Nicanor García discusses his transition from architect to photographer, establishing a style and building a following
Spanish photographer Nicanor García explores cities and culture through his studies of the built environment. Originally an architect, he was introduced to the art of photography over the course of his professional training.
“When I started to study architecture, it quickly became necessary to use a camera,” he recalls. “Sometimes it was impossible to finish a drawing onsite, so you would take a photo to finish it later.”
Often in his studies, a project might be to build a model. “It was impossible to hand in the model – so at the end, you would submit a photo of it.”
While largely used as a means to an end, photography had become part of everyday life for Nicanor, and he began to take a deeper interest.
“At some point, I started to see that some photos were better than others, and I started to become interested in the photographers behind the architects,” he explains. “Little by little, I got more involved in it and began to research photographic technique.
“The precise compositions of Julius Shulman, the exceptional technical mastery of Ezra Stoller and the versatility and ability to connect with people of Francesc Català-Roca were among my earliest references and played a key role in shaping my visual approach.”
On the job
On concluding his training, Nicanor began a successful career as an architect, going on to operate his own studio in Barcelona and design a variety of buildings. Throughout this period though, he continued to make photos for his work.
“When I started to work as an architect, I would visit the place where a building was going to be and take photos to understand that space,” he explains. “Then I’d return to the studio and, if the photos were good, I wouldn’t need to go back to the location every time I had a doubt.”
Another key aspect of photography in the architecture world is its value in cataloguing completed projects. “When you finish the work, it’s good to have a moment before the user goes into the building,” Nicanor notes.
For many architects, the period between a building’s completion and it being handed to its owner is important to remember – a moment when the building is exactly as the designer intended.
“Sometimes the building is used the way you imagined, but often it isn’t, and the building gets transformed into something else,” adds Nicanor. That’s what makes this a key moment for photographing the building: “To remember what you made, before someone else takes control of it.
“I was hiring architectural photographers to do that. I’d tell the photographers the locations in the building where there were options to make good photos.”
But when Spain underwent a construction crisis, Nicanor started to do this job himself. “I had more free time so it was a bit ridiculous to hire somebody. I bought myself a camera and made photos of two of my buildings.
“At that point, I realised I wanted to take greater control over how my own buildings were visually interpreted, applying the same critical eye I had always expected from commissioned photographers.”
Building a following
When an architecture magazine asked for photographs of one of his buildings, Nicanor sent over one from a commissioned photographer and one of his own photos. Due to a mix-up, the magazine staff thought that both images had come from the professional, leading Nicanor to a realisation – and a redoubled interest in image making.
“I started to think maybe I had developed some skills after all this time around photography,” he notes. “Little by little, I started to take photos of other genres.
“That moment made me realise that my images already sat comfortably alongside those of established architectural photographers, encouraging me to pursue photography in a more conscious and deliberate way.
“I made an Instagram account, and it started to grow quite quickly. I was mostly doing photos of urban architecture – façades and details – not necessarily architectural photography, but photos of architecture.”
As his following grew, Nicanor began to explore new locations with his photography, blending travel elements with his architectural focus. “At times I was doing work for some architect friends, but at other times, I was travelling and taking photos of architecture around the world.”
While working for architects provided ample opportunities to sharpen his skills, Nicanor knew from experience which aspect of his photography he would prefer to develop. “I never wanted to be a photographer only for architects, because I know them well and they’re very picky,” he asserts. “I was picky.”
Nicanor’s photography equipment
Over the course of his photographic career, Nicanor has tried a variety of camera and lens brands – though his kit selection remained stationary in one respect. “The set-up I reproduced with every camera brand was always a wide-angle, a standard lens and a telezoom,” he explains.
For a time, Nicanor used a full-frame camera, seeking the benefits of a larger-format system. However, there were drawbacks: “The camera and the lenses were quite heavy, and when I started to do trips, it was exhausting,” he recalls. “If you’re starting early in the morning, it’s difficult to continue all through the day.”
When mirrorless cameras came onto the market, Nicanor found himself using the lightweight FUJIFILM X-T1, later rebuilding his lens collection to suit his new companion.
“I also got the FUJINON XF10-24mmF4 R OIS WR, the FUJINON XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS and the FUJINON XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS. I was able to reproduce my favourite set-up with Fujifilm. But in the same kit bag, I could have five lenses – compared to the three I was using with the previous camera.
“After some time, I bought the FUJINON XF56mmF1.2 R WR and the FUJINON XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR, which I tend to use when there’s less light. I can focus more on either details or people. The whole point of my interest in travelling is that I can photograph architecture, but I’m not limited to just that.”
Since the X-T1, Nicanor has worked his way through a number of X Series cameras and is currently still using a model from the same range. “I now have the FUJIFILM X-H2, which has a 40-megapixel sensor,” he notes. “I value that resolution. When I’m doing architectural photos and correcting the vertical lines, that correction is less evident.”
While sticking to his five-lens kit for most applications, Nicanor has made a couple of substitutions in recent years, such as introducing the FUJINON XF8-16mmF2.8 R LM WR for his wide-angle work.
“The jump from 10mm to 8mm is very useful for some interiors,” he adds. “On the other end, I switched to the FUJINON XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR and added the FUJINON XF1.4X TC WR and XF2X TC WR Teleconverters.”
With a vast lens selection to choose from, Nicanor can now tailor his kit bag for each trip he takes. “It’s like you have a set of brushes, and you take the ones you need for each situation.”
Outside the box
“Although I often document architecture, I’m primarily interested in using buildings as visual material, exploring geometry, color, rhythm and atmosphere as a way to reflect on cities, how we use and inhabit them – and to create connections that go beyond simple description,” Nicanor explains.
“In architectural photography, there are some rules – for example, to keep the verticals vertical,” he points out. “That’s the point of tilt-shift lenses. Alternatively, you can make this correction in post-processing.”
Outside of the fundamentals, Nicanor seeks to avoid too much rigidity in his work. “If you ask three architectural photographers to take photos of the same building, it’s possible that the photos will be similar. Architectural photography is a bit limited, which is why I like to introduce other parameters.
“There are some photographers who take photos of buildings with lots of people inside or of buildings that aren’t new, when the users have started to change some of the details.
“This is a way to take advantage of something that is not really alive. The thing you have to do with the building is keep it alive,” he notes.
“Many times, when you’re sharing pictures of architecture, it’s difficult for people to connect,” Nicanor goes on. “On Instagram, I add captions that complement the photo. This mainly works when it’s a photo of a detail or something quite abstract. A caption can push the viewer in a direction – like adding some salad to meat to give it more life.
“When you do a series, it’s good to go far away, to take photos of the building in its context,” he suggests. “Many photographers are very focused on the building itself, because that’s what the architect wants. But if you move further out you can integrate it with the other buildings, or see what is happening with the vegetation.
“Working between architecture and travel photography gives me the freedom to move away from pure description and construct images with mood and narrative, where architecture becomes a starting point rather than the final subject.
“This is why I think the best situation is not to be working directly for an architect, so you have a degree more freedom. You can edit a photo to give it more of a mood, and you can construct a history that does more than explain what the architect has done,” Nicanor concludes. “In the end, the building is not for the architect – it’s for the people who will use it.”
