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Cancun, Mexico When people hear "Cancun" they don't think "luxury." But, it's there for those who can afford it. Here's the spa pool inside the JW Marriott. It reminded us of the private athletic clubs in large U.S. cities. We kept the windows blown out to emphasize the architecture and hide the neighboring hotels. Brugge, Belgium A Benedictine nun walks through Le Beguinage monestary which was established in 1235. Founded in the 9th century, the city of Brugge was once the richest seaport in Europe. In the 1500s, the waterways dried up and now Brugge is a haven for tourists, historians and fine art photographers. Boca Raton, Florida The foyer in this oceanfront apartment is a marriage of light and dark. The black matte walls have vertical stripes of gloss varnish. The onyx-like doors are highly reflective and the marble floor is off-white with alternating grain. This sleek interior is by Manhattan designer Melvin Dwork. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida This is the mahogany and leather interior of a private Falcon jet complete with AirShow system. Designed and executed by Jet Set Interiors. Bal Harbour, Florida An absolutely beautiful, exciting and tastefully designed store. This Louis Vuitton location features high ceilings, fine millwork and halogen spot lighting all make this store as special as the brand it represents. The store smells of quality leather. The architect's concept was executed by Brodson in Miami Beach. Miami Beach The Kent is one of the many hotels built during Miami Beach's art deco period (1920-1950). I shot this one on black and white Polaroid film. Crystal Harmony Just outside the health spa on Crystal Harmony's 12th floor, this sunbathing deck is just as nice as it looks here. Cape Canaveral, Florida These are prototype rockets from the Explorer space shuttle, on display at the Kennedy Space Center. Crystal Harmony The stern of the Crystal Harmony cruise ship, shot around 5pm in the Gulf of Mexico. The ship was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan and will be retired later this year. Rincon, Puerto Rico These wrought iron chairs patiently sit on the beach at the Horned Dorset Primavera resort in Rincon, Puerto Rico. Although the image was shot for Wallpaper Magazine, it did not appear. Rincon, Puerto Rico This Spanish villa is located at the Horned Dorset Primavera resort in Rincon, Puerto Rico. Rincon, Puerto Rico The classic Spanish architecture of this resort features white stucco, wood, red tile and wrought iron throughout This Relais and Chateaux resort is on the northwest corner of the island. Rincon, Puerto Rico One of the bedrooms at the Horned Dorset Primavera resort. Rincon, Puerto Rico This issue included our work at the Horned Dorset Primavera resort in Rincon, Puerto Rico. The large shot shows the common area of Villa Escondio, a classic Spanish style home with six rooms. The resort is run by the renowned French company, Relais and Chateaux. Bora Bora, French Polynesia Owned by AmanResorts, Hotel Bora Bora is framed by wooden walkways that lead people to "fares" which sit on stilts over the lagoon. I have yet to see any natural aquatic beauty on the level with Bora Bora. It is true paradise for any boater, diver or snorkeler. This was shot immediately after a rainstorm. Stuart, Florida The south and east facades of a dramatic 4-story, 65,000 sq. ft. Monterrey Medical Center. This aviation architecture-inspired design was by Garcia Brenner Stromberg Architects. New York The 142-year-old toy retailer's flagship Manhattan store. This is the white marble east facade of FAO Baby which fronts Madison Avenue. The window graphics were designed by Ed Butera at IBI Designs. New York Trump International Tower is a sleek luxury highrise on Manhattan's Columbus Circle. The view on the left is looking north on Broadway while the view on the right looks up Central Park West from the tower's observation deck. The park is most beautiful in the fall. Palm Beach, Florida Featured in the April 2003 issue of German Wohn!Design, this modern home was actually a showcase of legendary modernists like Le Corbusier, Arne Jacobsen and Olivetti. For me, shooting this home was a nice treat. Bal Harbour, Florida The men's section at Valentino Couture. Frost diffusers cover the halogen lights throughout the store. The frosty box (upper left) is actually a large light diffuser which illuminates this area towards the rear of the store. An exciting, clean, shadowless presentation of their collection. Antwerp, Belgium Everyone knows the Europeans do bread better than anyone. Here is a typical old-school Belgian bakery with reflections of typical old-school Belgian architecture. Damme, Belgium I implore you to believe this intimidating lineup was not done digitally. It all happened on an overcast day on a farm in Damme, Belgium. Miami Beach One of the famous art deco facades on South Beach's Ocean Drive. The Leslie is now owned by Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records. This was shot on Polaroid 665 film. Bridgetown, Barbados This gravestone, located in a Jewish cemetary in Barbados, features a skull and crossbones among other symbols typical of the 17th and 18th century pirates who lived in the Caribbean (Walt Disney didn't just make this stuff up). This is just one shot in a very interesting series. St. Kruis, Belgium The industrial look of the supports caught my eye. I stopped my car, ran up the embankment and onto the tracks. I only had enough time to get this one exposure before a conductor blasted his horn and yelled at me in Flemish. You can see the approaching train as a white spec on the track. Sluis, Holland Not quite fit for my portfolio of residential shots, this abandoned home sits right on the main road leading to the town of Sluis, Holland. I'm not sure how old this property is but you can also see two other structures which have been swallowed by the trees on the right of the main house. Jerusalem The Church of The Holy Sepulchre (or Church of The Resurrection) is one of Christianity's holiest sites. Once in a while we are asked to shoot a structure of historical significance and it is always a personal and professional challenge to properly document it. We will upload more of our trip to Jerusalem very soon. Damme, Belgium Looking south from the city of Damme, many tree-lined roads cut through the Belgian farmland. While there are a few theories about who planted these trees (some say Spanish POWs during the 80 Years War), I do know that they are "bent" from the constant North Sea winds. Zeebrugge, Belgium The wind turbines around Zeebrugge comprise the largest windfarm in all of Europe. Built by the Danish firm Vestas, each turbine can produce 16 million kilowats annually, powering 5,000 homes. New York With one of the most photographed interiors in history, this monument to transportation was completed in 1913. This hall was restored in 1998, revealing a long-lost mosaic ceiling with a map of the constellations. I thought this was a good reason for us to have our turn to shoot it. New York "A free-form coalition of developers, visionaries, writers, architects and journalists intersects with popular expectations to make the city an extreme and exhilarating democratic machine..." - Rem Koolhaas, "Delirious No More," Wired Magazine, 6/2003, page 167. Palm Beach, Florida This bright interior was designed by New York-based Lee Mindel. Furniture was designed by Le Corbusier, Arne Jacobsen and Olivetti. The watermelon was designed by Mother Nature. Our work here was featured in the April 2003 issue of the German magazine Wohn!Design. San Simeon, California William Randolph Hearst's Neptune Pool was built 1934-1936. Architect Julia Morgan designed the 345,000-gallon pool with 17th century Italian bas-reliefs. In the far distance, you can see part of the 180-degree view of the Pacific. Palm Beach, Florida A columned terracotta loggia by Addison Development. The Mediterranean-style home has a total 30,000 square feet (2,800 sq meters) and stretches from the intracoastal to the ocean. This shot faces west, overlooking the tall royal palms along the waterway. Zeebrugge, Belgium After the Vikings attacked the region in the 9th century, the Count of Flanders ordered a fortified castle built on the current site of this port. In the middle ages, the port served as the world's connection to the city of Brugge, then a major trade center. Today, the port moves 32 million tonnes of cargo per year. New York This view looking northwest up Broadway and 59th Street shows Lincoln Center. The bright red neon sign is atop the Hotel Empire. The reflection on the right is from a panel of glass on the building I am shooting from. Roissy, France Airports can be exciting places. Some look like old shopping malls while others stand as modern trophies to aviation. CDG's Terminal F was designed by French architect Paul Andreu. The spectacular use of glass, steel and space is also a modern trophy to Paris, the city CDG serves. Miami Beach Recently renovated by Miami Beach designer Patrick Kennedy, the "tropical modern" Palms Hotel was featured in the CityReport section of Metopolitan Home Magazine. This is our shot of the pool around 8am. Bora Bora, French Polynesia This book by Rockport Publishers featured some of our work at Hotel Bora Bora, owned by Hong Kong-based AmanResorts. We took the shot on the right inbetween summer rain storms. Palm Beach, Florida This is a 10-foot iron wire statue in the foyer of a Palm Beach home. Crystal Serenity The Crystal Penthouse is as spacious and luxurious as any oceanfront condo we have photographed. The 1,300 sq ft suite has four rooms designed for comfort. We shot this teak balcony at dusk while somewhere between Cannes and Portofino. The Mediterranean was like glass that evening. Grand Cayman, West Indies Two 65-ft. catamarans docked at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman. Hong Kong, China The stained teak sun deck of the Grand Cru as it sails past the distinctive Tsing Ma Bridge near Victoria Harbour. The bridge links the airport at Chek Lap Kok with Kowloon and HK Island. The 150-ft. yacht features six staterooms, jacuzzi, chef and can pick you up at the airport, if necessary. Key West, Florida While this might look like a historical view of a maritime explorer's quest for a new world, it is actually nothing more than a booze cruiser's quest for a nice sunset. St. Barthelemy, FWI Somewhere between St. Barths and St. Maarten, the Crystal Symphony was sailing through the most beautiful black & white Caribbean Sea. Crystal Serenity The comfy Connoisseur Club cigar lounge onboard the Serenity. Opposite this view was an enormous case of Cohiba and other Cuban and Dominican varieties, along with a selection of fine scotch. Next to that was a large, flat screen television with thousands of satellite channels. Despite all of this, we kept working hard. Crystal Serenity No, it's not a South Beach nightclub. It's actually the DJ-equipped dance floor onboard the Serenity. Crystal Serenity With a total crew of 655, most of the top officers are Norwegian with the rest representing 40 other countries. Crystal's people are some of the most professional and accommodating we have ever worked with. Monte-Carlo, Monaco Comprising less than one square mile, the principality of Monaco began in 1297 with the Grimaldi's seizure of the fortress from the Italians. Since then, it has been a strategic naval base, a vacation spot for the ultra famous and a launching pad for royal singing careers. Crystal Symphony This is a hair salon with a great view. Elemis operates this salon-at-sea. Nusa Dua, Bali A lilly pond inside a Balinese Hindu temple reflects the architecture. Despite the relatively small size of Bali, there are at least 10,000 temples on both public and private land. And despite Indonesia being the world's most populous Muslim country, over 95% of Balinese practice a local form of Hinduism. Bridgetown, Barbados A detail of a pirate's gravestone in a Jewish cemetary. Miami Beach One day we got a call from Absolut's ad agency in New York. They wanted us to photograph a special edition bottle in artist Romero Britto's Lincoln Road studio. We used all of Romero's art, bottles, brushes and paint-splattered furniture to come up with this set. The day-long shoot was a lot of colorful fun. The ad ran full page in newspapers like USA Today. Knokke, Belgium In the picturesque North Sea village of Le Zoute, architects are adhering to the old charm while incorporating the new minimilaism for which the Belgians are gaining a reputation. This classic A-frame design features a two-story window looking in on the foyer and main floating staircase. From inside, the two-story view is out to the garden and tall trees. Design by Architectenbureau Project in Knokke. Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico Originally built in 1958 by venture capitalist and philanthropist Laurance Rockefeller, this Hyatt resort features tall, skinny coconut palms and short, putting green-like grass. Above is the Surf Room restaurant which still hints at it's roots in the mid-century modern style. Hong Kong Hotel lobbies are exciting places. Maybe it's the energy of people coming in from different points on the globe. The lobby of the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong is no exception with mostly business travelers speaking every language you can imagine. This is Hyatt's flagship hotel in Asia and quite worthy of its 5-star reputation. Bali, Indonesia The rice terraces on the Grand Hyatt Bali property provide an interesting landscape architectural element. While typically used in Southeast Asian agriculture, this terrace includes wheatgrass, bamboo, bougainvillea and seagrape. It's a beautiful solution for privacy. Hong Kong Shot from The Peak over the city, this glittering view includes Central to Causeway Bay districts, Kowloon and Victoria Harbour. On the far left is the Two IFC building and far right is the Central Plaza. The city is as exciting as it looks here. Unfortunately, the September haze blocked the mountains in Kowloon. Miami Inspired by the Sevilla Cathedral in Spain, the Freedom Tower was designed by Schultze & Weaver (who also did the Pierre in NY and the Biltmore in Miami). The tower, originally built in 1925, is currently the subject of a heated debate regarding the redevelopment of the downtown area around Biscayne Bay. We were asked to do a photographic documentation of the landmark's architecture and relationship to its surroundings. Bali, Indonesia Frangipani trees and the Indian Ocean surround the pool at the Grand Hyatt Bali resort. This shot was taken soon after sunrise when there is no sound but birds and crashing waves. Coral Gables, Florida La Estancia Argentina is a small market near Merrick Park. Steaks, salads and traditional Argentinian sauces are just some of the delights here. The architect of this warm approach to the industrial look was Braga Oris in New York. The results of our shoot later appeared in Contract Magazine. Orlando, Florida This trade show architecture was designed for a corporate event. The theme was "Fire & Ice" and featured spicy appetizers with cool vodka cocktails. We have shot other trade show displays but this is the only one that made it into our portfolio. Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico This is about 5:30am at the Olympic size Hyatt Dorado Beach resort pool. The bungalos (or Casitas as they are known here) on the right open up to a private garden and direct ocean. Koloa, Hawaii This has to be Hawaii's most spectacular golf course. Poipu Bay on Kauai was designed by Robert Trent Jones and is the venue for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. The top image is 3/4 of the panoramic shot we did, stretching from the Pacific Ocean on the right to Kauai's massive volcano. The island is filled with hibiscus trees. Hong Kong This is modern Asian simplicity in design. Soft, natural colors with halogen lighting provide guests with comfortable surroundings at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. On the left is a cabinet containing a hot water thermos for instant tea. On the right is a small business center with everything one would need. Las Vegas This is sunrise at the Loews Lake Las Vegas. The dry desert air produces a deep blue sky at 6:00am. Lake Las Vegas is a Tuscan-inspired resort destination with the Ritz-Carlton, three golf courses, spas, gourmet restaurants, casinos, a convenient helipad and marina with yacht cruises. Miami Beach The Flamingo Condominiums were originally built in the 1930s. A recent renovation included the addition of a new tower and studio apartments like this one. The Miami skyline and port are lit at dusk. Naples, Florida Shot for Abercrombie & Kent Destinations, this is a guest bedroom in one of their luxury timeshares. The interior was designed by Constantine Gorges. Manalapan, Florida Manalapan is a beautiful oceanfront town where privacy is more important than curb appeal. This Mediterranean estate uses limestone and a pebble driveway to separate itself from the South Florida trend of hollow cast concrete. Boca Raton, Florida We used a remote control helicopter to get our camera in the right position for this shot. It was an altitude of 50 feet above the mangroves and a distance of about 150 feet out from the area where we were controlling things via video downlink. The result is a shot could not have been achieved by any other means. Miami Beach An apartment unit in the Continuum building on South Point. Designed by David Heller and Reid Dolson, this colorful living area blends multiple materials beautifully. Manalapan, Florida The halogen chandelier and large cube lamps are great. The designer of this home appreciates the often ignored importance of lighting. Boca Raton, Florida No expense was spared in the design of this modest vacation home by Randall Stofft Architects. Miami Beach Designed by New York's Alexia Kondylis, this apartment is sophisticated but very comfortable. Boca Raton, Florida In the exclusive, hidden neighborhood of Le Lac, this estate combines Greek/Roman exterior architecture with hints of colonial American design inside. Antwerp, Belgium The red steel girders hold up miles of glass over the train platforms at Centraalstation. 15,000 ft. Still climbing from takeoff minutes earlier at Brussels airport, a Boeing 747 crosses over the English Channel against a clear blue sky. Each of the airplane's four jets makes a pure white trail. Hong Kong Marco, the German head chef at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, prepares appetizers for people who like to eat well. All of the cuisine shown here disappeared soon after these photos were taken. Las Vegas This was a Moroccan-themed party thrown by a large Texan oil company (photographers not invited) at the Loews Lake Las Vegas. The banquet manager was running late and had to let the guests in the door. So, just seconds after the 8-ft hooka was in position, we snapped this shot and left. Lake Tahoe, Nevada If I began this description with the words, "Nestled in the woods below snowcapped mountains on a deep blue lake..." it might sound like a storybook. But, that's exactly how the cabins are at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe. This was an unplanned shot done at the worst time of day but the result is nice. Scottsdale, Arizona This is the Vu restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale. Sheer red curtains section off private areas while still allowing diners to enjoy the ambience of the room. We chose to shoot this at dusk to get the red/blue combination and show off their outdoor patio as well. Bali, Indonesia Just about everything in Bali has a mystical feel to it. Floral gardens, pond lily pads and Hindu artwork all add to this feeling. We tried to capture this in our dusk shot of this restaurant on the Grand Hyatt property in Nusa Dua. I was also trying to emphasize how this restaurant has no walls, windows or doors. Las Vegas Our goal was to make meeting planners drool so we used our panoramic image-making skills to show golf, the outdoor wedding pavillion, boater's lake and the hotel's proximity all in one shot. In the bottom shot, we're showing massive function square footage and AV skills at the Loews Lake Las Vegas. Xcaret, Mexico The Royal Club is a mini boutique resort within the larger Occidental Grand Xcaret property. This area, an hour drive south of Cancun, is known as Riviera Maya and is the northern border of the ancient Mayan civilization. I'm sure that's exactly what this beautiful couple was thinking as I took this picture. Scottsdale, Arisona The Hyatt Regency Scottsdale is one of the most luxurious and well-appointed properties in this playground for the un-poor. We took this shot from the hotel's roof at 5am which is an incredibly beautiful time to be outside in the desert. Miami Design District Wallpaper Magazine asked us to shoot the Design District. The "Madonna Building" makes fun of the singer's mid-80s garb. In the middle, the talented people at Bisazza inspect one of their mosaics pre-install (from the 4th floor of the Moore Furniture Building). Lastly, the DASH school's statues stand guard. Miami Beach One Friday evenning, I received a call from the photo editor of the Australian Financial Review in Sydney. They needed about 10 shots of classic Miami architecture. That weekend, I took the shots and uploaded them to my server. They downloaded on Monday, went to press on Wednesday and I had printed copies in my had on Friday. All of that coordination from around the world in one week was a real triumph of digital technology. Miami Bridge House was publishing a magazine for the 2006 Art Basel show and wanted to profile the celings in older Miami buildings. This is the lobby of the Gusman Center in downtown Miami. It was resored in the 1970s under the direction of famed architect Morris Lapidus. Miami This is the ceiling in the lobby of the Ingraham Building. Mr. Ingraham was Henry Flagler's engineer. We shot this for an article on ceilings published for the Art Basel contemporary art show. Coral Gables, Florida This is not the afterburner on an F16 jet fighter. It's actually the famous Artichoke lamp from famed Danish designer Poul Henningsen. We shot it at Design Within Reach who retails this lamp for $11,238 (bulb sold separately). There is also a paper version of this lamp for around $50. Baia Mare, Romania One of my favorite industrial assignments was shooting the Habitex garment factory. The top photo is my feeble attempt at being the great Andreas Gursky. The bottom photo is just me trying to fit 100,000 square feet in one shot. You can see the rest of the series at www.habitex.com Sunny Isles, Florida Not known for being understated, Donald Trump is building a condo project on the beach in this town north of Miami. This white reception area was a welcomed alternative from the "old world charm" that has plagued South Florida since the late 1980s. Boca Raton, Florida This is a mahogany-clad foyer at a residence. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida This house, designed in teh 1950s by Bill Bigony, has a very interesting history that I will not go into here. I will only say that I shot this for Home Ft. Lauderdale Magazine. Miami Safeguard Self Storage is one of my industrial clients who builds 5-star facilities for the world's stuff. So, you can sleep better at night knowing your grandma's treasured hand-me-downs are safe and sound. The only amenity missing is a valet parking stand under the portico chere. Miami Design District This is Dacra's latest project in the center of the district. This angle shows the courtyard with very cool mosaic-clad walls. I wonder why it's named Oak Plaza. Miami Design District Another section of Oak Plaza offers retail space in a sort of Moroccan-themed corridor. Our model is one of the account coordinators at Craig Robins' design firm Bridge House. Coconut Grove, Florida These are the Miami offices of the famouse advertising agency, Crispin Porter Bogusky. Architect Juan Riesco gutted a former movie theatre to create a cold industrial chic environment. We shot this for Wallpaper. Scottsdale, Arizona The courtyard behind the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale. Boca Raton, Florida I took this product shot at a press event for Bentley Motorcars. Chicago This is the workspace of artist Judith Geichman who was nice enough to let us photograph it. Her bio says, "...she creates hypnotic spaces that evoke 18th century French pastoral scenes filtered through the gritty haze of urban atmospheres." All I know is that I liked the color and placement of everything in the scene. Xcaret, Mexico The Mayan Xcaret settlement was at its peak from 1400 to approximately 1517 A.D. The Mayans are said to have bathed in the inlet to purify their bodies before traveling to Cozumel to worship Ixchel, Goddess of Fertility. That all sounds nice but I just wanted was to get a shot of that Mayan building at sunrise. Miami Beach This is a detail of the winged tower at the Delano Hotel. Originally built in 1947 during the second wave of Miami Beach development after World War II, it was designed by Robert Swartburg. In 1995, it was redesigned by Philippe Starck and is part of the Morgans Hotel Group. Hong Kong The sun sets on Hong Kong Island (as shot from the docks at Kowloon). In the shot are the Grand Hyatt, the convention center and Central Plaza. Playa del Carmen, Mexico We were shooting a professional model couple and we needed a child for this shot. So with her parent's permission we found a 9-year-old girl from Manchester, England who was staying at the resort. We told her to "pretend you're a kid on the beach" and she did an excellent job. Boston The SportsClub/LA in Boston was in full operation when we had to do a lifestyle shoot in the middle of the day. With four light sources (daylight, flourescent, tungsten and strobe), the shot still balanced nicely. Boston Overlooking Boston Commons, the SportsClub deck is a place to take in the city view after a workout. What the viewer doesn't know is this shot was taken in November and it was 40 degrees when we asked our models to stand outside in a bathing suit. Boston The spinning class and outside deck at the Boston SportsClub. Boston We wanted to show the location of the SportsClub so we positioned the Massachusetts State House (completed in 1797) in the background of the shot. Architect Charles Bulfinch based the design of the State House on the Somerset House in London. Xcaret, Mexico We used lots of linen in this shot of a couple enjoying one of the private beach cabanas at the Occidental Grand Flamenco Xcaret in Quintana Roo. Xcaret, Mexico The Royal Club at the Occidental Grand offers an outdoor massage. Our very professional model Amy tried very hard to look relaxed. Miami The SplashSpa at the Four Seasons Residences on Brickell was where our model Carolina pretended to enjoy a temple massage. Hong Kong At the One Harbour Road restaurant, the food tastes as good as it looks. We used all natural light in taking these shots. Weston, Florida The Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa offers a makeover. We deliberately positioned the red door for that not-so-subtle branding effort. Our model Nicole had a perfect face to show off cosmetics. Miami One of the fastest growing markets for spas is men. Here we are showing one getting a hot stone massage and the other in the vichy shower. Delray Beach, Florida Two five-year-olds enjoy the warm Florida water at the Seagate Beach Club. We kept jumping together until this nicely balanced shot happened. It wasn't until I processed the image that I noticed their ponytails were curling the same way. I used an EWA-Marine bag to protect my Canon 1Ds. Xcaret, Mexico A man is taking in the Caribbean serenity (or is contemplating a jump). Miami The salt scrub at the Four Seasons Residences on Brickell. These were both taken using natural light. Xcaret, Mexico This is really what the water looks like in Xcaret. The only "manipulation" we did for this shot was giving the model some bread to attract the fish. Miami The Four Seasons Residences on Brickell has the SplashSpa located in the lobby. This is the ladies' relaxation room. By dimming the tungsten lights and letting the candles do most of the lighting, the room took on a very golden appearance. Spa manager Ronel Corbin did a great job of styling and coordinating the shoot.
Cancun, Mexico When people hear "Cancun" they don't think "luxury." But, it's there for those who can afford it. Here's the spa pool inside the JW Marriott. It reminded us of the private athletic clubs in large U.S. cities. We kept the windows blown out to emphasize the architecture and hide the neighboring hotels. Brugge, Belgium A Benedictine nun walks through Le Beguinage monestary which was established in 1235. Founded in the 9th century, the city of Brugge was once the richest seaport in Europe. In the 1500s, the waterways dried up and now Brugge is a haven for tourists, historians and fine art photographers. Boca Raton, Florida The foyer in this oceanfront apartment is a marriage of light and dark. The black matte walls have vertical stripes of gloss varnish. The onyx-like doors are highly reflective and the marble floor is off-white with alternating grain. This sleek interior is by Manhattan designer Melvin Dwork. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida This is the mahogany and leather interior of a private Falcon jet complete with AirShow system. Designed and executed by Jet Set Interiors. Bal Harbour, Florida An absolutely beautiful, exciting and tastefully designed store. This Louis Vuitton location features high ceilings, fine millwork and halogen spot lighting all make this store as special as the brand it represents. The store smells of quality leather. The architect's concept was executed by Brodson in Miami Beach. Miami Beach The Kent is one of the many hotels built during Miami Beach's art deco period (1920-1950). I shot this one on black and white Polaroid film. Crystal Harmony Just outside the health spa on Crystal Harmony's 12th floor, this sunbathing deck is just as nice as it looks here. Cape Canaveral, Florida These are prototype rockets from the Explorer space shuttle, on display at the Kennedy Space Center. Crystal Harmony The stern of the Crystal Harmony cruise ship, shot around 5pm in the Gulf of Mexico. The ship was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan and will be retired later this year. Rincon, Puerto Rico These wrought iron chairs patiently sit on the beach at the Horned Dorset Primavera resort in Rincon, Puerto Rico. Although the image was shot for Wallpaper Magazine, it did not appear. Rincon, Puerto Rico This Spanish villa is located at the Horned Dorset Primavera resort in Rincon, Puerto Rico. Rincon, Puerto Rico The classic Spanish architecture of this resort features white stucco, wood, red tile and wrought iron throughout This Relais and Chateaux resort is on the northwest corner of the island. Rincon, Puerto Rico One of the bedrooms at the Horned Dorset Primavera resort. Rincon, Puerto Rico This issue included our work at the Horned Dorset Primavera resort in Rincon, Puerto Rico. The large shot shows the common area of Villa Escondio, a classic Spanish style home with six rooms. The resort is run by the renowned French company, Relais and Chateaux. Bora Bora, French Polynesia Owned by AmanResorts, Hotel Bora Bora is framed by wooden walkways that lead people to "fares" which sit on stilts over the lagoon. I have yet to see any natural aquatic beauty on the level with Bora Bora. It is true paradise for any boater, diver or snorkeler. This was shot immediately after a rainstorm. Stuart, Florida The south and east facades of a dramatic 4-story, 65,000 sq. ft. Monterrey Medical Center. This aviation architecture-inspired design was by Garcia Brenner Stromberg Architects. New York The 142-year-old toy retailer's flagship Manhattan store. This is the white marble east facade of FAO Baby which fronts Madison Avenue. The window graphics were designed by Ed Butera at IBI Designs. New York Trump International Tower is a sleek luxury highrise on Manhattan's Columbus Circle. The view on the left is looking north on Broadway while the view on the right looks up Central Park West from the tower's observation deck. The park is most beautiful in the fall. Palm Beach, Florida Featured in the April 2003 issue of German Wohn!Design, this modern home was actually a showcase of legendary modernists like Le Corbusier, Arne Jacobsen and Olivetti. For me, shooting this home was a nice treat. Bal Harbour, Florida The men's section at Valentino Couture. Frost diffusers cover the halogen lights throughout the store. The frosty box (upper left) is actually a large light diffuser which illuminates this area towards the rear of the store. An exciting, clean, shadowless presentation of their collection. Antwerp, Belgium Everyone knows the Europeans do bread better than anyone. Here is a typical old-school Belgian bakery with reflections of typical old-school Belgian architecture. Damme, Belgium I implore you to believe this intimidating lineup was not done digitally. It all happened on an overcast day on a farm in Damme, Belgium. Miami Beach One of the famous art deco facades on South Beach's Ocean Drive. The Leslie is now owned by Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records. This was shot on Polaroid 665 film. Bridgetown, Barbados This gravestone, located in a Jewish cemetary in Barbados, features a skull and crossbones among other symbols typical of the 17th and 18th century pirates who lived in the Caribbean (Walt Disney didn't just make this stuff up). This is just one shot in a very interesting series. St. Kruis, Belgium The industrial look of the supports caught my eye. I stopped my car, ran up the embankment and onto the tracks. I only had enough time to get this one exposure before a conductor blasted his horn and yelled at me in Flemish. You can see the approaching train as a white spec on the track. Sluis, Holland Not quite fit for my portfolio of residential shots, this abandoned home sits right on the main road leading to the town of Sluis, Holland. I'm not sure how old this property is but you can also see two other structures which have been swallowed by the trees on the right of the main house. Jerusalem The Church of The Holy Sepulchre (or Church of The Resurrection) is one of Christianity's holiest sites. Once in a while we are asked to shoot a structure of historical significance and it is always a personal and professional challenge to properly document it. We will upload more of our trip to Jerusalem very soon. Damme, Belgium Looking south from the city of Damme, many tree-lined roads cut through the Belgian farmland. While there are a few theories about who planted these trees (some say Spanish POWs during the 80 Years War), I do know that they are "bent" from the constant North Sea winds. Zeebrugge, Belgium The wind turbines around Zeebrugge comprise the largest windfarm in all of Europe. Built by the Danish firm Vestas, each turbine can produce 16 million kilowats annually, powering 5,000 homes. New York With one of the most photographed interiors in history, this monument to transportation was completed in 1913. This hall was restored in 1998, revealing a long-lost mosaic ceiling with a map of the constellations. I thought this was a good reason for us to have our turn to shoot it. New York "A free-form coalition of developers, visionaries, writers, architects and journalists intersects with popular expectations to make the city an extreme and exhilarating democratic machine..." - Rem Koolhaas, "Delirious No More," Wired Magazine, 6/2003, page 167. Palm Beach, Florida This bright interior was designed by New York-based Lee Mindel. Furniture was designed by Le Corbusier, Arne Jacobsen and Olivetti. The watermelon was designed by Mother Nature. Our work here was featured in the April 2003 issue of the German magazine Wohn!Design. San Simeon, California William Randolph Hearst's Neptune Pool was built 1934-1936. Architect Julia Morgan designed the 345,000-gallon pool with 17th century Italian bas-reliefs. In the far distance, you can see part of the 180-degree view of the Pacific. Palm Beach, Florida A columned terracotta loggia by Addison Development. The Mediterranean-style home has a total 30,000 square feet (2,800 sq meters) and stretches from the intracoastal to the ocean. This shot faces west, overlooking the tall royal palms along the waterway. Zeebrugge, Belgium After the Vikings attacked the region in the 9th century, the Count of Flanders ordered a fortified castle built on the current site of this port. In the middle ages, the port served as the world's connection to the city of Brugge, then a major trade center. Today, the port moves 32 million tonnes of cargo per year. New York This view looking northwest up Broadway and 59th Street shows Lincoln Center. The bright red neon sign is atop the Hotel Empire. The reflection on the right is from a panel of glass on the building I am shooting from. Roissy, France Airports can be exciting places. Some look like old shopping malls while others stand as modern trophies to aviation. CDG's Terminal F was designed by French architect Paul Andreu. The spectacular use of glass, steel and space is also a modern trophy to Paris, the city CDG serves. Miami Beach Recently renovated by Miami Beach designer Patrick Kennedy, the "tropical modern" Palms Hotel was featured in the CityReport section of Metopolitan Home Magazine. This is our shot of the pool around 8am. Bora Bora, French Polynesia This book by Rockport Publishers featured some of our work at Hotel Bora Bora, owned by Hong Kong-based AmanResorts. We took the shot on the right inbetween summer rain storms. Palm Beach, Florida This is a 10-foot iron wire statue in the foyer of a Palm Beach home. Crystal Serenity The Crystal Penthouse is as spacious and luxurious as any oceanfront condo we have photographed. The 1,300 sq ft suite has four rooms designed for comfort. We shot this teak balcony at dusk while somewhere between Cannes and Portofino. The Mediterranean was like glass that evening. Grand Cayman, West Indies Two 65-ft. catamarans docked at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman. Hong Kong, China The stained teak sun deck of the Grand Cru as it sails past the distinctive Tsing Ma Bridge near Victoria Harbour. The bridge links the airport at Chek Lap Kok with Kowloon and HK Island. The 150-ft. yacht features six staterooms, jacuzzi, chef and can pick you up at the airport, if necessary. Key West, Florida While this might look like a historical view of a maritime explorer's quest for a new world, it is actually nothing more than a booze cruiser's quest for a nice sunset. St. Barthelemy, FWI Somewhere between St. Barths and St. Maarten, the Crystal Symphony was sailing through the most beautiful black & white Caribbean Sea. Crystal Serenity The comfy Connoisseur Club cigar lounge onboard the Serenity. Opposite this view was an enormous case of Cohiba and other Cuban and Dominican varieties, along with a selection of fine scotch. Next to that was a large, flat screen television with thousands of satellite channels. Despite all of this, we kept working hard. Crystal Serenity No, it's not a South Beach nightclub. It's actually the DJ-equipped dance floor onboard the Serenity. Crystal Serenity With a total crew of 655, most of the top officers are Norwegian with the rest representing 40 other countries. Crystal's people are some of the most professional and accommodating we have ever worked with. Monte-Carlo, Monaco Comprising less than one square mile, the principality of Monaco began in 1297 with the Grimaldi's seizure of the fortress from the Italians. Since then, it has been a strategic naval base, a vacation spot for the ultra famous and a launching pad for royal singing careers. Crystal Symphony This is a hair salon with a great view. Elemis operates this salon-at-sea. Nusa Dua, Bali A lilly pond inside a Balinese Hindu temple reflects the architecture. Despite the relatively small size of Bali, there are at least 10,000 temples on both public and private land. And despite Indonesia being the world's most populous Muslim country, over 95% of Balinese practice a local form of Hinduism. Bridgetown, Barbados A detail of a pirate's gravestone in a Jewish cemetary. Miami Beach One day we got a call from Absolut's ad agency in New York. They wanted us to photograph a special edition bottle in artist Romero Britto's Lincoln Road studio. We used all of Romero's art, bottles, brushes and paint-splattered furniture to come up with this set. The day-long shoot was a lot of colorful fun. The ad ran full page in newspapers like USA Today. Knokke, Belgium In the picturesque North Sea village of Le Zoute, architects are adhering to the old charm while incorporating the new minimilaism for which the Belgians are gaining a reputation. This classic A-frame design features a two-story window looking in on the foyer and main floating staircase. From inside, the two-story view is out to the garden and tall trees. Design by Architectenbureau Project in Knokke. Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico Originally built in 1958 by venture capitalist and philanthropist Laurance Rockefeller, this Hyatt resort features tall, skinny coconut palms and short, putting green-like grass. Above is the Surf Room restaurant which still hints at it's roots in the mid-century modern style. Hong Kong Hotel lobbies are exciting places. Maybe it's the energy of people coming in from different points on the globe. The lobby of the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong is no exception with mostly business travelers speaking every language you can imagine. This is Hyatt's flagship hotel in Asia and quite worthy of its 5-star reputation. Bali, Indonesia The rice terraces on the Grand Hyatt Bali property provide an interesting landscape architectural element. While typically used in Southeast Asian agriculture, this terrace includes wheatgrass, bamboo, bougainvillea and seagrape. It's a beautiful solution for privacy. Hong Kong Shot from The Peak over the city, this glittering view includes Central to Causeway Bay districts, Kowloon and Victoria Harbour. On the far left is the Two IFC building and far right is the Central Plaza. The city is as exciting as it looks here. Unfortunately, the September haze blocked the mountains in Kowloon. Miami Inspired by the Sevilla Cathedral in Spain, the Freedom Tower was designed by Schultze & Weaver (who also did the Pierre in NY and the Biltmore in Miami). The tower, originally built in 1925, is currently the subject of a heated debate regarding the redevelopment of the downtown area around Biscayne Bay. We were asked to do a photographic documentation of the landmark's architecture and relationship to its surroundings. Bali, Indonesia Frangipani trees and the Indian Ocean surround the pool at the Grand Hyatt Bali resort. This shot was taken soon after sunrise when there is no sound but birds and crashing waves. Coral Gables, Florida La Estancia Argentina is a small market near Merrick Park. Steaks, salads and traditional Argentinian sauces are just some of the delights here. The architect of this warm approach to the industrial look was Braga Oris in New York. The results of our shoot later appeared in Contract Magazine. Orlando, Florida This trade show architecture was designed for a corporate event. The theme was "Fire & Ice" and featured spicy appetizers with cool vodka cocktails. We have shot other trade show displays but this is the only one that made it into our portfolio. Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico This is about 5:30am at the Olympic size Hyatt Dorado Beach resort pool. The bungalos (or Casitas as they are known here) on the right open up to a private garden and direct ocean. Koloa, Hawaii This has to be Hawaii's most spectacular golf course. Poipu Bay on Kauai was designed by Robert Trent Jones and is the venue for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. The top image is 3/4 of the panoramic shot we did, stretching from the Pacific Ocean on the right to Kauai's massive volcano. The island is filled with hibiscus trees. Hong Kong This is modern Asian simplicity in design. Soft, natural colors with halogen lighting provide guests with comfortable surroundings at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. On the left is a cabinet containing a hot water thermos for instant tea. On the right is a small business center with everything one would need. Las Vegas This is sunrise at the Loews Lake Las Vegas. The dry desert air produces a deep blue sky at 6:00am. Lake Las Vegas is a Tuscan-inspired resort destination with the Ritz-Carlton, three golf courses, spas, gourmet restaurants, casinos, a convenient helipad and marina with yacht cruises. Miami Beach The Flamingo Condominiums were originally built in the 1930s. A recent renovation included the addition of a new tower and studio apartments like this one. The Miami skyline and port are lit at dusk. Naples, Florida Shot for Abercrombie & Kent Destinations, this is a guest bedroom in one of their luxury timeshares. The interior was designed by Constantine Gorges. Manalapan, Florida Manalapan is a beautiful oceanfront town where privacy is more important than curb appeal. This Mediterranean estate uses limestone and a pebble driveway to separate itself from the South Florida trend of hollow cast concrete. Boca Raton, Florida We used a remote control helicopter to get our camera in the right position for this shot. It was an altitude of 50 feet above the mangroves and a distance of about 150 feet out from the area where we were controlling things via video downlink. The result is a shot could not have been achieved by any other means. Miami Beach An apartment unit in the Continuum building on South Point. Designed by David Heller and Reid Dolson, this colorful living area blends multiple materials beautifully. Manalapan, Florida The halogen chandelier and large cube lamps are great. The designer of this home appreciates the often ignored importance of lighting. Boca Raton, Florida No expense was spared in the design of this modest vacation home by Randall Stofft Architects. Miami Beach Designed by New York's Alexia Kondylis, this apartment is sophisticated but very comfortable. Boca Raton, Florida In the exclusive, hidden neighborhood of Le Lac, this estate combines Greek/Roman exterior architecture with hints of colonial American design inside. Antwerp, Belgium The red steel girders hold up miles of glass over the train platforms at Centraalstation. 15,000 ft. Still climbing from takeoff minutes earlier at Brussels airport, a Boeing 747 crosses over the English Channel against a clear blue sky. Each of the airplane's four jets makes a pure white trail. Hong Kong Marco, the German head chef at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, prepares appetizers for people who like to eat well. All of the cuisine shown here disappeared soon after these photos were taken. Las Vegas This was a Moroccan-themed party thrown by a large Texan oil company (photographers not invited) at the Loews Lake Las Vegas. The banquet manager was running late and had to let the guests in the door. So, just seconds after the 8-ft hooka was in position, we snapped this shot and left. Lake Tahoe, Nevada If I began this description with the words, "Nestled in the woods below snowcapped mountains on a deep blue lake..." it might sound like a storybook. But, that's exactly how the cabins are at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe. This was an unplanned shot done at the worst time of day but the result is nice. Scottsdale, Arizona This is the Vu restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale. Sheer red curtains section off private areas while still allowing diners to enjoy the ambience of the room. We chose to shoot this at dusk to get the red/blue combination and show off their outdoor patio as well. Bali, Indonesia Just about everything in Bali has a mystical feel to it. Floral gardens, pond lily pads and Hindu artwork all add to this feeling. We tried to capture this in our dusk shot of this restaurant on the Grand Hyatt property in Nusa Dua. I was also trying to emphasize how this restaurant has no walls, windows or doors. Las Vegas Our goal was to make meeting planners drool so we used our panoramic image-making skills to show golf, the outdoor wedding pavillion, boater's lake and the hotel's proximity all in one shot. In the bottom shot, we're showing massive function square footage and AV skills at the Loews Lake Las Vegas. Xcaret, Mexico The Royal Club is a mini boutique resort within the larger Occidental Grand Xcaret property. This area, an hour drive south of Cancun, is known as Riviera Maya and is the northern border of the ancient Mayan civilization. I'm sure that's exactly what this beautiful couple was thinking as I took this picture. Scottsdale, Arisona The Hyatt Regency Scottsdale is one of the most luxurious and well-appointed properties in this playground for the un-poor. We took this shot from the hotel's roof at 5am which is an incredibly beautiful time to be outside in the desert. Miami Design District Wallpaper Magazine asked us to shoot the Design District. The "Madonna Building" makes fun of the singer's mid-80s garb. In the middle, the talented people at Bisazza inspect one of their mosaics pre-install (from the 4th floor of the Moore Furniture Building). Lastly, the DASH school's statues stand guard. Miami Beach One Friday evenning, I received a call from the photo editor of the Australian Financial Review in Sydney. They needed about 10 shots of classic Miami architecture. That weekend, I took the shots and uploaded them to my server. They downloaded on Monday, went to press on Wednesday and I had printed copies in my had on Friday. All of that coordination from around the world in one week was a real triumph of digital technology. Miami Bridge House was publishing a magazine for the 2006 Art Basel show and wanted to profile the celings in older Miami buildings. This is the lobby of the Gusman Center in downtown Miami. It was resored in the 1970s under the direction of famed architect Morris Lapidus. Miami This is the ceiling in the lobby of the Ingraham Building. Mr. Ingraham was Henry Flagler's engineer. We shot this for an article on ceilings published for the Art Basel contemporary art show. Coral Gables, Florida This is not the afterburner on an F16 jet fighter. It's actually the famous Artichoke lamp from famed Danish designer Poul Henningsen. We shot it at Design Within Reach who retails this lamp for $11,238 (bulb sold separately). There is also a paper version of this lamp for around $50. Baia Mare, Romania One of my favorite industrial assignments was shooting the Habitex garment factory. The top photo is my feeble attempt at being the great Andreas Gursky. The bottom photo is just me trying to fit 100,000 square feet in one shot. You can see the rest of the series at www.habitex.com Sunny Isles, Florida Not known for being understated, Donald Trump is building a condo project on the beach in this town north of Miami. This white reception area was a welcomed alternative from the "old world charm" that has plagued South Florida since the late 1980s. Boca Raton, Florida This is a mahogany-clad foyer at a residence. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida This house, designed in teh 1950s by Bill Bigony, has a very interesting history that I will not go into here. I will only say that I shot this for Home Ft. Lauderdale Magazine. Miami Safeguard Self Storage is one of my industrial clients who builds 5-star facilities for the world's stuff. So, you can sleep better at night knowing your grandma's treasured hand-me-downs are safe and sound. The only amenity missing is a valet parking stand under the portico chere. Miami Design District This is Dacra's latest project in the center of the district. This angle shows the courtyard with very cool mosaic-clad walls. I wonder why it's named Oak Plaza. Miami Design District Another section of Oak Plaza offers retail space in a sort of Moroccan-themed corridor. Our model is one of the account coordinators at Craig Robins' design firm Bridge House. Coconut Grove, Florida These are the Miami offices of the famouse advertising agency, Crispin Porter Bogusky. Architect Juan Riesco gutted a former movie theatre to create a cold industrial chic environment. We shot this for Wallpaper. Scottsdale, Arizona The courtyard behind the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale. Boca Raton, Florida I took this product shot at a press event for Bentley Motorcars. Chicago This is the workspace of artist Judith Geichman who was nice enough to let us photograph it. Her bio says, "...she creates hypnotic spaces that evoke 18th century French pastoral scenes filtered through the gritty haze of urban atmospheres." All I know is that I liked the color and placement of everything in the scene. Xcaret, Mexico The Mayan Xcaret settlement was at its peak from 1400 to approximately 1517 A.D. The Mayans are said to have bathed in the inlet to purify their bodies before traveling to Cozumel to worship Ixchel, Goddess of Fertility. That all sounds nice but I just wanted was to get a shot of that Mayan building at sunrise. Miami Beach This is a detail of the winged tower at the Delano Hotel. Originally built in 1947 during the second wave of Miami Beach development after World War II, it was designed by Robert Swartburg. In 1995, it was redesigned by Philippe Starck and is part of the Morgans Hotel Group. Hong Kong The sun sets on Hong Kong Island (as shot from the docks at Kowloon). In the shot are the Grand Hyatt, the convention center and Central Plaza. Playa del Carmen, Mexico We were shooting a professional model couple and we needed a child for this shot. So with her parent's permission we found a 9-year-old girl from Manchester, England who was staying at the resort. We told her to "pretend you're a kid on the beach" and she did an excellent job. Boston The SportsClub/LA in Boston was in full operation when we had to do a lifestyle shoot in the middle of the day. With four light sources (daylight, flourescent, tungsten and strobe), the shot still balanced nicely. Boston Overlooking Boston Commons, the SportsClub deck is a place to take in the city view after a workout. What the viewer doesn't know is this shot was taken in November and it was 40 degrees when we asked our models to stand outside in a bathing suit. Boston The spinning class and outside deck at the Boston SportsClub. Boston We wanted to show the location of the SportsClub so we positioned the Massachusetts State House (completed in 1797) in the background of the shot. Architect Charles Bulfinch based the design of the State House on the Somerset House in London. Xcaret, Mexico We used lots of linen in this shot of a couple enjoying one of the private beach cabanas at the Occidental Grand Flamenco Xcaret in Quintana Roo. Xcaret, Mexico The Royal Club at the Occidental Grand offers an outdoor massage. Our very professional model Amy tried very hard to look relaxed. Miami The SplashSpa at the Four Seasons Residences on Brickell was where our model Carolina pretended to enjoy a temple massage. Hong Kong At the One Harbour Road restaurant, the food tastes as good as it looks. We used all natural light in taking these shots. Weston, Florida The Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa offers a makeover. We deliberately positioned the red door for that not-so-subtle branding effort. Our model Nicole had a perfect face to show off cosmetics. Miami One of the fastest growing markets for spas is men. Here we are showing one getting a hot stone massage and the other in the vichy shower. Delray Beach, Florida Two five-year-olds enjoy the warm Florida water at the Seagate Beach Club. We kept jumping together until this nicely balanced shot happened. It wasn't until I processed the image that I noticed their ponytails were curling the same way. I used an EWA-Marine bag to protect my Canon 1Ds. Xcaret, Mexico A man is taking in the Caribbean serenity (or is contemplating a jump). Miami The salt scrub at the Four Seasons Residences on Brickell. These were both taken using natural light. Xcaret, Mexico This is really what the water looks like in Xcaret. The only "manipulation" we did for this shot was giving the model some bread to attract the fish. Miami The Four Seasons Residences on Brickell has the SplashSpa located in the lobby. This is the ladies' relaxation room. By dimming the tungsten lights and letting the candles do most of the lighting, the room took on a very golden appearance. Spa manager Ronel Corbin did a great job of styling and coordinating the shoot.