When I first started out as an architectural photographer sixteen years ago, this classic farmhouse was one of my first shoots. It was new construction, and the whole house needed to be photographed. We filled the house with peonies from the homeowner’s garden, and began the shooting process. It was an exciting and challenging experience as a new photographer, and the images ended up turning out beautifully. The one mistake I made that I still think about today was my over usage of vases of flowers, which blocked the handcrafted staircase in the background from various angles in the kitchen. Thankfully I’ve never done that again!
I was given the unique opportunity of returning to the house a year and a half ago to take more photos to celebrate the builder’s 25 years of work. The house was as beautiful as I remembered it, but quieter as the homeowner’s children had grown up and moved away. The peonies weren’t in bloom, but I found a multitude of fall flowers and gathered them into bouquets for the shoot. They had recently built a screened-in porch, which made a great addition to our shot list already consisting of the kitchen and the custom built stairs. The porch was constructed out of ceiling bead board, v-groove wainscot paneling, and millwork columns all built in a blend of clear vertical grain cedar and fir siding plus trim. From the porch was a beautiful view of the stone patio and the expansive gardens. It felt great to be there again.
Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products
Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Reliable Crimp Connectors
These reliable, high-quality connectors from Wirefy work on 10-22-gauge wire have heat-shrink insulation to keep out water and road salt.
Handy Heat Gun
This heat gun is great for drying joint compound, primer and paint when patching drywall and plaster walls. Plus it can soften adhesive, get a very cold small engine to start, and shrink heat-shrink tubing.
8067 All-Weather Flashing Tape
Available in 2- to 12-in. widths, this is a good general-purpose flashing tape that sticks well to most things. It features a two-piece release paper, water-shedding layers, and good UV resistance.
