Architectural photography has a problem. Buildings are designed for people, yet a majority of architectural photographs do not have any in them. Commercial interior designers have been a lot better at this in the last few years, as restaurants and offices are often shown with people in them. It humanizes the space and from a messaging perspective, tells your potential clients that you actually care about the people living, working and playing in the buildings you design.
I have also worked for clients who would specifically request that I shoot their latest restaurant between midnight and 6 am because they didn't want to have any people in the pictures. Aside from the fact that I tend to like to sleep at night (it's good for my skin), it also sends the message that you care more about the design of shiny objects than you do about whether your project actually helps solve your clients’ problems.
©2019 rvltr - Yale Center for British Art by L. Kahn - Arch. photography in the age of social distancing.
Occasionally, people will come up with a crazy idea and style their 60s office reno Mad-Men style or stage a birthday party undermined by a jealous brother (image below), but most architecture firms go for bland and safe, which makes it a lot harder to differentiate from the rest, even when the design is really good.
Why? Because contrary to what I've heard time and time again, your work doesn't speak for itself. You have to actively tell its story and interesting and playful photographs are the best way to break through the noise and stand out. Aren't pictures worth a thousand words after all? I think a great picture is worth 10,000.
©2015 rvltr - Architect: Dank Architectes
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