In Focus is Archinect's 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 Dutch photographer Ossip van Duivenbode.
Archinect: What is your relationship with architecture? What drew you to architecture, as a photographer?
Ossip van Duivenbode: I studied history of architecture at the Utrecht University in the Netherlands. During my studies, I found out my biggest passion is the architecture and the way it has been captured in an image until today. In 2006, I started to work for the local architecture center in Rotterdam, AIR foundation. My first project was a critical book about the past 30 years of architecture in Rotterdam, where I was responsible for the image editing. Since then, I have not only worked as an image editor, but I also started to take architectural photographs myself.
Describe how you work... who are your clients?
OvD: I don’t see myself as an artistic photographer that aspires his photographs to be shown in an art gallery. I see myself as a photographer that works in assignments. Assignments from architects, cultural parties, magazines, publishers and the architectural websites.
Because of my architecture history background, my strength is to understand the architecture and find a way to capture that in an image. To learn more about a project and to speak with, for example, the architect about his ideas is a big part of the job.
Do you mostly work in a specific region? What is your travel schedule like?
OvD: All my clients are situated in the Netherlands. Sometimes I travel to other countries (in Europe) but still for my Dutch clients.
What is your goal when capturing buildings in photographs?
OvD: It depends on the assignment, but in most cases, to take a photograph in which the building can be read at its best.
What are your thoughts about including people in your photos? Is it important to photograph a building in use, or by itself?
OvD: It is okay to use people in a photo. Sometimes the project comes to live. You can say something about the movements in a building or about the scale. But in my opinion, the architecture in architectural photography has to stay the subject and should not become the background.
What are your favorite pieces of equipment?
OvD: My tilt-shift lenses. Because I’m not shooting with a technical camera, the tilt-shift objectives give me the most freedom in the field. My favorite two are the TS-E 17mm and the TS-E 24mm, both from Canon.
Do you work alone?
OvD: Most of my work is done alone. But because I take my photos most of the time in collaboration with the client, I have many meetings about his or her project. Sometimes the shooting is done together with the client.
How do you feel about seeing your photographs on blogs and websites?
OvD: When it is not a commercial party, I don’t have any problems with my photographs being published for free. It is an easy way to get publicity for new assignments.
Ossip van Duivenbode:
Ossip van Duivenbode (born 1981, Rotterdam) is an architectural photographer. He gained his Master of Arts in Architecture History at the University of Utrecht.
1 Comment
Nice documents. .. especially the 'double D's' ....the Dudok and Duiker.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.