by Christian Scully

Triax Technologies had a problem. Their young, growing company was attempting to build brand recognition around their wearable device for the construction industry, but was figuring out how to effectively communicate the authenticity of their product and the people it protects. They were building up their website, designing marketing materials,  managing social media accounts and seeing PR publication, but were having a difficult time finding stock images that felt real. Everything just seemed to be staged, dated or already done. Stock images lacked a personal connection. The marketing team was ready for something more. They reached out looking for help building an authentic image library for use throughout their marketing mix.

After discussing the initial details - timeline, location, usage and licensing, image count, etc. - I learned more about the style of images Triax wanted to feature in their marketing, and specifically about where and how they would be used. They were attracted to Design Imaging Studios because of our architectural portfolio, experience shooting industrial landscapes and ability to represent building products, but they were also in need of authentic portraits. They wanted to feature the hard working people on the job sites that the Triax product would help protect. To help buyers connect with the people, not just a small tech device. This was a great idea.

by Christian Scully

Ah, a new year and a new blog post! Welcome, and I hope 2015 is off to a great start for everybody.

Compelled by the number of commercial roofs we have photographed in the past 12 months, somebody recently asked me if I specialized in "roof photography". While I do cherish my time spent on rooftops, and hope to shoot many more, I don't think narrowing our focus down to just roofs would be sustainable!

I'd like to share a project I very much enjoyed that has just wrapped up after a few months of work both planning and shooting. 

In October of 2014 The Garland Company, based in Cleveland, Ohio, commissioned Design Imaging Studios to document three completed commercial roofing projects throughout the Northeast. 

The first project was a building called The Playland Ice Casino, an ice rink located within Playland, a historic amusement park in Rye, New York. Built in 1927, the amusement park sits boldly along the Long Island Sound shores. The majestic rink, was added to the park years later. After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, damage to the roof required repair and The Garland Company was sought to provide a new durable metal roof. I found the result to be a perfect fit for the structure. And speaking as a former hockey player myself, the interior of the rink is powerful and beautiful. Standing on the ice, I could feel the history. The woven wooden arches provide a view that tops most rinks that I have skated in (and in 15 years of playing the sport, I have many rinks to compare).

The rink now plays host to many youth and high school hockey programs as well as the Manhattanville College hockey program. 

by Christian Scully

Let's take a minute and think about the number of different spaces in which a company is represented today:

• the company website and its many respective pages 
• various social media outlets including Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ 
• the company email newsletter perhaps monthly or quarterly 
• printed brochures, postcards and other materials
• printed or online advertising 

That is an intimidating amount of space to fill with appealing and informative content. When social media for businesses really took off, along with the SEO craze, there was a mad rush to fill every inch of company space online with stuff - empty, meaningless, stuff that took up screen space and assaulted viewers. Text with no real purpose other than to be read and indexed by Google. Pictures that were either from a cheap stock library or simply swiped from an image search. But search engines and people alike have matured to the point where both want to see quality content, not just quantity. 

So what is quality content? Simple: text that accurately describes services and products, a company's history and experience, and perhaps even offers helpful information to the reader, and media that accurately depicts the work and workers of a company. 

Enter the "image library". A company's image library is a collection of images that serves as the supply of photos for any visual need that arises. It can consist of completed exterior and interior project photographs, product images, before and after images, work-in-progress images, on site images of workers in action, employee portraits, images of employees at work in the office or studio, images of a manufacturing facility... basically everything and anything that shows what a company does and who does it. 

The benefit to having a wide image library is also simple. It allows a company to fill the above mentioned space with images that accurately depict the company, sell the quality of services or products offered, and provide a glimpse at the people behind the scenes in order to connect with potential customers. An image library is grown over time and keeps a company's marketing materials current, fresh and well-rounded. 

Below is a selection of images we created for Homescapes of New England, a wonderful family business based out of Nottingham, New Hampshire, to help build their image library. Notice the variety, allowing them to have options when incorporating images into header images, brochures, ads, etc.

Keywords: homescapes of new england, new hampshire, image library, image libraries, building an image library, photography, architectural photography, exteriors, animals in photos, dog, siding, design imaging studios, professional architecture photographer, new england architectural photography, building company, building product photography, 

by Christian Scully

When many people think about architecture, or buildings in general, they consider the finished product, the structure as a whole. To make that design work, however, and operate most efficiently and effectively, building materials are sourced from manufacturers around the world. Precisely designed metals, high efficiency glass, strong plastics, specially treated woods, brick and concrete, all come in endless forms of railings, sidings, windows, skylights, roofing materials, floors, doors, ducts and dimmers. 

Though these products may not be the focus of attention to passers-by, or even seen for that matter, they require just as much, if not more marketing and advertising by the manufacturers. They are not always the sexiest of products, but regardless of material, form and function, need to grab the attention of architects, designers, builders and contractors. Online, in sourcebooks, regional and national building publications, trade shows and direct mail, manufacturers spend countless hours and resources marketing their building materials.