Spring is in the air! The grass is green, the trees are budding and all the flowerbeds look tight. It's the perfect time of year to shoot store exteriors. While featuring the energy of the inside of the store is usually my priority for the client, we usually do go out and capture exteriors as an establishing shot.

I find myself working in less than ideal situations more often than I would like, as each style of exterior presents its own unique issues. Mall exteriors generally have larger windows which pose reflection problems. Landscaping, weather and unfinished facades can hinder outdoor exteriors. Urban street elevations can be the most challenging: pedestrians, cars, news and bike racks, traffic lights, signs, emergency vehicles etc. etc. Not to mention the list of non weather related challenges I've overcome: hundreds of bags of trash, neon signs a block away, drunks, bums, model wannabes, delivery and street cleaning vehicles, Twittering teens, and less than helpful security guards.

Through all that, I am proud of many of the storefronts I have shot. I'm sharing some favorites including Lord & Taylor's Obsessed window that won an innovation award at the RDI awards gala this year. Take a look at a gallery of these images here.