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

May 092012
 
Professional portrait session in the San Francisco Bay area. Headshots, portraits, corporate, business

I’ve been shooting a lot of portrait photography recently. I shoot for business people, actors, students, people who are doing online dating.

Here is a shot from last week of Dr. Karen Peters of East Bay Naturopathic Clinic. As you can see, she’s really beautiful. However, she was terminally camera shy. She hates having her photo taken. No problem! I’m generally a relaxed person. We chat, we shoot, we keep shooting we keep talking. Eventually people will either relax, or I catch them in-between moments. You can’t be stressed all the time, and I’m fast.

Professional portrait session in the San Francisco Bay area. Headshots, portraits, corporate, business

Photo © Alex Schoenfeldt 2012. All rights reserved.
Alex Schoenfeldt Photography

Feb 042012
 
Pretty little girl mugging for the camera in a park in Oakland

I was doing a family portrait session. Mom, dad, two great dogs and one cute and happy little girl. She was one of those bubbly charming kids that make people without kids think “we should have kids.”

She got a little bored or posing with her mom and dad in a look at the camera way, but she didn’t mind “mugging” for the camera. Her mom put her on the table and let her just go while I snapped a few dozen photos. There are plenty of great shots from this session, but this one is just so fun. It’s just so sassy! The lines work really well, and the red offers such an interesting contrast to the greens and browns. Oh, I also like the textures in the photo.

Pretty little girl mugging for the camera in a park in Oakland

Photo © Alex Schoenfeldt 2011
All rights reserved
San Francisco Photographer

Jan 142012
 
Prenant Indian woman on a beach in Pacifica California

I did a pregnancy photo session for a couple recently. We started on the hills above the ocean somewhere south of Pacifica CA. We got some great shots of the two of them but the award winner is posted below. The long back hair, round pregnant belly, dark Indian skin, the dark cliff walls, the cold white-capped ocean, this shot just works in my opinion.

It’s on the blog twice. I was just going to post the color version you see first. This shot is a bit intimate, and I know for a fact the husband has some conservative family members, I thought I’d check before I put it out there on the interweb for all to see. I emailed a proof of the shot with my request, and when I got the email saying “yes” back it also said “aren’t you going to use the black and white version?”

Which one do you like better?

Pregnant Indian woman on a beach in Pacifica California

pregnancy photo on the beach, beautiful preganat indian woman

May 182010
 
Cake fight cake cutting bride and groom wedding Reception Oakhurst Country Club in Clayton California

Julianne and Bret got married at the Mormon Temple in Oakland on a rainy day in February.

Weddings at the LDS temple are private. The guests and the photographer (me) wait for the bride and groom to come out. Mormon temples are gorgeous, so we always get a lot of photos in front of and around the temple.

After shooting at the temple, we went to the Oakhurst Country Club in Clayton, where we looked for spots that were covered from the rain but still had nice backgrounds for photos, before moving on to the photojournalistic shots of the reception.

Photos © Alex Schoenfeldtt 2007. All rights Reserved
San Francisco Photographer