Turning the lens

Whether it is communicating the built environment’s relationship with its surroundings, showcasing how daylight moves and shapes a space over the course of a day, or calling attention to the finer and carefully crafted details that bring a project to life, photography captures the essence of our work. For BNIM, photography allows us to share our projects more widely?and support opportunities for all people to have access to and experience architecture and design.?

This month, we are excited to share our latest project photography while turning the lens on three exceptional creative professionals behind the camera — Kendall McCaugherty , Kelly (Dunagan) Callewaert , and BNIM designer, Hannah Gray .

"There is an intriguing challenge within both architecture and photography to capture an identity or intention, whether through the medium of space or photographs.?Powerful spaces deserve to be captured in a powerful way, expressing the physical and experiential qualities in a single or series of images.?Often digital media is the only condition that people experience our projects, so it's a lot of pressure to document them in a way that is impactful and does them justice. Being passionate about the work that we do and seeing the translation of BNIM's values into the final product has made my photographic experience uniquely meaningful."?

– Hannah Gray | Photographer, BNIM Designer

"I became an apprentice at Hedrich Blessing Photographers in 2013, where I was trained in the studio's long-established tradition: presenting a clients' vision and design through interpretative, intelligent, and graphically composed photographs. That studio philosophy continues today at Hall + Merrick + McCaugherty Photographers . I absolutely believe in quality of quantity, less clicking...more looking.?You can tell a more impactful story with fewer well-crafted images than an abundance?of quick snapshots. It's about removing the extraneous and finding the narrative. We are directly impacted by our everyday built environment, and visual mediums?allow us to experience it on a global scale. Most of us will never see the Burj Khalifa in person, but we can understand what it might feel like to stand underneath it because of photography."

– Kendall McCaugherty, Principal | Hall+Merrick+McCaughterty

"The genesis of my career in architectural photography was a spontaneous assignment to photograph?Westport Presbyterian Church?(designed by BNIM) in Kansas City, MO, and I was immediately captivated by it. I believe the fact that I am an appreciator of architecture, rather than someone with formal architectural training, benefits the way I approach capturing a space.?This perspective allows me to question and engage a space the way an everyday individual would — as a building occupant who gives context to the space that was designed for them.?I am compelled by the idea that a carefully framed shot can completely change your appreciation, perspective, and understanding of a space. One of the humbling gifts of being an architectural photographer is collaborating with the architects and design team during a shoot. There is a responsibility of capturing a project that a team of talent worked years to resolve."

– Kelly Callewaert | Photographer, Kelly Callewaert Photo

mindful?-?As a perfect mirror reflection of the letters?bnim,?mindful?is this place for communication, where we reflect upon projects, people, and events to share beyond the firm’s walls.?

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