I worked again this past month with Michael Thompson of Sotheby’s, along with photographer Scott Hargis on marketing for a luxury residential property in Orinda, CA.
Scott and I have a simple approach to developing creative. We know the original architect (Don Sandy) agonized over the property’s orientation on the grounds, window placement, lines and details, so we walk the grounds repeatedly and together try and decipher it all into shots, and narrative based on what we have access to. We knew there was going to be a broker party, we have access to cool cars, there’s a long private road leading to the property, Scott’s going up in a helicopter for stills… We work with who and what we have access to and leverage it all into the narrative’s favor.
Einstein repeatedly stated throughout his life’s work that nature’s secrets love simplicity. The human psyche mirrors this ideal as well as fine architecture. A minimalist approach to architecture is not a matter of simplicity; it’s a matter of understanding what the core experience is, and clearing away all distractions so it may fully resonate with its occupants.
You cannot completely comprehend the core element of the Sandhill property until you have spent time there throughout the day. Like a scene from “Indiana Jones,” the sunset illuminates the inspiration behind the architecture. Through minimalist columns, uprising ceilings, and glass walls, Sandhill offers a lifestyle unencumbered by barriers to its expansive grounds and vistas, punctuated by brilliant sunsets that transform the home. Capturing this essence and translating value drove our choices throughout the 3-day shoot and edit.
A property that revolves around the sun’s changing positions is a property whose true story evolves over time and thus is expressed most dramatically through time lapse photography. Having recently developed a new commercial team for collaboration on larger projects, I was able to bring in added talent to help orchestrate those moments. Vince and Thom of The Seventh Movement are my personal rock stars. They’re both accomplished photographers who live in different planes of time. Their world is a box of wind-up toys awaiting animation through their camera’s shutter and motion control rigs. Working together, the three of us haunted the house for a day and a half, burning through camera cards and creating thousands of images to stitch together what would became the most dramatic shots of the video.
In the end, a mid-century modern with epic natural moments was brought to life. Thanks for all the inspired collaboration guys. It was great fun!
Michael Thompson – East Bay Sotheby’s International Realty
7 comments