An interview with architectural & interiors photographer Alexander Bogorodskiy

“I am fascinated by natural light. So I am trying to capture it at its best, without artificial lighting or heavy post production. The rest is up to the project.”

Born in Russia and based in Portugal since 2015, Alexander Bogorodskiy is an architectural and interior photographer based in the city of Porto.

He dedicates himself to documenting architecture and built environment and his core mission lies in making good design seen and appreciated by a bigger audience.

In his work Alexander puts emphasis on creating highly accurate architectural images by using only natural light and a very delicate post production, which results in a realistic representation of space.

He believes that the purpose of architectural photography is not only to document the architect’s creation, but also to show the scale, meaning and aesthetics of the project.

His clients range from small scale practices to more established award-winning ateliers. He works all across Portugal and is available for assignments abroad.

Hi Alexander, I hope all is safe and well with you and many thanks for taking the time to share with our community. 

I only recently discovered your work on Linkedin of all places, it was a short video about you capturing the 'Igreja do Divino Salvador', which may I congratulate you on as a masterclass. It really took my breath away and your work has inspired me very much.

That work aside, can you tell us what has been keeping you occupied recently throughout 2020 and what your plans for 2021?

Thanks for your comments Pete.

This video was a lockdown project, just like M-mode. The past year was a time for a lot of reflection on my side. Besides shooting projects I dedicated a great deal of time to learning in 2020. This time has allowed me to step back and look at WHY I am doing what I am doing. To see what I am missing and what to improve. So the plan is to pursue this path I have chosen, with more experience, better quality and even stronger spirit!

It is great, in hindsight that many of us have had the time to step back and reflect on things. I really hope, like you, I can take this into the future months and years.

Could you tell us a bit more about your ethos, how you approach your work currently and how you achieve such silky smooth imagery?

Since I discovered architectural photography I have been attracted to those masters who capture the space realistically and bring that calming feeling through images.

I am fascinated by natural light. So I am trying to capture it at its best, without artificial lighting or heavy post production. The rest is up to the project.

I feel this has been quite a common talking point recently, many of us taking the step back from post production and just shooting at the right time and letting the light and compositions do the rest. Perhaps we’re all learning….

You have a wonderful eye and a very minimal approach in your compositions, this is something that drew me to your portfolio. Is this something you enjoy and are you looking to refine it further in the future?

Absolutely.

Composition is something I am currently working on, learning from the masters of photography and painting.

Minimalist spaces is just something I personally prefer to shoot (at least at this stage), because I can better show the effects of natural light in such spaces.

Give me a beautiful minimal space anyday to shoot. I love them!

I have enjoyed watching your films recently and what I really like is the different pace and attention you give to each project.

Is most of your video shot on drone for interior as well as exterior? Also, with the increase in video usage where do you see the future of photography heading, not only in our genre but as a whole?

Thanks Pete.

The credits for the Church video go to my friend Diego Turiel. He is a talented videographer and I am learning a lot from his techniques. Yes many shots in the video are done by drone, even on the interior.

Video is something I am also working on now to include in my service. I believe it’s a powerful way of communicating architecture, and there is a market for it. Nevertheless I don’t believe video will ever surpass photography in popularity.

Yes it becomes a trend now, but the image has some qualities that video will never have. Image is a static piece which allows you to pause and emerge yourself in the frame. It is made for contemplation, it makes your imagination work. Whereas video gives you a ready product, its complete and leaves little room for your own thinking.

I like that, image is made for contemplation and imagination, nice…

Some people love it, others loathe it but as a photography community we have to discussed a bit of gear.

Could you tell us what equipment you have in your bag and enlighten those who aren't familiar a little bit more about your process.

My gear includes a Canon 6D and a set of Canon lenses: 24mm+17mm TS-E , 24-70mm, 70-200mm, plus a Manfrotto tripod.

I am really not a tech nerd. I am all about improving my own skills in photography rather than breaking my head over state of the art equipment.

As you can see I have the most basic camera and most essential lenses. The rest is up to my skills.

I agree, it is not about the equipment but how you use it.

Do you feel that you're happy with the work you produce and do you ever suffer from 'Imposter Syndrome'?

This is something I've been discussing with others recently and I'm not alone. As my own personal work progresses, I look around at others work and sometimes just want to give up!

Do you have any advice?

I will tell you more, I often look at the work of established photographers and go like “I cant believe their work is just as bad as mine!” haha. At these moments I realize that nobody is perfect.

But in all seriousness, of course I have it sometimes. As creatives we are always very critical about our work. What helps me is – once the editing is done, I don’t sit over the images for hours, instead I come back to them the next day and with a fresh eye I can see if I have done a decent job.

Remember that a perfect image you see on someone’s portfolio is the result of 100 so-so images prior to that.

That is so true….I never thought of it like that. That makes me feel so much better.

Where do you draw your inspiration from and how do you go about creating your stylised look?

My inspiration comes from other fellow photographers, I don’t think I have a “stylized look”.

In my photography I am communicating how the project really is. The project has its own style. My portfolio may look a certain “style” because I have been including only very specific projects, which share certain characteristics.

You may not know it yet but you certainly have or are developing a style. I look at your imagery and it appears so soft, smooth and beautiful. Perhaps this may change but I love your work….

Do you have a favourite thing you like to shoot and why?

Minimalist interiors with lots of sunlight. Just love it.

Me too…high five!

What would you say is the highlight of your career to this point?

One of the most fun projects I had a chance to shoot was on Azores islands. I was invited to shoot a rental villa for the owner.

They flew me in with Diego, who would make a video while I take care of photography. We stayed in the house we were shooting for about 5 days and once we were done with work we rented a car and went exploring by ourselves.

We’ve seen some stunning places, tried local cuisine, swam in hot springs… I love my job :D

Sounds very cool. I do love it when you get the chance to travel and explore with our work. I hope travel comes back soon.

Do you have any favourite photographers that inspire you and anyone you think we should be keeping an eye out for?

Some of my favourites are: Mariela Apollonio, José Campos and David Zarzoso.

I don’t know these folks, I’ll definitely be checking them out.

Lastly, what has been your favourite takeaway in all the lockdowns?

What happened with pandemic was a valuable lesson for all of us.

For me, I learned that we have to be prepared for unforeseen events. Solid financial planning is a must, especially for business owners.

What happened in 2020 made me dive deeper into the accounting part and I strongly recommend to young photographers to start organizing it ASAP.

In order to run a photography business successfully, taking beautiful images is simply not enough. We’ve got to have a knowledge about administration, marketing, finances, etc.

Luckily there is enough advice on the internet, so there is no excuse not to learn.

I agree, there are a lot of people who are good at marketing themselves but perhaps not the best photographers and vica versa…

A huge thank you to Alexander for taking the time out for his brilliant takeover showcase and for his interview.

To see more of Alexander’s work visit his website - www.photoshoot.pt - Instagram