CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT

Life never sits still, for no one, and that certainly applies here at KSP/S. Now and again an opportunity presents itself that should not be rejected. So it is that Kevin Shea Photography will be moving from the heartland back to the east coast from which it sprang. A new job has been accepted and the corporate HQ will be calling Annapolis, Maryland its new home. 

Scary and exhilarating it will be. For the greater good, most certainly. We look forward to plying the trade under a new kind of light and on a different kind of sea. We are trading a sea of grass for an ocean of water. We will miss our friends and colleagues in Kansas, we will embrace our old friends, new friends, and new colleagues as we embark upon this new chapter.

To all of those who supported us in our fledgling efforts to fly here in the heartland, you have our deep gratitude. Thank you for helping us out of the nest.

AN OVERCAST DAY CAN BE A THING OF BEAUTY

"You picked a great day to take pictures!" is a phrase we often hear upon arriving to photograph a house on a blue-sky sunny day. While getting to pick great days is something we wish we could do, it is certainly true that bright clear weather can ease our task of showcasing the exterior of structure. The colors pop, sharp shadows add interesting texture, and the sky is its own painterly backdrop. All of those factors contribute to great images.

On the interior of a building, it is very often a different story. Bright light on the outside turns into glare on the inside. Windows, doors, and other openings concentrate the light, creating hot spots that can drown out the details of the surrounding objects and surfaces. A common problem for the photographer is proper exposure to show detail without heavy shadow or extreme brightness.

Thoughtful camera positioning and skillful editing can overcome many of the difficulties associated with glare, but an overcast sky offers a huge boost in terms of evenly lighting interiors and exteriors. On the exterior of a structure this softer, even light can enhance the texture and detail of a house through the elimination of heavy shadows, thereby showing more features to greater effect.

This soft light is akin to the north light that painters are known to seek out, or the type of controlled lighting that portrait photographers often use on their subjects, and can ease the photographer's task of picking out details and colors to be emphasized in a given shot. Another benefit of the overcast light is the absence of glare. The soft light adds ambience along with detail highlights. Spaces thereby pick up depth and sparkle.

If on your next shoot, a gray sky has you concerned, do not fret. The challenges of subdued lighting can be overcome. Gray skies may not be blue skies, but through our skilled camera placement and thoughtful editing, soft lighting can make your properties shine bright to garner increased interest, hopefully leading to quicker offers.

Walkabout Launch

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Any new venture requires a deep investment of time, resources, energy. The cost of that investment can be high. Sustained focus and applied effort sap the mind. It was time to leave the office. What I sought was relief from pressure. Constant work had me feeling anxious. My practical self was satisfied. My soul was not. It is under such circumstances that I ventured forth on a whim, grabbing my camera and heading out to a local landmark. I had no plan, no theme with which to work. Sun and blue sky conspired with the notion of freedom to cajole me to seek some truth.

In his novel "Absalom, Absalom!" William Faulkner wrote "...a man always falls back upon what he knows best in a crisis." This is what I felt. This what I knew. It was architecture I felt I new best at that moment. I sought solace amongst the stone and shadows holding the memory of war.

A good comparison: I begin my business as a campaign. The objectives are good production, happy clients, and profitable endeavors. Laying my hands on the sculptured figures gives me strength. The solidity, warmth, and grain of the stone are life under my fingers. The energy is palpable. thus begins my journey. A thousand miles? The sun and the stone tell me it will be far more.