Visions of Architecture: Photography Masterclass With Ema Peter and Desai Chia Architecture

Visions of Architecture: Photography Masterclass With Ema Peter and Desai Chia Architecture

Envisioning exceptional architecture is a team effort. It takes a wide array of professionals to help conceive a project, convince a client of its value, and communicate its essence once it is complete. Architizer's inaugural Vision Awards is dedicated to the talented people that enable the world to envision amazing architecture through photography, drawings, renderings, video and more, with winners' work celebrated online and in print.

To mark the launch of this landmark awards program, we welcome renowned photographer and Vision Awards Juror Ema Peter to talk through the key ingredients that make for outstanding architectural images. We'll also be joined by fellow jurors, architects Arjun Desai and Katherine Chia of the award-winning Desai Chia Architecture, who will explain how they harness the power of photography to tell the story of their designs, capturing the subtle qualities that make their projects so special.

By attending this talk, you'll learn:

• Which key factors to consider when photographing architecture and the wider built environment.
• How to shoot compelling 'hero' photographs that capture a project's unique essence in one shot.
• How light, color and composition can elevate your architectural images.
• What kinds of images will make for competitive entries in the 2023 Vision Awards.

About Ema

Ema is the principle of Ema Peter Photography. In the past 10 years she has works with some of the largest architectural, interior design and engineering firms in North America. Ema’s photography has helped many of these firms reach award winning status. Her images have been published in Architectural Digest, Objekt International, Dwell, Wired, New York Times and many more. Ema holds a masters degree in art and applied photography from the national academy of theatre and film arts in Sofia Bulgaria as well as a PHD in Photojournalism.

About Katherine

Katherine Chia FAIA is a founding principal of Desai Chia Architecture. Since 1996, she and her partner & husband, Arjun Desai, have established the firm’s reputation for creating inspiring environments expressive of light, materials, and spaces that foster collaboration. The book “The Women Who Changed Architecture” included Katherine and her work in the chapter titled “Raising the Roof.” Katherine earned her Masters of Architecture from M.I.T. and her BA from Amherst College. Previously, she worked for Maya Lin on numerous art and architecture commissions. She is a board member at the Center for Architecture, and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. She is also on the board of the International Center of Photography.

About Arjun

Arjun Desai AIA is a founding principal of Desai Chia Architecture, whose projects have been published extensively and received many accolades including numerous AIA Design Awards and American Architecture Awards, numerous Interior Design Best of Year Awards, and an AIA Institute Honor Award. In 2018, ARCHITECT Magazine ranked Desai Chia Architecture #19 in the nation for Design. Prior to founding the firm with Katherine, he worked at SHCA/NY on numerous civic projects in New York and Washington, D.C. He earned his Master of Architecture degree from M.I.T. and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bennington College.

About Paul

Paul Keskeys is Editor in Chief at Architizer. An architect-trained editor, writer and content creator, Paul graduated from UCL and the University of Edinburgh, gaining an MArch in Architectural Design with distinction. Paul has spoken about the art of architecture and storytelling at many national industry events, including AIANY, NeoCon, KBIS, the Future NOW Symposium, the Young Architect Conference and NYCxDesign. As well as hundreds of editorial publications on Architizer, Paul has also had features published in Architectural Digest, PIN—UP Magazine, Archinect, Aesthetica Magazine and PUBLIC Journal.