In Focus is Archinect's new series of features dedicated to profiling the photographers who help make the work of architects look that much better. What has attracted them to architecture? How do they work? What type of equipment do they use? What do they think about seeing their work in blogs?

In this feature, we talk to Portuguese photographer Miguel Coelho.
 

Archinect: What is your relationship with architecture? What drew you to architecture, as a photographer?

Miguel Coelho: I'm an architect. My relationship and my interest in architecture was contemporary to my passion for photography. As my family was close to the architecture and the visual arts I became interested in these two fields from an early age. At the same time, in my teenage years, I’ve found photography and, although then I hadn’t the ability to find major points of contact between the two disciplines, I knew my professional path would follow that way.

Already at the university, I realized that 90% of the architecture I saw and studied was through photographs. Images that were intended to be complete and show as much detail as possible about a particular work. At that time I’ve gained interest and began practicing. I’ve tried to study how the pictures could transform the perception that the public had of the buildings. I’ve studied the history, the masters, the trends, etc ...

The most natural way to follow this investigation was on a PhD (in Fine Arts/Photography) and trying to put into practice my thoughts. At the same time I began to work with some fellow architects on some assignments and everything started...


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House CL, V. N. Gaia (Portugal), Arch. Fausto Andrade, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House at Boa Hora, Lisbon (Portugal), Arch. João Cassiano Santos/ArteTectónica, Photography by Miguel Coelho

Describe how you work... who are your clients?

MC: I have a working method quite simple and straightforward. I try not to complicate or make unnecessary pictures. As an architect, I have a certain ease in understanding the project and I soon realize what I must emphasize and what I should hide. A good picture is not always a good architectural picture.

Most of my clients are architects. Then there is a small set of magazines and publishers with whom I work and then there are some institutional clients.


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House La Roca, Puerto Pollensa (Spain), Arch Joan Riusech, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House La Roca, Puerto Pollensa (Spain), Arch Joan Riusech, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House La Roca, Puerto Pollensa (Spain), Arch Joan Riusech, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House La Roca, Puerto Pollensa (Spain), Arch Joan Riusech, Photography by Miguel Coelho

Do you mostly work in a specific region? What is your travel schedule like?

MC: In the past 6 years I have lived between Portugal (Oporto) and Spain (Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca) and my work is carried out primarily in these two countries. At this point I would like to explore other languages and work in other countries.

On average, in recent months, I have traveled out one week a month.


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Casal de Barri, Palma (Spain), Archs. Jordi Herrero, Sebastiá Escañellas, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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Casal de Barri, Palma (Spain), Archs. Jordi Herrero, Sebastiá Escañellas, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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Healthcare unit, Manacor (Spain), Archs. Jordi Herrero, Sebastiá Escañellas, Photography by Miguel Coelho

What is your goal when capturing buildings in photographs?

MC: My goal is always to strive to respect the architecture and the vision of the architect in an honest way. Making pictures just for the “picturesque” does not interest me. I’m always trying to make pictures that are close to the real feel of space.


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Villas Thalia, Puerto Pollensa (Spain), Arch. Joan Riusech, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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Housing unit, Llucmajor (Spain), Archs. Pep Ripoll, Juan Miguel Tizón, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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Apartment Building, Palma (Spain), Arch Tono Vila, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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Sports Complex, Genova (Spain), Archs. Jordi Herrero, Sebastiá Escañellas, Photography by Miguel Coelho

What are your thoughts about including people in your photos? Is it important to photograph a building in use, or by itself?

MC: It is not easy to answer this question. This should be a resource well managed and used wisely. There are cases where it is important (as in a kindergarten) and where it is not necessary (as in a parking lot).

I believe that sometimes there is notorious abuse of this. Perhaps inspired by some models of apparent success, many authors resort to this forced presence to save an uninteresting picture. Most of the time it doesn’t add great value to the image as an architectural picture. Often it can become harmful and even set up cases of visual noise (along with too contrasted backgrounds and textured foregrounds that reduce the architecture to something of no importance).

I’ve studied architecture at a school famous for its method and language. I often think that I bring to the my work these concepts: the genius loci , the scale, the dialogue with the pre-existence, etc..

All this ends up being more important to me than the presence or absence of the human figure in the images. And when there are people this is never a forced situation.


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House MD, Palma (Spain), Archs. Jaime MArtinez, Patricia Acosta, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House MD, Palma (Spain), Archs. Jaime MArtinez, Patricia Acosta, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House MD, Palma (Spain), Archs. Jaime MArtinez, Patricia Acosta, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House PepMar, Artá (Spain), Arch. Pep Martinez, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House PepMar, Artá (Spain), Arch. Pep Martinez, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House PepMar, Artá (Spain), Arch. Pep Martinez, Photography by Miguel Coelho

What are your favorite pieces of equipment?

MC: Although most of the concepts and techniques of architectural photography have remained unchanged in recent years, there is now a big difference in relation to the equipment. Although there are many professionals from architectural photography that continue working as they’ve worked 50 years ago (with large format cameras), there is now a large group of photographers who use digital SLR systems.

Now, the quality and versatility of these systems can rival the more expensive and bulkier equipment.

This paradigm shift regarding the way of understanding architectural photography, also allowed a change in language and a greater abundance of images.

The fact that in some cases the photographer doesn’t work with a tripod allows greater freedom and versatility, as well as a substantial reduction in working time.


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Studio, Palma (Spain), Arch. Pep Martinez, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House TR, Palma (Spain), Arch. Pep Martinez, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House TR, Palma (Spain), Arch. Pep Martinez, Photography by Miguel Coelho

Do you work alone?

MC: Always. Currently with the type of equipment used there is rarely a need to work with an assistant. Moreover this helps me to concentrate and try to understand the essence of the project.


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House TR, Palma (Spain), Arch. Pep Martinez, Photography by Miguel Coelho


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House TR, Palma (Spain), Arch. Pep Martinez, Photography by Miguel Coelho

How do you feel about seeing your photographs on blogs and websites?

MC: Today I think that is one of the most important media of dissemination of architectural pictures (and architecture itself). And the presence in the online media is essential. Nowadays it is not worth trying to ignore this medium.The future will follow this path...



Miguel Coelho
Oporto, Portugal, 1977

Graduated in architecture (2001);
Faculdade de Arquitectura; Universidade do Porto (Portugal).

Master of fine-arts (2007);
Facultat de Belles-Arts; Universitat de Barcelona (España).

His research projects focus on the aesthetics and philosophy of contemporary architectural photography. Has written many essays on architectural photography.

Author of "o porto da escola", photographic essay on the architectural production of the "Oporto School" in the last 50 years (2004).

Teacher and instructor on photography courses and workshops.

In 2005 creates “miguel coelho | fotografia de arquitectura”.

His work is regularly published in several architectural magazines and books.

His work is represented by clicarQ (Spain) and FAB-PICS (Germany).

Lives and works in Palma de Mallorca (Spain) and Oporto (Portugal).