An interview with Ontario based architectural photographer Riley Snelling
“In 2017 I decided to shift my focus back to architectural photography. I reached out to local photographers for assisting gigs and was taken under the wings of Younes and Amanda from Doublespace, two of the most incredible photographers who I still admire greatly. I got to work with them on almost every shoot for just under two years. During this time I developed a handful of my own clients and slowly my commissions started to increase.”
All photography by Riley Snelling - Words by Riley Snelling & Pete Helme
Riley Snelling is an Ontario based architectural photographer. After graduating from Ryerson University with a BFA in Photography Riley worked alongside some of Toronto’s top architectural photographers as both an assistant and retoucher. In 2018 Riley started to pursue his own clients, transitioning to photography full time by the end of the year.
Working alongside the architect, Riley aims to understand each project from both a design and client perspective. Riley’s approach to shooting architecture is founded on a quiet observation of people, weather, composition, and light.
His work has been featured on Azure, Designlines, Dwell, Divisare, Design Milk and dozens more.
Hi Riley, I hope all is safe and well with you and many thanks for taking the time to share with our community.
Can I say I have been a huge fan for sometime when you first came onto my radar a few years ago. What has been keeping you occupied recently and what your plans for 2022 and beyond?
Thank you Pete! Very honoured to be on here. I was expecting 2021 to be another year of lockdowns but so far it’s been my busiest year on record and I’m still working through the retouching on a handful of projects. My wife and I have a baby on the way for early 2022 so I’ll be taking a bit of time off to adjust to our new schedule. From a work standpoint I try to keep my expectations low and my hopes high. If there is one thing I know it’s that this career is predictably unpredictable.
Spoiler Alert - Riley and his wife have had a lovely baby earlier this year - On behalf of the M.mode community can I say a huge congratulations and all the very best for the future adventures to come. I’m sure you’ll have your hands full from now on….
Could you tell us a bit more about your pasts, your education, ethos and how you both approach your work currently?
My interest in photography started in high school. I was gifted a camera for my 15th birthday and my mother insisted I bring it everywhere. Slowly I warmed up to it and eventually the camera became an excuse to go somewhere and explore. I didn’t know what I was doing but the act of wandering, regardless of getting any images, felt right.
In 2013 I graduated from Ryerson University with a BFA in photography and my first job out of school happened to be working with an architectural photographer. Through this experience I gained a deep appreciation for architectural imagery.
In 2015 I decided to go back to school for graphic design and this led to a marketing position at a local architecture firm. They were looking for someone with a bit of photo experience that could also help with putting together proposals and presentations. As someone who had no technical background in architecture, this experience was eye opening and the industry insights I gained helped me enormously later in my career. Most weeks I would be in the office but occasionally I would be sent out to photograph a project. I realised the days when I was taking photos were my happiest and I couldn’t see myself sitting behind a desk for the rest of my life.
In 2017 I decided to shift my focus back to architectural photography. I reached out to local photographers for assisting gigs and was taken under the wings of Younes and Amanda from Doublespace, two of the most incredible photographers who I still admire greatly. I got to work with them on almost every shoot for just under two years. During this time I developed a handful of my own clients and slowly my commissions started to increase.
What an apprenticeship and how lucky for you to work under two of the most talented and recognisable duos in our industry. I, like many, am a huge admirer of Younes & Amanda’s body of work…I’d be humbled one day if they ever did an interview on here.
How do you go about getting work and what do you find is the best solution you've found?
When things are slow, I stay busy and photograph something that catches my eye. I found that the best way to open a dialogue with a firm is to show them photos of their own work. It does take persistence and won’t guarantee you get hired but it puts you on their radar.
Good advice…butter them up as they say…
Where do you see the future of photography heading, not only in our genre but as a whole?
Overall I feel pretty positive. I think that more emphasis is being placed on the value of quality images and I don’t see the demand going away. It’s also great to see resources like M-mode and APAlmanac giving photographers a space to share techniques and best practices. Communities like these strengthen the industry. On a side note, when I was getting my BFA a professor suggested we read Susan Sontag’s “On Photography”. This book dives deep into the role of photography in our world. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend getting a copy.
I’ll search for it right away, thanks for the heads up.
What is the interior and architectural scene like where you live and is this where do you do most of your work?
Last year we moved from Toronto to Cambridge, ON. There is a small architecture scene here that is growing but most of my work is in downtown Toronto. A few times a year I travel out of province and to the U.S. From a photography standpoint Toronto has some wonderful projects and a wide mix of established and emerging firms.
I’ve been very lucky to visit Toronto as some very best friends live out there and I loved it. What a city! There seems to be so much talent coming out from the Ontario region….There is yourself, Doublespace and I believe the Barrymiester is from London, Ontario, not to far away.
As a photography community we love a bit of gear talk, 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 and editing.
I shoot tethered to Capture One on my laptop and use natural light as my base for every shot. Sometimes I accent a little with the strobes or fire a frame with a pop of flash and blend in photoshop.
My kit consists of: Canon 5DSR, Canon 5D IV, Canon 17mm TS-E, Canon 24mm TS-E, Canon 50mm TS-E, Canon 70-200 F4, Canon 1.4x Extender, 2x Godox AD600 Flashes, Manfrotto 057, Arca Swiss D4, black cloth, and a DJI Mavic Pro 2.
Nice, quite a compact kit but everything you need in there to achieve what you need.
Do you feel that you're happy with the work you produce?
I’m incredibly grateful for the projects I’ve photographed in the past few years, but I think there is always room for improvement and every shoot is an opportunity to learn. I used to be so hungry for work I would take any job I could get. I’ve done commercial real estate, condos from the 70’s, open air shopping malls, and dozens of other projects that don’t reflect the images I show in my portfolio.
As I’ve gained some experience, I realised that I’m happiest photographing projects my clients and myself are passionate about. It doesn’t need to be the most spectacular project but if there is an idea and a story behind it, I can put my heart into the images and know my input will be appreciated. Seeing my client’s excitement in the images genuinely makes me happy and tells me I’m on the right track.
I completely agree. As my career has evolved and I’ve been luckily enough to work on some incredible projects with some passionates clients. It is working within these teams to achieve a desired outcome is what I love the most.
Do you have any advice for aspiring photographers to keep motivated and pushing yourself forward?
I can’t take credit for this but a while ago I heard another photographer say that there are three things that matter when starting your career. Experience, relationships, and money. Make sure every job has two of those things going for you. Other than that, be persistent, humble, and focus on the images. Making the jump into full-time photography isn’t a quick process.
Great advice, whoever gave you that little nugget of advice knows what they are is talking about.
I think we should talk a bit about copyright.....How do you go about educating your clients about licensing and is there anything we can be doing better to inform our clients better?
I have a pdf with a basic outline of licensing do’s/don’ts that I send to every client before they hire me. Often, I’m dealing with an architect or a marketing person who has limited knowledge of copyright laws, so I try to keep it as simple as possible. I also provide a watermarked set of images in the final set that they can share with third parties who might be interested in licensing the images.The best thing we can do as photographers is to be up-front with our terms and stand our ground when we feel an image has been used inappropriately. In the beginning I would let things slide and brush it off but in retrospect it’s lost revenue and it devalues our industry.
It is a bitter/sweet pill to swallow sometimes. I’m not great with conflict or confrontation but I’m getting a tougher skin in regards to holding my ground and explaining images licensing to my clients.
Where do you draw your inspiration from and how do you go about creating your stylised look?
I’m inspired everyday on Instagram but it’s important to ground yourself from that world. Lately I’ve started to focus less on individual images and more on images as a set. So much of architectural photography is just being present in a space and watching light, weather, and people. I find some of my best work comes from when I get to spend 2 or 3 days on a project. Working at a slower pace lets me explore a deeper narrative.
Sounds wonderful, can I join….
Do you have a favourite thing you like to shoot and why?
I don’t have a favourite subject, but I love the experiences. Sunrises are always incredible no matter how tired you feel. Being deep in the woods shooting a cottage gives me a sense of calm. Standing still with a tripod on a subway platform watching people rush to work makes me feel lucky. The camera for me is a tool to be somewhere and experience something. These moments get me out of bed regardless of what I’m shooting.
I like that. I love nothing more than capturing architecture within nature. Is there a better feeling than when the light is just perfect and as you say a sense of calm washes over you.
What would say the highlight of your career would be to this point?
One of my first big contracts came from Toronto Transit Commission. They hired me to document seven new subway stations. I was given a transit pass with access to areas of the city that many don’t get to experience or see. The shoots were broken down into multiple visits over the course of two years. The flexibility to work at my own pace and freedom of movement was wonderful. The images didn’t gain a ton of publicity but I loved every minute of it.
Do you have any favourite photographers that inspire you and anyone you think we should be keeping an eye out for?
Too many. But within Canada I would have to say Felix Michaud, Maxime Broullet, Adrien Williams, Scott Norsworthy, Doublespace and Nanne Springer. Shai Gil (who now lives in Israel) is also an incredible photographer that I assisted on a handful of shoots.
Outside of the architectural photo world I love Alec Soth, Pieter Hugo, Alastair Philip Wiper, Vincent Fournier, and Rineke Dijkstra.
What a great list. Some hugely influential and inspiration photographers there.
Lastly, what have you learnt and taken away from the past few years events?
Everything has a way of working itself out.
Riley Snelling - 2021