We don’t care how great a project is, if it’s not photographed well then an architect’s work doesn’t stand much chance of being promoted. Good photos get people excited, good photos are a catalyst for more work and, in the digital information age, good photos proliferate. A high quality image that pops off the page, sent out to the blogging world can end up everywhere and anywhere… within hours.

We take our own photos at BUILD because we’re passionate about photography. This requires a constant learning curve and subsequently we look to a wide range of professional photographers out there for technique and inspiration. Architectural photos are a beast of their own in the photo world and it takes a design-savvy eye, technical knowledge and tons of patience. Good shots are very rarely luck or coincidence; rather they are the product of mastering a skill.

A Guide to Current Architectural Photographers pulls from many sources. Some are photographers we’ve established a solid connection with -personally or via social media, some were hunted down because we have mad respect for their images, others came highly recommended to us from our design tribe of like-minded thinkers and doers. But they all have one thing in common – these are the sharp-shooters of the architectural photography world. Each is skilled in capturing and empowering modern architecture and, paramount in the information age, they’re savvy at getting the word out through websites, blogs and social media. Many of their masterful images will likely outlast the buildings. In short, you should get these rock-stars on your radar. We’re highlighting 20 photographers today, organized by region, and we’d love to hear from you about your favorite architectural photographers.

Benjamin Benschneider, Seattle WA

Doug Scott , Seattle WA

Lara Swimmer, Seattle WA

Tim Griffith, San Francisco CA

Erhard Pfeiffer, Los Angeles CA

Paul Body, San Diego CA

Michael Brands, Denver CO

Charles David Smith, Dallas TX

Craig Blackmon, Dallas TX

James F. Wilson, Dallas TX

Peter J. Sieger, Minneapolis, MN

Mike Sinclair, Kansas City, MO

Steve Hall, Chicago IL

Matthew Carbone, Columbus OH

Brad Feinknopf, Columbus OH

Trent Bell, Maine

Kenneth M. Wyner, Washington D.C.

Ty Cole, New York City NY

Alan Tansey, Brooklyn NY

Claudia Uribe-Touri, Miami FL

Special thanks goes out to a few design-ninjas for their contributions to GtCAP: Bob Borson, Carlyle Fraser, Adam Crain and Nicholas Williams. Martini’s all around gents.

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