oakland – San Francisco Wedding and Event Photography

Alex Schoenfeldt Photography is now a Google Trusted Photographer

Dec 052012

I’ve got exciting news! I am now a “Google Trusted Photographer” or a Google Street View photographer!

What does that mean? First, I will explain in my own words, then I will post a brochure and video or two.

So, you know what Google Street View is right? You are looking at a map on Google, and you can plop yourself down on the map and look around at a panorama. Maybe you’ve even seen the street view car driving around.

Well, if you own a consumer facing business, you can now get street view type panoramas that go inside your store, restaurant, salon, bar etc… So someone sitting at home on their computer can street view inside your business, looking around a big panorama, getting a look at your decor, ambiance, products.

But how can you do this? That is where the “Google Trusted Photographers” (like me) come in. I now have the equipment and training to get the required panoramas. Not only can I shoot them properly, I can shoot them in a way that they will integrate with Google Street View AND I can upload them to Google myself. That’s right, Google has given me the key to their street view program. And it isn’t only for the panoramas. I can put up photos of merchandise, decor, menus, food, all the things you want your clients to see.

I’m going to quote from the brochure:

WHY BUSINESS PHOTOS?
A virtual tour of your business
It’s an opportunity to showcase your business to customers around the world. Our Street View technology will bring your business to life with a high-quality, 360-degree, interactive tour. The virtual tour will be visible on Google Search results, Google Maps, and Google+ Local, to give customers a better sense of the layout, decor and ambience of your business. Easily embed on your own business website and social media to attract even more potential customers.

and

TRUSTED PHOTOGRAPHERS
Google trained and certified

1. All Trusted Photographers are trained and certified to ensure high-quality results for your business.
2. Photographers strive to create a custom experience; highlighting the unique aspects of your business.
3. Photographers take care of all the work so you don’t have to; final photos are uploaded directly to Google.

and

GOOGLE STREET VIEW TECHNOLOGY
A new experience for customers
1. High-quality, 360-degree, panoramic tours help showcase the best features of your business.
2. Have potential customers visit your business directly from Street View.
3. All of your images go through Google blurring and privacy standards to give you peace of mind.
4. Featuring the familiar Google Street View navigation, allowing your customers to easily explore.

HOW CAN THIS HELP MY BUSINESS?
Attract new customers online
1. Enhance your business listing. Images appear on Google Search results, Google+ Local, and Google Maps.
2. Engage with customers who can now explore, walk-through, and truly experience your business.
3. Business Photos is a perfect addition to all businesses; including restaurants, retail shops, gyms, salons, and more!
4. Seasonal shoots are a great way to keep your business up-to-date and show your customers what’s new

So, if you or anyone you know in the San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, San Jose, Marin, The East Bay, The Peninsula etc…) has a store, a cafe, a yoga studio, a hair salon, a restaurant, or any type of business where the public comes in and walks around, please call me at (415) 669-4895, or email me at [email protected].

Ok, the brochure (It’s formatted for print, so take it for what you will.)

And some videos.

This first one is an advertisement for the service.
Google Business Photography Advertisement

The next one is an example of how it works.

Virtual Walk-through Video 1 – Restaurant

And one more advertisement video.

Toy Joy marketing video

Gallery: Portraits of revelers during Oakland’s Art Murmur or First Friday celebration.

candid, Event Photography, oakland, portrait No Responses »

Sep 172012

Oakland is jumping these days, and it never shines brighter than on the First Friday of every month when the galleries throw open their doors, and the streets of Uptown fill with celebration. I wanted to capture a piece of that.

I took my camera and my studio strobes, and I set them up in “The Eatup” (https://www.facebook.com/TheEatup at 2025 Telegraph Ave) I let anyone who wanted step on up and get their portrait taken. It was so fun I could hardly stand it.

These are the shots. I just want to say “Thanks Oakland for letting me take your picture. You are looking FANTASTIC!

Business portrait of a young entrepreneur in Oakland, Ca

African American, Environmental portrait, portrait No Responses »

Jun 112012

Allow me to introduce you to Alanna Rayford. She is transforming a derelict building in Oakland’s up and coming Uptown neighborhood into a thriving gallery space. I wanted an image of her that was dynamic and exciting, pretty and approachable. I feel like this photo says all of this and more. I shot it during the golden hour as late afternoon light streamed through the windows and wrapped around her. She looks natural and in charge at her computer. The photo was shot with all natural light on a 50mm prime lens.

Architectural interior photography

Architectural interiors 1 Response »

Feb 242012

Most of my photography has people in it. I do weddings, events, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, family portraits, group portraits, headshots, and whatever else I am forgetting, but usually there is a person in the picture.

That does not mean that photos with people is all I do. In a few hours I am shooting product photography in San Francisco. If the product is visually appealing to me I’ll post some samples. I also shoot architectural interiors and exteriors. Here are some interiors I did for a talented architect last month.

Artistic photo shoot with handmade hat

art, East Bay, night photography, oakland, portrait No Responses »

Aug 122011

Artist modeling her hat outside night shot port of Oakland

Wednesday night 11:30 PM I got an emergency text from a client, Jeanne Henzel Swartz, proprietor of Joona She was having a photographic emergency. She had just finished a hat for a competition, and photos were due at 10:00 AM tomorrow. She had been planning to shoot it herself, but her model flaked. She needed me to come over and get some shots of this hat.

I said “what the heck.”

I roll into her studio in an industrial part of town just before midnight. We scope around for a while, and decide to try a few things. We have one well lit room with blank walls, a funky handmade shelter by the waterfront (we are basically in the port of Oakland) and a congregated metal building that looks interesting. We shot for about an hour, came back to my studio, picked our favorite made some quick adjustments in Photoshop, popped it on a thumb drive, done. I was in bed by 2:00 AM.

I say we nailed it.

Here is the one in front of the blank wall. This is the one that got submitted to the contest (which is why the aspect ratio is weird) . We felt like it showed off the hat the best.

Here is the one in front of the funky handmade structure on the edge of the San Francisco Bay in the port of Oakland. This one is my favorite. It is a little busy, but man there is a lot going on here.

And lastly, the one in front of the metal building. The photo we went with was the first shot we took, and this was the last. Funny how that worked.

Older Entries