“I had a vision of what these photos could look like, and Crimson Sun Studios eclipsed my expectations. Every image was exactly what we wanted.
”
Project Details
Customer: Friede & Associates, Reedsburg, Wisconsin
Project: Genisa Wine Bar & Event Space, Janesville, Wisconsin
Industry: Contractor
Friede & Associates, a fourth-generation commercial general contractor, transformed a 160-year-old riverfront building into the Genisa Wine Bar & Event Space. Scott Truehl, Executive Vice President of the Reedsburg, Wisconsin firm, says, “This was a pretty amazing project for us.”
The company submitted this intriguing facility for an Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin award in the Restoration & Renovation Category.
Truehl knew that for the award entry he needed exceptional photos to highlight the different elements of the project. A friend recommended Kyle Wege, an architectural photographer who owns Crimson Sun Studios.
“I was incredibly impressed with some of the work that Crimson Sun had been doing for some of my larger competitors,” he adds.
An architectural photographer, Truehl says, brings a different understanding to a project than a portrait or landscape photographer. Architectural photography requires an understanding of building angles, windows, and reflections. After reviewing Wege’s portfolio, Truehl was eager to work with him.
“Anyone can take a snapshot,” Truehl says, “but the really good photographers don’t just capture the image, they capture the feeling of that image.”
Project Challenges
With the Genisa building, “we had so many different textures and colors and different lighting levels," he notes. "We needed somebody who was going to dig in and figure out the best way to represent the finished project. We're incredibly pleased with the way everything turned out.”
The first floor is an Italian wine bar and Italian restaurant. The second floor is a meeting facility for up to 50 people. And the third floor is a two-bedroom, two-bath Loft.
"I had a vision of what these photos could look like, and Crimson Sun Studios eclipsed my expectations. Every image was exactly what we wanted, and they highlighted all the right things," he says.
Collaborating with a Photographer
Scott Truehl - EVP, Friede & Associates
In the past, Truehl spent a lot of time with photographers at photoshoots. But with Crimson Sun Studios, he only spent 30 minutes walking around the building and highlighting key design elements that should be brought to life through photos.
Working with Crimson Sun was "very easy," Truehl reports. "We were looking for 10 or 12 great images. They spent the whole day making sure that everything was perfect."
The Genisa staff worked closely with the photographers to set up place settings, glassware and whatever else was needed to capture fantastic images.
“My job was to beautifully capture those design elements, the materials, and the craftsmanship through my photos,” Wege says.
"I liked that the photos weren't cluttered," Truehl says. “They focused on what I wanted.”
Transforming Design Intent into Images
Often, Wege notes, clients like to watch the photoshoot. However, that's not always necessary if he understands what his clients want to accomplish through their project photography and how they will use the photos.
“My goal with clients is to translate design intent into a two-dimensional medium that delights viewers and captures their attention.” he says. “Photography is a powerful and important medium for sharing completed project work. It tell’s the story that only visitors to the property would otherwise know. And rarely can my clients actually bring folks to these amazing places. It’s with the utmost respect for my clients and their work that I create the most beautiful and captivating images I can to help tell their story.”
Truehl shared some project details he wanted Wege to highlight. For example, the project plan included removing all interior walls in the bar and exposing the original brick and stone walls. He also wanted images to emphasize the Italian “street feel” of the restaurant. The outdoor patio and cigar deck connect to the interior through a series of retractable glass walls.
The second-floor event space includes a two-room meeting space for up to 50 guests. Unlike the wine bar, with its brick and wood interiors, the third floor features an open kitchen and living room with bright white walls and lots of windows. Wege appreciates that each space required vastly different lighting.
After the photoshoot, Wege skillfully weaves the design intent into the retouching and post-production process. Truehl asked for ten superb photos that highlighted what he wanted. Under a tight timeframe, Wege delivered 20 outstanding images for consideration. Truehl reports that the team had difficulty picking out just ten photos for the award submittal.
The final photos also have been used for marketing purposes. For instance, a blog included before and after images of this historic preservation project. They’re also featured on Friede’s and Genisa’s websites and social media.
Friede Wins Gold
Crimson Sun’s photos translated the critical design elements of the Genisa project. They helped Friede win the 2021 ABC of Wisconsin Gold Project of Distinction Award, Restoration & Renovation Category.
Now Friede can proudly display the award icon on its project sheet, website, and other marketing materials.
Quality Photos Make a Difference
“Architectural photography is one of the areas where a true professional can really make a difference in the outcome. The end project stands for itself. You know that somebody who knew what they were doing took these photos.”
If you want your project to get noticed, invest in quality architectural photography, Truehl says. He recently attended an award program and compared Friede’s photos to photos displayed by some of their competitors.
The Friede photos, he says, were crisp and clear with high resolution. Project photos in some of the other award entries were grainy and blurry with muted colors.
Crimson Suns’s photos “were exactly what we wanted,” Truehl says. “They highlighted all the right areas.”
Truehl looks forward to working with Crimson Sun Studios in the future because Wege knows how to capture images that meet his expectations.
As an architectural photographer, Kyle Wege translates a client's goals for an architectural project into high-quality photos usable in marketing efforts across many different mediums.
Contact him at contact@crimsonsunstudios.com for a free consultation about your project needs. He will travel anywhere in the country.
View CSS’s architectural photography portfolio.
©2022 Crimson Sun Studios. All rights reserved.