AUDREY IRMAS PAVILION. Architect: OMA New York; Location: Los Angeles; Photograph by Jason O'Rear

In Focus is Archinect's recurring series dedicated to profiling the photographers who help capture architecture and make the work of architects look that much better. In this series, we ask: What is their relationship to architecture? How do they work? What are their goals when capturing buildings?

For this installment, Archinect talks with Jason O'Rear, a San Francisco-based architectural photographer. With a career including a professional background in architecture, Jason brings an experienced and empathetic eye to the spaces he captures with his camera. His work brings into focus the synthesis of structure, human experience and landscape. 

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

I went to school for architecture, both undergrad and grad school. I practiced architecture for close to 10 years before making the full-time transition to photography. As a student, and during my time practicing architecture I maintained a passion for landscape photography. Over the years my interest in landscape and architectural photography began to blend. The moment of transition though was when the Salesforce Tower was finishing completion in San Francisco. I previously worked for Pelli Clarke & Partners and had an enriching experience there. Since I’m a San Franciscan I have a special appreciation for the cities unique light and climate. Given my history with PCPA, I also understood the rigorous effort their team put into the project; I could capture it in a way that it deserved and that no one else could. Throughout the process, I learned even more about my city. It was an adventure and instilled a passion for architecture photography in me.

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

I work with a range of clients including architects, designers, developers, companies, general contractors…I even worked with an NBA team once, the Golden State Warriors.

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

Even though I am based in San Francisco, I work throughout the world. I absolutely love working internationally. 

What is your goal when capturing buildings in photographs?

To truly capture the intent of the project. I love to spend time studying projects. This process takes time. For certain projects, I like to arrive days before photographing them. I like to understand how the light and weather conditions affect the materials/form, and how people interact with the spaces naturally.  

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

I feel it is very important to capture architecture that is activated. Even if there is one person. It’s important. 

What are your favorite pieces of equipment?

This is a hard one because I don’t really adore having a lot of equipment; for this reason, I like to keep my setup tight.

Do you work alone?

I typically work alone, however, for certain projects, I will hire an assistant. Each way of working has its own unique benefits. For many shoots I enjoy the ability to focus and study a project uninterrupted. However, there are certain times and projects where having an assistant is very helpful and aids in the process.

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

It’s always rewarding to see my work get published.