Home to America’s third-largest skyline, sights of historic and modern design prevail in Houston. As the economic hub of Texas, Houston’s growth over the past century has been meteoric, and with that growth comes an eclectic mix of structures catering to different purposes. There’s the JPMorgan Chase Tower as a symbol of financial might, the Astrodome as a monument to sporting revelry, and an assortment of housing that has mushroomed around the city – from Victorian to Mediterranean – all standing as a testament to Houston’s excellence in construction. This excellence must be remembered, and who better to do it than the best architecture photographers in Houston.
At Wonderful Machine, architecture photography is primarily concerned with the inside or outside of a structure, more so than the people, furniture, or decor in or around it. Photographers should demonstrate a high degree of technical proficiency, including perspective control and the ability to handle mixed lighting.
Luckily, these six individuals cover all the bases for architecture photography in Houston, skilfully capturing structures across different economic sectors. Moreover, their versatility in the field is a shared characteristic, making them invaluable for commercial and editorial assignments.
A passion for art runs deep in Shannon O’Hara’s family. His father was an art professor at Tougaloo College in Mississippi, while his mother was a teacher at the Mississippi School of the Arts. Shannon’s first love, however, was in the performing arts arena, as he left home at the age of 16 for the world of ballet, eventually getting into the ranks of the Houston Ballet. Later though, a budding interest in photography took him to New York, where he studied at the International Center of Photography and The School of Visual Arts. Over ten years in The Big Apple, he learned from the biggest names in the business, including Magnum photographer Bruce Davidson and food and travel photographer Ben Fink.
Now, back in Houston with his family, his education has led to an exemplary portfolio of images in the food, travel, and architecture specialties. Within the last category, Shannon photographs commercial and residential structures proficiently, both inside and outside. His perspective sheds light on the thought, effort, and care that go into these different structures, revealing a sense of majesty that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Shannon’s expertise in the field has been fancied by the likes of Ziegler Cooper Architects, Conde Nast Traveler Magazine, Gensler Architects, Esquire, Houston Modern Luxury, and Texas Monthly.
There’s only so much within a photographer’s control, while plenty lies outside of it. Unfortunately, natural light happens to be one of those elements lying outside, but Houston architecture photographer Peter Molick seems to have a workaround. It appears that he has coaxed the sun into doing his bidding, because across his portfolio, it illuminates the most beautiful details and casts the most remarkable shadows through ideal positioning. It’s an attribute of his images shot both indoors and outdoors.
Before his start in photography, Peter studied and pursued a career in architecture, giving him the requisite knowledge to translate his engineered subjects into a two-dimensional medium. He works diligently with his clients to fulfill their vision for commercial and editorial assignments, highlighting three critical elements with each structure: place, identity, and form.
Peter’s emphasis on those three elements has won over clients such as Architectural Record, Modern Luxury, Texas Architect, Ziegler Cooper, The Wall Street Journal, Perkins + Will, and Gensler, among many others.
Considering the early chapters of her life, you’d never think Dee Zunker would become a Houston architecture photographer. She earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M and an MBA from the University of Houston after that. Dee was entrenched in Corporate America for the longest time, until she was invited to the Google Trusted Photographer program in 2014. She began with interiors and 360 imagery and has now expanded her scope to include architecture.
Dee approaches the specialty like she would a puzzle, seeing how the lines, angles, light, and shadows all fit together, presenting the technical features of the structure in front of her. In addition to her skill with the camera, Dee’s corporate background guarantees a disciplined and organized workflow during photoshoots, guaranteeing an efficient use of time while delivering high-quality images.
Organizations such as LACON Custom Homes, Karsten Interior, Boulder Associates Architects, New Millenium Building Systems, Ecosense, and BBF Design Group, Inc. can all vouch for her.
Before moving back to Houston after the recession, Connie Anderson was an architectural photographer of repute in Hawaii. Her images were featured in Hawaiian Style and Luxury Pools, with the former heralding her as the “architectural photographer of record for the islands.” During this time, her interiors and twilight-hour images were celebrated without reserve, harnessing light to reveal the most fabulous details.
Now, she brings her unique flair for architecture photography to Houston, along with a sense of responsibility lost on most. Connie recognizes the investment that goes into numerous construction projects, and ensures her photographs acknowledge the efforts of the builders and designers in the process.
Connie’s client list includes Frankel Building Group, Kitchen & Bath Concepts, Trendmaker Homes, Jamestown Estate Homes, Oz Interiors, Burton Construction, and Grandview Builders.
Geoff Lyon is a Houston architecture photographer who understands that there is strength in numbers. Along with his team of three, Geoff has furnished architectural images across 10 sectors, from commercial offices and residential spaces to civic institutions and stadiums. Whether through a camera on the ground or a drone from above, G. Lyon Photography combines artistic vision and technical specificity to accomplish their clients’ goals and objectives.
While he’s Houstonian through and through, Geoff’s family moved to the States from Canada, so our northern neighbor’s quintessential friendliness can be expected on each and every photoshoot.
Some of their clients include Crain Group, Alston Construction, Agile Interiors, AutoNation, BRAVE Architecture, and DPR Construction.
Personally, we might look at the outside of a supermarket, shopping mall, or warehouse and look away, thoroughly unimpressed. But thankfully, there are others like Houston architecture photographer Brian Austin who’d dig a little deeper, telling a story about the people who built the place and those who pass through its doors via images.
Brian is adept at shooting commercial or residential structures from different vantage points. He can size up the wonder of a towering skyscraper from the ground or use his UAV drones to survey the beauty of man-made landscapes, from baseball fields to large-scale housing complexes.
His adaptability in the field has been appreciated by the likes of Morning Star Builders, PlanOmatic, Evanta, and many others.
Painstaking levels of planning and effort go into constructing any building. Considering all the money and manpower that go into any completed structure, a seasoned eye behind the camera is essential to celebrate the overall vision and finer details on display. The six architecture photographers in Houston we’ve selected should be able to do just that.
Further Reading:
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