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 Brazilian-Portuguese photographer Leonardo Finotti.
 

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

Leonardo Finotti: I started studying architecture and photography at the same time in Brazil back in 1997. I moved to Portugal from Brazil, after spending a period of time at Fabrica in Italy, and there I met João Nunes from Proap, and shot Tejo's park for him, as he liked the images he asked me to shoot his entire work. From this day on I am a full time architectural photographer.


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Oscar Niemeyer - Supremo Tribunal Federal, Brasília DF, Brazil, Photography by Leonardo Finotti


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Paulo Mendes da Rocha - Patriaca Square, Sâo Paulo SP, Brazil, Photography by Leonardo Finotti


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Eduardo Souto de Moura -Burgos Tower, Porto, Portugal, Photography by Leonardo Finotti

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

LF: I have two kind of works: commissioned by the architects or magazines (I have clients in Brazil, Portugal, London, Switzerland, Chile, etc) or shoot on my own, as I did with Niemeyer´s complete works, it can end up in editorials, exhibitions or ads.

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

LF: Since I have offices in Brazil and Portugal, I have to travel regularly. Today I am trying to cover South America and its unknown architecture.


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David Adjaye - Sclera Size+Matter at the Southbank Centre, London, UK, Photography by Leonardo Finotti


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Lussi+Halter Architekten - Dreilinden School Propsteimatte, Luzern, Switzerland, Photography by Leonardo Finotti


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Roberto Burle Marx - Civic Square, Brasília DF, Brazil, Photography by Leonardo Finotti

What is your goal when capturing buildings in photographs?

LF: I believe light is a strong component of my work, it deeply shows me where and how to capture the building. I get satisfied when I come up with a set of strong and different lights and we can select a few shots that gives a good comprehension of the buildings and its aims.

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

LF: Sometimes is necessary, but sometimes not, but it comes very spontaneous.


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Carrilho da Graça - Bridge over Carpinteira Stream, Covilhâ, Portugal, Photography by Leonardo Finotti


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Alvaro Siza - Iberê Camargo Museum, Porto Alegre RS, Brazil, Photography by Leonardo Finotti


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JohnstonMarklee + Diego Arraigada - View House, Rosario, Argentina, Photography by Leonardo Finotti

What are your favorite pieces of equipment?

LF: Tripod.

Do you work alone?

LF: Shooting yes, but there is a team waiting for the images at the studio and managing our huge archive.


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Ricardo Bak Gordon - House in Óbidos, Portugal, Photography by Leonardo Finotti


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Inês Lobo - House in Magoito, Sintra, Portugal, Photography by Leonardo Finotti


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Solano Benitez - L.A House, Paraguay, Photography by Leonardo Finotti

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

LF: I think it is nice but I believe it has much more to go further as it is such a new environment, it could have more identity not going across printed magazines and books, I also have my own blog where I publish a project per day which is an intense experience and gives us a lot of work.



Leonardo Finotti

2002/2010
Architectural photographer with offices in Brazil and Portugal
Collaborating with well-known architects like Alvaro Siza, Bernardes+Jacobsen, Cecil Balmond, David Adjaye, Isay Weinfeld, Rem Koolhaas, Rafael Iglesia, Johnston Marklee, etc. and more than 200 publications like a+u (JP), Blueprint (UK), Wallpaper (UK), Casabella (IT), Domus (IT), A&V(ES), Architectural Record (US), Azure (CA), Frame (NL), Mark (NL), Summa+ (AR), Cosac & Naify (BR), Arquine (MX), etc.

2003/2004
Bauhaus Kolleg "Transis Spaces" between Berlin and Moscow, Bauhaus Dessau, Germany

2001
Graduated in Architecture and Urbanism at the Federal College of Uberlândia

1977
Born in Uberlândia MG, Brazil