This 10 story building has been well known to Montrosians for many years. Many have attended the rooftop bar with spectacular views or worked in its offices. Global Paragon has purchased this property with the possible intention of renovating it, and I’m quite hopeful they do. I was given the job to photograph the property in it’s current state – which reminds me of what a building might look like after a zombie apocalypse, minus the zombies. Apparently, this property (as is) would not work for residential, but could be a great retail location. I know it was only abandoned a year or so ago, but walking through it – if felt like no one had been there for many years. Here’s some great swamplot comments on the structure. Swamplot comment of the day on 3400 Montrose: Comment of the Day: A 3400 Montrose Blvd. Inspection Report

“I did due diligence on this building a few years ago for the prior owners (The Ali Brothers). It was in pretty bad shape back then. The chilled water system was byzantine and the egress (especially from the Skybar) was not anywhere near complying with code. The garage needed work and had headroom problems on the ramps. For re-purposing, 3400 Montrose actually laid out well into residential or a hotel. I thought that given the limited parking situtation that they should give the Skybar the boot and convert the building to rental apartments. The structural bay depths and the continuous glazing on each floor laid out nicely, and the garage was almost the perfect size for this. Of course the entire building would have to be gutted in the process to accomplish any major update to the building. I swore I would never go into the Skybar again when I saw how unsafe the egress would be in a fire.”

Kodak Bankruptcy

I still remember the smell of fresh film from the canister, a strangely pleasant chemical odor – twenty-four to thirty-six life-capturing exposures of “I wonder what that will look like after I have it developed”. As you may already know, Eastman Kodak, the company that invented photographic film, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Founded in 1880 by George Eastman, the company had flourished and even dominated the market for most of the 20th century. Before the luminary revolutionized the world, taking a picture was a complicated process involving glass plates, a multitude of chemicals, and awkwardly huge cameras. When he introduced the first Kodak camera in 1888, he coined the slogan, “you press the button, we do the rest,” and the rest is history. I can’t imagine George would have been too happy to see his empire slowly corrode as competitors bashed away at his drawbridge door. First it was FujiFilm, Kodak’s first true competitor, that stripped away sales with cheaper products – then came the real nail in Eastman Kodak Company’s coffin – the rise and subsequent victory of consumer digital imaging over traditional film-based formats. Kodak couldn’t change in time to save themselves. In 2003, they announced that they would no longer be investing in their trademark product. After that, the company shifted focus to digital cameras but never got a foothold in the market. Thursday, February 9th, the company announced that it will stop making digital cameras altogether. CEO Antonio M. Perez, who joined the company from Hewlett-Packard, instead seems focused on turning the company around by betting it all on inkjet printers, but so far, they’ve yet to see success. I have to wonder that if they had hired an ex-Nokia employee as their chief executive, we’d be seeing commercials for Kodak smartphones. As investors, vendors, and everyone else tied to the failing business seem to be jumping ship, it seems like the venerable giant has no where to go but down the spiraling, slippery slope of obscurity. A sad end indeed for the the company who brought photography to the mainstream.

According to a news article I just read on Yahoo, the digital camera’s popularity is on the delcine – well, at least the non-SLR variety. It seems as though most people would rather use their smartphones than lug around a separate device. The picture quality of new smartphone offerings is beginning to equal or even surpass that of
many respectable point and shoot cameras. Camera manufacturers and retailers all around the world are feeling the hit, with Sony losing 20% of their camera sales – the largest drop they’ve experienced. I suppose this was to be expected; as cellphone technology progresses, more everyday items are becoming obsolete. Watches are more for show now, MP3 players are littering discount bins across the country, and just when was the last time you used a land line? What do you think? Do you still use your point and shoot digital or have your light photo duties been replaced by your phone?

Low altitude aerial photography, also know as elevation photography, has steadily been gaining ground since the turn of the century, and for good reason. An aerial view provides an overall picture that is simply not possible from ground level. These types of shots can really help a realtor’s listing stand apart from the crowd. It can show not only the home, but the backyard and surrounding areas. These shots can produce a much more exciting and informative view for potential home buyers. The twilight aerial shot especially can potentially add even more impact by presenting the home in a way that most people would never see it. The striking colors and contrast visible in a twilight shot can turn a bland looking cookie-cutter house into an alluring and mysterious home. Let’s say that you have a beautiful cluster of colorful trees or an enticing body of water behind the property. Without an elevated shot, prospective buyers may never get the big picture, so to speak, until delving deeper into the rest of the photo catalog. What elevation photography brings to the table is an immediately eye-catching first glimpse of the property, which will invariably lead most to examine the rest of the house, thus vastly increasing the chance of a sale. I predict that as the awareness of this art form grows, so will the demand for its implementation in real estate photography.

This is one arm of Lake Conroe – Devastated! The drought is really evident here. We carry on with our lives, watering our plants and taking long showers and don’t really understand how bad it is until you see this. On a positive note, it was fun walking across the dry lake bed by moonlight!

Check the US Government DROUGHT MONITOR.

Weather Forecast: 50 MPH winds with Pea Size Hail moving South/Southeast at 10 MPH. Hmmm.
“Suppose it could be a little dangerous, but I have my camera to journal all the fun!”

WAIT FOR IT – WAIT FOR IT
My finger is on the button……..FLASH!!!

Got it!!!

The Twilight Aerial is an interesting twist on real estate photography. Viewing a house from 60 feet in the air adds quite a different angle on what may be an ordinary looking facade. This height can also circumvent problems like trees and shrubs which may cover up the beauty of the home. Additionally you may want to showcase the pool in the back yard or golf course. Above all, (no pun intended) you can offer your clients a unique view of their most valuable asset! Appointments are limited as twilight on happens once a day!

Virtual Tours also available!! Virtual Tours are a great tool to give prospective clients a walk-through on your business location or a way for out of town clients looking to purchase a home in your area. I provide free hosting for any virtual tour along with any image retouching need to bring out the best in your location.

Call me at 713-524-2159 or Click HERE to download a full price brochure for real estate photography.

Have you ever seen this equestrian statue? It’s General Sam Houston pointing in the direction towards the site of the battlefield that won Texas its independence from Mexico.

I’ve heard the sculptor erroneously placed the point of the finger in the wrong direction. I’ve also heard that he’s pointing to a route over the San Jacinto river or something like that. Either way, it’s a beautiful statue and valuable Houston landmark (More Info), and that’s why I photographed it at over 40 ft in the air. Take a look at the photo – have you ever seen this particular angle on General Houston? Note the monument visible under his horse..

A popular belief in the United States is that if the horse is rampant (both front legs in the air), the rider died in battle; one front leg up means the rider was wounded in battle or died of battle wounds; and if all four hooves are on the ground, the rider died outside battle. However, there is little evidence to support this belief. (wikipedia)
I know that General Sam was injured in battle – and that he was one tough hombre. Nicknamed “Coloneh” or “the Raven” by the Cherokee nation, he is the only person to serve as governor of two States. Here’s my favorite story about his character:

After Stanbery refused to answer Houston’s letters about the accusation, Houston confronted him on Pennsylvania Avenue and beat him with a hickory cane. Stanbery drew one of his pistols and pulled the trigger—the gun misfired.

On April 17 Congress ordered Houston’s arrest. Pleading self-defense, he hired Francis Scott Key as his lawyer. Houston was found guilty, but thanks to highly placed friends (among them James K. Polk), he was only lightly reprimanded. Stanbery filed charges against Houston in civil court. Judge William Cranch found Houston liable and fined him $500. Houston left the United States for Mexico without paying the fine.

I recently sat down with my friend Taj for lunch at Hugo’s on Westheimer. Armed with an empty belly and a D700 – I had a wonderful lunch while creating some nice images. I will have to come back to photograph the rest of the menu!

Culturing Community

Who we are
We’re a friendly circle preserving and enhancing our foods with living cultures like those already working in your gut. We make pickled foods that taste great, last a long time in the fridge, aids and fortifies our digestive system, and offers more vitamins and minerals than the raw ingredients. Culturing foods crowds out the little bugs that cause putrefaction while pre-digesting the food, a process not to be confused with sterilized preservation (canning). These pickles are condiments, meant to be eaten with every meal but not as meals. From the French cornichon, through German sourkraut and Korean kimchee, and on back to the first accidentally-fermented apple cider, we’re taste-testing human history’s more vital recipes!