I love a challenge, and back in September, Tom Moore presented me with just that.

He wanted photos of the facades of his business, Kemper CPA, for use on the business website.

While I typically specialize in things that smile back at me, I was totally game.

Unlike the smiling faces I usually capture, however, making a building come to life was a whole other ballgame.

Some gear I had recently ordered was begging for professional use and finally, this was the project that necessitated it. I couldn't wait to start building the images.

The rural location, pictured, presented the biggest challenge with its dark entryway. The sun was quickly setting which wasn't helping the situation.

My first shot (top) left me feeling a little flat. This building has the coolest architecture and my first attempt was obviously lacking.

Then, I started playing with light. I moved my flash around, bouncing it off the glass windows and doors, off the pillars, and off the awning until I found the effect I wanted.

Once I was satisfied with the light, I played with perspective. I shot at eye level, from the right and from the left, from the seat of the van, and finally, from a seated position on the ground.

Amazing how different things look with a pop of light or changing your position. Sometimes to get where you want to go, you just have to start with some basic building blocks and expand from there - much like building a business.

Special thanks to Tom for the opportunity.