Working independently since 1988, Roland Halbe started out shooting commercial architecture, but quickly became one of the most recognized professionals in architecture photography, earning international commissions from architects, agencies and all kinds of media outlets.
In 1996 he co-founded Artur Images, an online archive of architecture and interior images, representing over 200 photographers from all over the world including, of course, himself.
1. When and how did you start photographing architecture?
I started in 1988 with comercial architecture photography.
My first client was a very big glass manufacturing company who comissioned me to illustrate their annual report with photographs of historical and temporary glass buildings
2. Are you an architect?
No. I studied advertising photography in a private art school in Italy.
3. Why do you like to photograph architecture?
I like to document built reality. I am fascinated by good architecture and like to show, how architecture reacts with light, geometrical forms and symmetries, surroundings and people.
4. Favorite architect?
Many: Morphosis, Jean Nouvel, Alvaro Siza, Zaha Hadid, Francisco Mangado, Anton Garcia Abril to name only a few.
Not to forget the old masters: Mies, Kahn, Behrens, Le Corbusier
5. Favorite building?
Too many: the ESO guesthouse in the Atacama desert in Chile by Auer + Weber, Ensamble studios "Truffle" in Galicia/Spain
To pick just 2 that pop up instantly
6. How do you work?
Trying to get a precise picture of the project beforehand.
On site: tour of the building with the architect before.
Moving around/in and outside the building, following the light and life of the building for 1, 2 or more days depending on size and complexity of the project
7.- What kind of equipment and software do you use?
Large format camera (ALPA MAX) with schneider and rodenstock lenses from 23 to 150mm, usind a LEAF back and LEAF capture software.
Final digital editing with Photoshop