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Dallas, Texas-based photographer Wade Griffith specializes in architectural photography and has been photographing architecture for 15 years, but he still views every shoot as a new learning experience. His latest set of images were featured in Athletic Business Magazine and encompass both interior and exterior photographs of the newly opened Lewisville Thrive Recreation Center designed by Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture.
For this project, Wade was contacted directly by the architecture firm in charge of the development. They had seen his work on similar projects for other firms and liked his portfolio. The unique building was designed to act as a community space where people of all ages and backgrounds can get together. They wanted Wade to capture images that reflected the intentional design of the building as well as the functionality of the individual spaces.
This was our first time working together, but everything went smoothly, and I’d definitely work with them again.
The shoot took place at the Thrive Recreation Center in Lewisville, TX. This large 87,000 square foot multi-purpose facility includes gymnasiums, group fitness rooms, a Natatorium that provides for both lap and leisure swimming, an Active Adult Center, a family lounge, child watch, indoor play, an indoor walking trail, community event room, and public art.
It’s a massive building, so it took a whole day to photograph all of the interior and exterior areas they wanted.
Wade first did a walkthrough with the client and then photographed the different rooms throughout the day and well into the evening. When photographing the building, he made sure to plan his day around the activities happening at the center so that he was able to capture the space being utilized by a variety of people.
Different activities were going on in the building at different times of the day, so we had to time things out just right to be in those locations while the activity was taking place.
While the center offered plenty of opportunities to capture different spaces, the space with the indoor pool was Wade’s favorite. The room was designed with a lazy river, lap pool, and miniature water park with slides — an entertaining and dynamic space for people to explore. There is also glass artwork on the wall that changes based on the color and shape of the light that hits it throughout the day in this room. The versatility and variety of activities available in this space mean that people of different age groups (and needs) can all equally enjoy it.
It’s meant to be a multi-generational space that creates more opportunities for the community to gather and helps Lewisville realize its vision of diversity, connectivity, resource management, and growth.
As is typical of most architectural photography, this project required extensive retouching after the shoot. Once Wade and his team completed the capture, they sent images to the client to pick selects and then quickly got to work on editing the final images over the next several weeks.
The post-production process is just as necessary as the photography itself. We do color correction, white balance, exposure adjustment, sharpening, removal of unwanted objects, and replacement of objects, among other things.
The resulting images are manicured and beautifully lit renditions of the various spaces throughout the building. While Wade is very comfortable photographing buildings, he still sees every shoot as an opportunity to further his knowledge. Whether it’s navigating the logistics of photographing a unique space like this one or learning how to work with a new client, he appreciates the opportunity to always get better.
Every client is different and has unique expectations. Here, we worked in humid pool rooms, gyms with fast action, and around people who are uncomfortable being photographed, among many other scenarios. There is always something to learn!
Photographer: Wade Griffith
Client: Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture
Assistants: Izaac Costiniano, Anna Boling
Behind-the-scenes photography: Anna Boling