Jockimo at the Streeter Apartments

Jockimo's Beautiful Cast Waterfall Texture Glass is located in the Rental Office of the Streeter Apartments in Chicago IL.

This texture has some great characteristics for both privacy and light transmission

To View all the images from this photoshoot, click here.

 


Architect: Solomon, Cordwell, & Buenz

Construction: Foxfield Construction LTD

Glass Installer: Midwest Architectural Glass, (815)727-3838

 

Videotect: Skyways of Minnesota

There were some great entries into the very first Videotect competition held by the AIA MN and Architecture Minnesota.

Over 1,500 unique viewers cast their votes for viewers favorites, and Craig Hinrichs and I were thrilled to make the top 5. Which allowed our film to be viewed at the Videotect Awards at the Walker Art Center.

After tax season I'll be sure to have some follow up thoughts on this whole endeavor. For now. Enjoy the film and if you have any thoughts you like to share here. I'd love to keep the discussion about the skyways going.

 

There's a GREAT write up by Scott P Donaldson

The top five finalists were (in order of appearance)


1) IDE[A]

2) Tucker

3) Lindau

4) O'Malley


5) Siemers

The viewers choice was chosen from that 5 was Tucker
It got a lot of laughs in the audience, it was nicely executed, and it was a good story.

Honorable Mentions went to
1 IDE[A], 3 Lindau, and 2 Tucker
1 was beautiful and interesting, with good pacing.
3 was a humorous discussion of the opposing perspectives of the skyways, but yet impossible to watch without eye strain, even with the red blue glasses
2 (as described above)

The judges' selection for winner was.... Davy
This film focused on one simplistic criticism that persists about the skyways, calling them mindless walkways that at times feel like they lead to nowhere. There's an interesting write up about the "zombie" perspective by Steve Berg at the Minnpost.com, I have to disagree with the notion that skyways are leading downtown in the wrong direction.

What the judges had to say about their selection:
"...it was clear"..."... It had a perspective that was emotional..."...it was experimental..."...it had a clear beginning middle and end..."...it resonated with me..."

Some interesting articles about the competition were written as well. I've posted my own thoughts as comments to some of those articles.

Hannah Feder

MinnPost - Cityscape: Videos explore life in Twin Cities skyways by Steve Berg

The Journal - Video contest winner critiques the skyway by Andre Eggert

the line - Skyway video contest inspires many different impressions of the indoor walkways

Selective Color Correction - A Before and After

Remember back in college, when your professor didn't care that you also had 3 other assignments due the same week as their 10pg paper and how they weren't thrilled to hear of your hard drive failing at the last minute. Well in Architectural Photography, your client doesn't always have the luxury of waiting for the best time of year to document their project and unless your a demi-god, it's not likely that you control the weather. So what do you do if say... it is the middle of a drought, in a southern state, that has dry grass?

Enter Selective Color Correction as part of the equation of post-production. This can be a lengthy or short process depending on the retouch artist and the complexity of the image. That's why a client's input on their final angles is critical to saving both time and money.

While this isn't a tutorial, it is a demonstration of three steps I used for a recent project.

Step 1: Initial Post production Develop the photo as far as possible before special retouching.

Not a bad image, but we don't want to distract our audience with dead grass.

Step 2: Color correct only the area you want to affect. This can be in Photoshop or other software, but it really depends on the complexity of the image.

Now that's better, but there's a little overgrowth that we can help

Step 3: Clean up and final retouch. This is where you take the areas that were affected by the selective color correction and you blend un even areas of blotchy color, eliminate unwanted elements, and generally make the image look like it was never retouched in the first place. (Unless your a pixel peeper, and if you're looking that hard, the I didn't do a great job of making a compelling image to begin with.)

We've blended the grass, eliminated the traffic cone by the doors, and weeded the path. You may notice some areas that can be cleaned up further, but this will be used as a draft for client review.

HDR and Tonemapping for reality: Pt 1

I'm still recovering from a serious hard drive fail this week, pushing many things back. But as I am finally back up and running, I've run across a perfect example of when to use HDR to re-create the reality of a place. Many have already experienced "HDR" as an option for creating unique highly artistic images of places, people, and things.

An Example of Artistic HDR-Tonemapping.

However in Architecture, authenticity is king. That's where a good eye and memory for a place becomes irreplaceable as you edit your work.

I'm presently working on a series of photos for my favorite Architectural Glass Manufacturer and Client, Jockimo. They have a beautiful installation of their product as a bridge inside the Oklahoma City Federal Building. The challenge however is that while daylighting was pretty balanced compared to other spaces, the interior lighting just can't match the same intensity of the exterior. Even on an overcast day, like the one I  worked with.

Why is this a problem? In a simplified explanation, the human eye, in concert with the brain, has a terrific ability to process a high dynamic range of light. However cameras have a much harder time mixing the range of light and color that we perceive. In many places you'll have a small range of light (or low contrast), either it's dark or it's bright. However for many interior spaces, the range differs greatly between interior lights and sunlight.

Essentially the camera has to choose to capture a set range of light. Say on a scale of 1-24 stops, the human eye can see about 14 stops of light. The BEST digital Cameras will be able to see about 11 of that 24 (depending on if it's film, digital, or the actual size of the medium it's capturing the image on). That's why when you photograph someone inside you don't want them to stand in front of a window. (if you're not using a flash). Click here For some great educational material that really goes in depth on both dynamic range and the perception of color.

Interior ExposureIntermediate ExposureExterior Exposure

 

 

 

 

Traditionally a photographer has to "compromise" to photograph for the darker range (let the outdoors be blown out), or the lighter range (things inside get uncharacteristically muddy and dark). With the advent of brilliant software like Photomatix and HDR EFEX Pro you can bring the light back into range.

Final Processed HDR-Tonemapped Image

Many artistic images can create stunning and beautiful image by going to extremes. However, when telling the story of Architecture and Commercial Products, it doesn’t help your client sell their product when you can't tell how a final product actually looks and feels. Your image still deserves the attention it deserves to make it beautiful, things like, punch color or contrast a tad, but you don’t want to give a false sense of the product.

By the way, I have to say that working with the kind folks there was a particular treat. I know they've been through a lot and I appreciate their kindness and trust in allowing me to document such a fantastic place.

Videotect Update: View and Vote!

I just returned from a series of projects in Chicago and Oklahoma City to learn that the films for Videotect are now online. There are some real gems in this group. My collaborator and co-director, Craig Hinrichs and I are very pleased with our film, Ups and Downs, and feel it adds humor and joy to this visual conversation about skyways and their impact on the urban environment.

Voting will be taking place from this link March 7th-18th (under the name "Siemers") and we would love your support. But we hope you get a chance to enjoy many of these films whenever you find some free time. These votes will help select the films that will be shown March 31st at the Walker Art Center Cinema. Where winners will be selected from both the Audience and anounced by the Videotect Jury.

Ryan Siemers and Craig Hinrichs from Architecture Minnesota on Vimeo.

Voting will be taking place from this link March 7th-18th

 

 

Three videos from Ohio.

The last of the videos has been crafted from my trip in Ohio for Jockimo Advanced Architectural Products. 

Each of these is viewable at Youtube or Vimeo.


NBBJ requested a custom texture utilizing Jockimo's Escapade Texture as the canvas and then creating a segmented brick like pattern within the panels.

This developed into a texture called Moonglow Escapade. Jockimo then painted a custom Pantone match color in transparent paint.

Holes were drilled into the glass and then stand offs were attached to mount the darker colored laminated glass panels.

Client: Blanchard Valley Hospital - Findlay, OH

Glass: Jockimo custom "Moonglow Escapade" texture
Scope: 1/2" Clear glass - back painted
Designer: NBBJ
Installer: Celina Glass
Description from Jockimo.com

 

 

Jockimo's Privacy™ Frost glass flooring is utilized in this state of the art Gold's Gym in Cleveland OH.

All glass includes Jockimo's anti-slip GlassGrit™ walking surface and the treads have our Monolithically polished edges.

All glass is tempered and laminated and the project was engineered by Jockimo's engineers specifically for the project.

Client: Gold's Gym - Cleveland, OH
Glass: Jockimo Ultimate Privacy™ Frost glass flooring

-Description from Jockimo.com

 

A Catholic college preparatory high school community that promotes the academic, spiritual, social and physical development of their students, came to Jockimo to provide them with Cast glass for this new school.

Jockimo's Tigres texture was chosen for this project.

Holes were provided to accommodate mounting hardware.

Client: St. Francis de Sales High School - Toledo, OH
Glass: Jockimo Tigres texture
Scope: 15 panels of 3/8" clear Tempered glass
Glazier: Toledo Mirror and Glass Co.

Description from Jockimo.com

 

 

 

Now Recruiting!

A new opportunity has been announced by the AIA and Architecture Minnesota Magazine

Videotect: Trailer from Architecture Minnesota on Vimeo.

 

Do you have a story or perspective on the skyway system of The Twin Cities. A thesis that expresses your view.

I want to collaborate with those who want to share their perspective.

The Deadline: Final Submissions by Feb 25th 2011.

If you are interested in participating this is a short 1 month commitment but I need to put together a team by this Feb 2nd in order for this to stand a realistic opportunity.

The Reward

This isn't about prize money. It's a chance to be heard. It's a chance to share your talent and skill with a community that appreciates it and may have use for it. It's a chance to impact our society's dreamers, thinkers, policy makers and builders.

The Team

The timeline is short, the team must meet the challenge.

The Urban Theologian

One who is passionate about the history and effects of the skyways of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and hopefully familiar with skyways of other cities. 

The Illustrator.

The one who can convey complex ideas and Clearly tell represent them in diagrams, drawings, and illustrations (analogue and digital).

The Director

The one who sees the big picture, and keeps everyone involved focused on their roles.
 

The Principal Photographer (Filled)

The one who can see and share the world as the story requires.

The Editor

The one who knows the story and fits all the pieces together and is able to be merciless about what gets left on the cutting room floor.

The Colorist

A post production guru who can will put the polish the final product.

What do I bring to the team?

I have the equipment to capture the story and the vision to see with your perspective.

I am an architectural designer by training and an architectural photographer by passion. Due to the timeline I can help with developing the storyboard, and principal photography.

Interested.

Email me with:
1) Your name
2) Contact info
&
3) What role you want to fill.

New Arrival - It's a Kessler!

So as I've been venturing into video, but still trying to stay a lightweight operation I keep my eyes out for tools that will fill that mission and provide consistent and accuracy.

 

This, is the Philip Bloom Pocket Dolly (with a couple additional accessories) from Kessler Crane.

WHAT is the Philip Bloom Pocket Dolly?

The Simple Description: It is a controlled track for linear movement used in movie production.

The More elegant descrtiption (See the Famous Mr. Bloom Below)

I may in deed trade this in for it's well esteemed bigger brother, the Cineslider, but I'm going to see how dangerous I can be with just 3' of track. It will allow me to stay nimble and continue to work in areas that are moderately occupied while being able to stay out of the way.

YELP's Deep Blue Sea Elite Event

My first 2011 project blogged is actually bow to my Sister Company, Capture M.O.R.

I'm finishing work on three commercial projects that will be posted before the end of January.

 

Photo by Ryan Siemers

As I've begun to split my event and family work into a new copmany of it's own, I will ahve a little overlap so that audiences get directed to the right place. Below is a highlight of the nights photos.

Here's the official blog post from Yelp about the night!

Here's a full gallery of the nights images and a highres version of the movie below.

 

 

Chi-nnati's of Cincinnati

Project Details from Jockimo: 
Product Client: Chi-nnati's Pizza - Cincinatti, OH
Glass: MirrorUnique

Architect: Unknown

A project in Ohio, that Jockimo wanted some new pictures for. This Antiqued Mirror fits nicely in Chi-nnati's. It's burnished bronze appearance adds to the atmosphere of the long row of tall tables. The slight tilt to the mirror helps to capture some of the beautiful ceiling decorations while enjoying some of their delicious Chicago style pizza.

Welcome to the new year.

Boy, it was a busy December. I'm currently working on three different projects.
1) Completing work for the launch of a website for a commercial transport company
2) Completed post-production on the stills from the Ohio projects
3) Coordinating and photographing the interior of a LARGE university project that is for a firm looking to make the deadline of an award submittal this January.

I only now have time to post a few thoughts while our family drives north for an annual reunion in Aitkin, MN.

I'm going to see if I can use this "magical" iPad to post at least one more project from the work in Ohio.

Jockimo @ 525 Vine

 I recently returned from a road trip of photographing several projects for Jockimo Advanced Architectural Products. 

I'll be posting a series of these over the course of the week, with some follow-ups before the new year with 1-2 minute trailer movies for a few of them.

While I didn't have much time to spend in Cincinnati, Ohio. I hadn't expected to learn that it shares a kindship with Minneapolis/St. Paul. Downtown Cincinnati also has an extensive skyway sysyem. 525 Vine is at the "interchange" of a street entrance and connecting skyway route, creating an opportunity to greet and orrient pedestrians and workers with a landmark entrance. 

Jockimo supplied their "Classic" and "Revo" textures combined, to develop this custom logo for 525 Vine. 

Project Details from Jockimo: 
Product Client: 525 Vine - Cincinatti, OH
Glass: Jockimo Classic & Revo textures

Architect: SFA Architects
Glazier: Celina Glass


 

 

 

Much to be thankful for

I haven't been able to post much in the last couple months because there is much in progress. Capture M.O.R. has been launched to a great response, I've just been contracted to Photograph several commercial projects throughout Ohio, and I'm wrapping up work for the launch of a new website for a major commercial transport company. 

Once things calm down (likely after December) I will have much to post. If you've signed up for the RSS feed you'll be notified when new projects are up otherwise I hope you'll stop on back in January. 

Until then I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and Fabulous Holiday Season. 

Welcome to Capture M.O.R.

I've been hard at work on a new branch of business focused on providing candid a unique approach to Family Photography, what I call "Candid Life Events". Capture M.O.R. stands for "Capture Moments of...Relationships, Romance, Respect, Rejoice, R......etc"

Capture M.O.R.'s principles guide this style of photography to focus around the life of family and document events as it naturally occurs. In other words out of the studio and into life. 

Capture M.O.R. will now be where all Lifestyle and Event photography will be published and distributed. Allowing Ryan Siemers Photography and Design to be a dedicated location for all things Design. I will be migrating some galleries from ryansiemers.com but maintaining links to anything already posted for your reference. This will occur over time, when things are slow.

I'd love to hear from you if you are experiencing any issues or problems that you think should be addressed. Contacting me here, will provide the best way of tracking issues.

 

Yelp! Chillin' Like a Villain: Yelp Halloween Party

"A costumed event where elite members dressed as favorite villain or femme fatales! Genghis Khan, Bonnie & Clyde, Voldemort, Catwoman, Cruella De Vil, Yosemite Sam, Darth Vader... we're gonna have a whole lotta badditude up in Minneapolis.

The chillin' part of the party features pH OREM, one of Minneapolis' classiest modern spas. They'll be showcasing a few fabulous mini spa services, and making mischief with us in their industrial-chic space.

The like a villain part of the evening includes a sneak taste of donuts so good they're bad---from the much buzzed-about bakery, The Donut Cooperative. The Donut Co-op hasn't even opened yet, but they specialize in regular and vegan doughy bites!

Mustachioed nonprofit Movember will be on-site (with a whole lot of mustache love fit for you rascals) to chat with the Elite villains about how growing one can save lives in November. They'll be hosting a very special costume contest as well... so that's one more reason you should dress to kill! (Mustachioed ended up having a little bad luck with the weather, namely their Frame and it's attached mustach was the victim of tonights hurricaine like wind storm. But we made the best of it.)"   -Yelp Twin Cities 

Don't have Flash available? Check out this link to go to the full Flickr Gallery

FOLLOW UP (10/29/2010):

I learned yesterday that Philip Bloom, a film and photography industry icon joined the Movember Movement. I really got a kick out of the video he produced. According to him, he produced this with the Canon 60D.

Movember: Team Bloom 'Tache video 1 from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Very OTT and silly first film from my attempt to grow a moustache for the whole of Mo-vember to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Charity.

Want to donate or even join my team and grown your own 'tache? Then go to www.philipbloom.net/movember

Shot on Canon 60D with 100mm F2.8 Macro and 24mm F1.4

Music by James Miller from www.millerandmiller.co.uk

 

Jockimo at Union Station

Part two of my series of projects in Ontario Canada:

A brief building description summarized from www.Toronto.ca/union_station/history.htm

Union Station had a long journey to its opening day in 1927. While construction started in 1914 it was

delayed both by WWI and the Grand Trunk Railway collapse of 1919. On top of that the station had completed construction in 1921 but remained closed due to legal disputes between the various stake holders that caused key infrastructure to also be delayed until 1924. More here

Design
This was Designed in the traditions of the beaux-Arts style and was the most opulent station erected in Canada. The great hall is a four story barrel vaulted space with glass walls on the east and west ends.

Architects
Several architects collaborated on Union Station. Including the firm of G.A Ross and R.H, Hugh Jones, and John M. Lyle. More here.

Materials of the great hall (photographed)
Floors = Tennessee marble (Herringbone pattern)
Walls = Zumbro stone from Missouri
Ceiling = Gustavino tiles

(for more information visit www.Toronto.ca/union_station/history.htm or http://transit.toronto.on.ca/gotransit/2302.shtml which is where this description is abridged from

Jockimo Flooring:

The glass walls on either end of the great hall hide the functioning corridors that connect various administrative areas. Jockimo's Glass Floor was the perfect solution to Keeping these hallways filled with as much natural daylight as possible.

 

The final Commercial Video for Jockimo

Can't see the video? Head on over to Youtube to see it there!

Get Ready... Set...... GO!

So over the next 2 weeks I will be attempting to post many of the projects I've been working on over the last 2-6 months. Starting with a teaser that will announce a new division of Ryan Siemers Photography and Design, which will launch in November of 2010. It would have been fantastic to launch on 10-10-10 but I'm afraid I just wasn't that clever (and just slightly too busy). 

In the mean time. I leave you with a little project I put together for a Cousin of my Wife's. 

Sarah and Ryan were united in July. I've already shared this with them and now I share it with you. 

When I photographed this wedding, I only intended for me to cover aspects that the Primary Photographer wasn't hired for. I wanted to catch the moments in between. The glimpses and emotion of the time for not just the bride and groom but their family and friends.

Lens Correction in Minneapolis

I just saw a friend post an image of downtown Minneapolis and it had me remembering this shot I did last fall during a beautiful day.

I was heading back from an AIA-MN convention and I ran into the site of one of my proposed projects for a highrise. It was a great day to play around with a little HDR and my wide angle lens. However it's not a Tilt-Shift lens leaving me with fiew options to deal with converging vertical lines, if I wanted the focus of my photo to be of the gap that still exists in this location of downtown.

These two images are a side by side comparison of a before and after of basic correcting for vertical distortion (called parallax) caused by a fixed lens.

 

Before

After

Jockimo @ Waterloo Regional Museum

It's been a CRAZY month of work. I'm going to follow this up with alot more description within the next week, but I wanted to share this with you because of the Follow Friday Love I recieved from @zacuto_sue.

Essentially Jockimo was the Manufacturer of this Glass Flooring that encases an amazing feature of the "Crossroads" of history that the Waterloo Region Museum is all about. I have alot to share, but this video will wet your tastebuds.

Update 10/11/2010:

I'm pleased to announce that Jockimo has now released several final videos I've produced of their products over the last few months. They now have a youtube channel for disseminating these videos in just another outlet. I will be posting each of the projects on my blog as well. 

The video posted here is the final product for Jockimo Advanced Architectural Products along with their description:

Jockimo Inc. produced and provided our UL approved Crystal Clear™ glass flooring for the Waterloo Region Museum in Toronto, Canada. At the intersection of the alignment of Huron Road and Grand Trunk Railway train tracks, which are carried through the building, is our glass floor to accentuate the crossroads theme of the building. Due to the fact that our Crystal Clear™ glass is visually clear patrons can see the railroad tracks and rocks under our glass. The glass was cut to custom sizes to accommodate the design.

www.Jockimo.com