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 Barcelona-based photographer Eugeni Pons.
 

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

Eugeni Pons: Thinking about it, I discover that my love story with architecture began when I was a teenager; one of these days i was walking around my home village with my Kodak Instamatic in the northeastern coast of Catalonia, in Spain, and I experienced a sort of /vision/; the sunset low light was painting in a magical way a very popular castle, like an old king leading the landscape over the sea. I took my camera, I shot, and when after some days I could see the print, I felt like a baby experiencing the light for the first time.

Ironically, years after that, even if I finally oriented my interest towards photography -and Philosophy, at the same time-, I wasn't conscious about how crucial the architecture would become since three years after my first attempt, in which I decided to specialize myself in advertising photography, along with another photography student. That was in 1992. Finally, in 1995 I did what I probably would have done from the beginning...(Thinking it right, perhaps there's nothing by chance, nevertheless...).


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Coulon & Ass., Music Conservatory in Metz, France, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Coulon & Ass., Music Conservatory in Metz, France, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Coulon & Ass., Music Conservatory in Metz, France, Photography by Eugeni Pons

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

EP: I strictly don't need to get a background from the inhabitants of certain projects (when we're thinking mostly on houses...), even if a first approximation along with the architect is always welcome. This allows me to assimilate aspects of the project, which would finally drives me to a sort of synthesis allowing the final photo come to reality. Nevertheless, that's mostly a /solo/, an intimate process, beginning when the bowels of the project are opening to me...

On the other hand, my clients consist of architects, interior designers, magazines, publishers in general, companies (construction and furniture, mostly)...


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P. Urquiola, Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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P. Urquiola, Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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P. Urquiola, Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Oliva, Int. Designer, Colefruse Offices, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Oliva, Int. Designer, Colefruse Offices, Photography by Eugeni Pons

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

EP: I usually work in Spain, and occasionally in other countries as France, Portugal, and Greece, for instance. Fortunately, this is a powerful, great architecture area. Nevertheless, as I love traveling all around, I've shot several countries out there.


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RCR Arch., Municipal Park in Begur, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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RCR Arch., Municipal Park in Begur, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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RCR Arch., Natural Area Baths Pavilion, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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RCR Arch., Natural Park Info Center in Olot, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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RCR Arch., Primary School in Manlleu, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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RCR Arch., Private Wine Cellars in Palamós, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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RCR Arch., Private Wine Cellars in Palamós, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons

What is your goal when capturing buildings in photographs?

EP: I like to think that, as some of my teachers told me once, the history of culture shows us that every artwork borns from a reflection, from the contemplation of a previous one.


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Frank Gehry, Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Ruisanchez Arch., Water Tower in a Municipal Park, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Colomer Arch., House in Vic, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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BAAS Arch., Mortuary's Chapel in Leon, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Saloni Manufacturers, Floor Detail in a Movie Theater, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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MMDM Arch., Parking in Terrassa, Barcelona, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Arribas Arch., Volvo Trucks Dealership in Málaga, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Gelpí Arch., Machinery Manufacturer Building in Barcelona, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons

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

EP: In use or by itself...Both things. Most of the times I shoot empty buildings, but depending on circumstances. In general I like to introduce a presence/absence dicotomy in a subtle, elegant way if possible; but this isn't condition /sine qua non/.


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Planas-Torres Arch., House on Ibiza Island, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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House on Ibiza Island, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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P. Cheikh Arch., House on Ibiza Island, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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P. Cheikh Arch., House on Ibiza Island, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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C. Patey Arch., House in Chambery, France, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Alvaró Bultó Arch., Country House, Photography by Eugeni Pons

What are your favorite pieces of equipment?

EP: Anything that contributes to a new challenge.

Do you work alone?

EP: I began working alone, but that's not the case nowadays. Working in digital from 2005, capturing to the computer, my assistant allows me to concentrate myself in /creative/ goals, while he's mainly pendant of technical aspects.


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ADC Arch., House on Menorca Island, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Ensamble Studio. Antón García- Abril, Hemeroscopium House, Madrid, Spain (previously featured in our ShowCase series), Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Arenas Arch., House on Mallorca Island, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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A-Cero Arch, House in Madrid, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Vicens&Ramos Arch., House in Madrid, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons


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Vicens&Ramos Arch., Municipal Building in La Mancha, Spain, Photography by Eugeni Pons

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

EP: I feel great about it! (Though I confess you that I'm not very updated about the social nets. I'd like to get some time for it !).



Eugeni Pons

Born in Barcelona, 1-22-64.

My interest in photography began when I was thirteen; then I got my first serious camera, a Canon AE-1. Since that day I took up experimental, architecture and landscape photography.

Licensed in Philosophy, which I’ve studied in the UAB (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), I coursed Photography in the same period in the IEFC for over five years.

My professional career begins in 1992, when I decided to mount an advertising photography studio with a school colleague.

Ending 1995, we decided to go each one by our own, and then I oriented myself towards my authentic matter of interest; the architecture photography.

I went ahead with some works to try to make a personal portfolio, and Casa Viva magazine bought some of them. After that I received some orders from On Diseño , an architecture and design magazine from the same publishers. This fact lead me to the next step, allowing me to introduce myself to some of the most successful and respected architects in Barcelona, which made possible my first collaborations.

Winner of five LUX awards on architecture photography, I’m collaborating at the moment with a wide selection of Spanish and foreign publishers, architects, interior designers, publicists, constructors and professionals in general.

The magazines list includes Wallpaper, Architectural Digest, Architectural Record, Architectural Review, A+U, Bauwelt, Baumeister, C3 Korea, De architect, Oris, Frame, AiT, The Plan, Interni, Abitare, Domus, L’Arca, Taschen Publishers, GG, Atrium, Raum & Wohnen, Interior Design, La Repubblica delle donne, Arquitectura y Diseño, Diseño Interior, On Diseño, Arquitectura Viva, El País Semanal, La Vanguardia Magazine, El Periódico , and many more…

Monographic exhibition at the Greek commercial hall in autumn of 2004.

Collaborator in diverse architecture photography exhibitions, the last one in the Barcelona COAC (Col.legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya), named Barcelona-Madrid .

Pre-selected by the New York MOMA for ordering the photographic report of the contents destined to On Site: New Architecture in Spain exhibition, in winter of 2006.