a small slice of time to see something off the beaten path, soak in some local culture, or just sightsee for things I'll never find in Dallas.
  3. I continue to have time blocked off solely for personal work. In my case, I absolutely love shooting dramatic landscapes. I do not pursue them as a business or as part of my income. They cost me a fortune sometimes (travel) to take, but are worth every penny in sanity, and relaxation. Sometimes this time is integral with a destination a client has flown me to, sometimes it is just a specific goal I have had. I roll with the opportunities as they come.

I've been extremely blessed to have a large network of friends and clients, who have taken my personal work into their publications, galleries, offices and other places to exhibit, and occasionally sell, solely because they believe in me, and what I am doing. I've never considered myself an artist in the sense of a painter or sculptor (and still don't), but in a world of creating things to other people's specifications, this is my "no rules" outlet. And I love it.

 Below is some of my favorites of the many places that I have been able to travel, and take my family to enjoy with me. I may not be an Ansel Adams or Peter Lik, but if you'd like to spend 4 to 6 figures on a print, I'll forget all about that "not pursuing as a business" thing I mentioned earlier!

Be sure to follow my Instagram as well. It's regularly updated with a mix of personal work, behind the scenes photos, and general photography observations that would never make it to a portfolio site, or have a full blog post made about them.

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde Natl Park, Colorado
Maine

Boston, Mass.
Montauk Point, Long Island NY
Orizaba,  Mexico

Texarkana, Texas


Monday, September 18, 2017

Advertising and Editorial Photography by Jason Jones

  While a good part of my work is  in Architecture and Interiors, there is quite a bit of crossover, and many assignments come in the form of advertising and editorial work.

  I am truly jealous of people who can effortlessly write amazing content, stories and books. Writing, along with painting, are two creative things that helped drive me to the backside of the camera! Just as architecture and interiors crosses over with other photography, writers sometimes need images to round out the concept they are conveying. This crossover is where I come in, and work my magic.

  Whatever story your publication has in the works, I can provide excellent imagery to accompany it. My photography was first published in 2001, by chance, when this was still just a hobby and a dream. Since then, I have had thousands of images published in just about every medium imaginable, across the country, with some even internationally!

   Photography is no longer my hobby, it's my only business. Trust your brand to a professional, and call or email for a quote today.

Advertising and Editorial Photography by Jason Jones

Monday, May 22, 2017

Architectural photography.

  While I participate in several genres of photography, my favorite, and first choice is Architectural Photography.

  There is something about the the lines, materials and form that always call my name. I love to take it a step further and add a touch of the human element when I can for comparison to the organic world, and a sense of scale.

  I think my love for Architecture started long before I was involved in photography, but one of the "ah ha!" moments came for me when I was first starting out, assisting a local photographer who was shooting an editorial article on a house in Ft.  Worth, built by the Architectural legend, I. M. Pei. His work was almost entirely commercial buildings, but he did design a couple of residences. Standing in one of them (it is not anything open to the public or easily visited) was an honor. The commercial / industrial influences were very strong in the residential design and it felt very much like a museum, yet still warm and cozy, as a house should be.

  Being able to combine these elements of design was very influential on my eye and tastes when photographing projects. I always want to show form AND function of a space, with scale and human element. Sometimes it is easy, sometimes it is not. I ALWAYS love the challenge, and strive to perfect it.

Call or email Jason for a quote on your next project.

Texas Architectural Photographer

Texas Commercial Real Estate Photographer

Dallas Photography for Real Estate

Friday, May 5, 2017

It's not always the one you'd think it would be.

Twilight / Dusk image of a secluded lakefront property
Real Estate Dusk / Twilight Image Overlooking Lakefront Lot
  In real estate photography there are some givens, and obvious choices. No matter what the property's condition is, or location, a front exterior elevation photo is needed for EVERY listing. This is the curb appeal that every buyer wants to see before they even inquire about a property.

  We also have the kitchen, the master bedroom, a family area, etc.. All the standard rooms that pretty much every house in America has. But as any top agent will tell you - you're also selling a lifestyle when you enter the luxury level market. That lifestyle can be many things, from a full floor media center, a 16 car underground garage for the collector, an indoor half court gym, (all of which I have seen more than once on shoots), or more commonly, the location.

  More often than not, your buyers are looking for properties in locations that suit their lifestyle. Taking a couple of hours to find some shots/angles that sell the lifestyle of the property along with the bricks and shingles that make the home are a guaranteed way to boost your listing's exposure and traffic. That boost equals SOLD. Ask your real estate or architectural photographer about dusk / twilight, as well as community and amenities shots for your next property. You'll be glad you did.

  Contact me to discuss your Real Estate, and Architectural photography needs.

Jason Jones Photography's contact information

Texas Architectural Photographer

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Dallas High Rise Office Space...

The gorgeous new office space for the attorneys of the Dallas firm Strasburger has been one of my favorite projects this year. The new build out on the 60th floor of the Bank of America Building in downtown Dallas features only the best finishes and furniture.

The simple, yet functional interior design for this commercial office space is a stand out of the many real estate and design projects I photograph for Dallas' businesses each year. It actually makes my job easier when this is the kind of hard work so many people put into a space before I arrive with my team and gear. Wether it's a new law office for the country's top attorneys, or finish to suit retail space for lease, or anything in between, I can deliver the best representation for your design firm portfolio, brokerage, investor brochures, annual reports or any other reason you need to document your latest project or acquisition.

Contact me to discuss your Real Estate, Commercial property, or Interior Design photography needs and let's get the ball rolling!

Jason Jones Photography's contact information

Dallas Texas Architectural Photographer

Texas Commercial Advertising Photographer

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Solar Panel Inspection for Property Management and Insurance Adjusters - Dallas Texas Aerial Photographer

Texas Aerial Photography solutions with drones and unmanned aircraft
  Drones are not just for real estate photography, but a myriad of other industrial uses too. Let's take a look at a case study / practical example.

  An apartment complex with 16 buildings, all of them are 2 or 3 stories tall, with no internal access areas to the roof (stairs or built in shaft), due to the residential tenants, and liability reasons. A storm comes through with VERY high winds and/or hail. This is extremely common in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas during the spring and summer months.

The property management doesn't immediately notice any power issues, but would like to check everything out and get ahead of any problems before it cause an interruption in resident electricity service. A normal inspection would require a 2 man crew, climbing 30+ feet of portable ladders, and repeating that process for all 16 buildings. This could take 2 days, and will certainly present a safety risk to any maintenance staff or contractors with the repetitive ladder climbing. Not to mention the labor cost for 2 contractors, or just the time spent away from other maintenance duties if utilizing property staff.  For a simple inspection, this already is starting to sound like a daunting, expensive task, especially just to confirm everything is ok.

  Bring in a drone. In just a few minutes, the UAV can be airborne from a ground station, and fly each building without ladders, climbing or other unnecessary risk to employee/contractor safety. A previously full 1-2 day inspection job, can be completed in a few hours with an unmanned aerial drone, at a significant cost savings.

  High resolution photographs of each array, single panels and even overviews of the entire complex are easily and quickly obtained. These can also be used when applying for "green" tax and utility credits, to prove technology usage. Inspections can also be utilized for insurance adjusters who are overwhelmed with claims immediately after a storm hits an area, and may take months to get out to each site personally. High resolution aerial photographs of roofing shingles, solar panels, Air Conditioning units, and other building and property damage can expedite claims processing, or be used to justify emergency repairs necessary before an adjuster can even review anything.

  Have a licensed, qualified UAV pilot perform an inspection immediately, the next time there is a "surprise" from mother nature!

Saturday, February 25, 2017

General Tso's Chicken - Dallas Texas Food & Advertising Photographer

  While this dish is a 20th Century creation for the North American Chinese Cuisine market, I am quite confident that Zuo Zongtang, the man who the dish is named after, would be quite proud of it.

  As a food and advertising photographer, presenting simple dishes is harder than it seems. For me, it is a welcome challenge that keeps my mind sharp and creativity flowing. It's one of the things about photography I love so much.

  I would love to discuss your upcoming menu revamp, or new concept, and get you great images to represent your brand. With all the online options such as Yelp, UberEats, and a dozen other delivery and review services, great photos will make that first impression to get customers in your doors, or on your app to order.

Friday, February 17, 2017

FAA part 107 Certified Drone Operator - Texas Aerial Photographer

I recently passed the FAA part 107 exam. Officially licensed and legal pilot for all drone / UAV work, as well as manned aircraft aerial photography. I am ready to discuss your next project!

Aerial Photography is something I have done for years from manned aircraft, so this is not a new fad I just decided to try. I have almost a decade of experience photographing commercial and residential properties from the sky, as well as construction progress and other projects. While there are still times a manned flight is the only option for a very specific project, adding Drones to my toolbox opens the door to a few new things that were not possible or cost effective with manned aircraft.

  • Orthomosaics - Georeferenced mapping can be done in real time. Mapping of properties of all types, in many cases same day. This allows for weekly, bi weekly or monthly progress of job sites, construction, or land development to be documented efficiently and accurately. With precision ground control points surveyed on the initial setup, and satellite GPS tagging of images, each map is extremely accurate and can be updated in 24 hours or less. These maps can be overlayed into google earth maps for exact updates of your site in comparison to the surrounding infrastructure.
  • Inspection - Quickly and accurately inspect areas that would normally require specialized climbing tools, techniques and personnel. Get a quick, real time view of tall roofs, towers, or difficult to access areas to determine if sending in maintenance/repair employees is necessary. No ladders or harness required.
  • Volume measurement - In construction and Mining operations, measuring production material volume, volume of blast areas, and removed material piles in real time, gives decision makers on site, and at remote offices access to real numbers in real time. This aids in logistics planning for removal and dispersion of excavated materials, and storage capacities of delivered / consumable materials.
  • Mining, Oil & Gas Production and Energy - In addition to volume measurements, Drones allow tracking of equipment positions, excavation progress, drill and rig site surveys, aggregate calculations, and monitoring of safety compliance on site.
For more info on what I can do for your business with Drone technology, call or email and I am happy to discuss your specific needs in detail.

http://www.jasonjones-photo.com/contact

Monday, February 13, 2017

Unexpected things always happen...

 Over the last decade, I have seen, or been privy to, just about every unexpected thing you can imagine on a photoshoot, or location set. While I have seen my share of bad things, most "unexpected" occurrences are pleasant, whimsical, or just downright funny. This was all 3 of those!

 While setting up for this bedroom shot, the homeowner's sweet Chihuahua/mix rescue didn't appreciate us straightening out her covers! She snuck up the backside of the bed, under the comforter, and poked her head out just as you see here.

  While no one can capture every great moment presented to them, part of being a professional is delivering the unexpected. Shots like these are not story boarded or discussed, they just happen. Making it worthy of the assignment you were shooting is even more difficult, but certainly in the realm of possible. I am always happy to surprise an editor with bonus material such as this, or an unplanned, gorgeous sunset shot off the balcony they didn't know they wanted. There is no rhyme or reason, you just have to be ready. Architectural and Interior design photography is my main niche, but delivering professional results EVERY time, no matter what I am photographing, is what I truly specialize in.