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inding one’s passion can be a journey. Many people are not willing to take this journey. I just read a statistic that most people — 80% according to Deloitte’s Shift Index survey — are dissatisfied with their jobs. That is a lot of people 256,800,000, people to be exact. We recently caught up with Nico Marques as he describes what his journey has been like as he combines two of his passions of architecture and in photography to create a company and career that he is passionate about. ..
Please describe your position at your company…
Owner and principal architectural photographer at Nico Marques / Photekt for over 7 years.
How long have you known you wanted to do what you are currently working on?
I have a Master of Architecture degree from SCI-Arc (Southern California Institute of Architecture) and worked as a designer and project manager for several national and international architecture firms for over 10 years. During this time I started to oversee and coordinate photo shoots of our projects due to my experience in the field of photography prior to my architecture career. When one unsupervised photo shoot was deemed insufficient, my principal asked me to fly to the high profile site to supplement the initial shoot with my photographs. My work hit the mark and something “clicked” in my head: I am able to combine two of my life-long passions into one profession! Thus began my architectural photography career, with my brand Photekt established shortly thereafter.
Why are you passionate about what you do?
As an architectural photographer I believe your responsibilities are those of a storyteller and of a documentarian combined. There is no question that you need to “document” the structure as it looks closest to the architect’s vision, but should also create a visual narrative to tell to the viewer. Documentation involves showing something as it is, while storytelling shows it as it should be. As photographers we have to be aware of the fact that most people will see the projects we are photographing through our eyes, that is, in print or digital, as the majority of people interested in a project will never actually physically visit it. This is quite an honor as well as an exciting responsibility impossible to take lightly.
I have however never modeled my life after someone else’s. I believe we are all captains of our own ships, and we need to act accordingly.
How did you overcome your own doubts and the doubts of other people?
As an architectural photographer I believe your responsibilities are those of a storyteller and of a documentarian combined. There is no question that you need to “document” the structure as it looks closest to the architect’s vision, but should also create a visual narrative to tell to the viewer. Documentation involves showing something as it is, while storytelling shows it as it should be. As photographers we have to be aware of the fact that most people will see the projects we are photographing through our eyes, that is, in print or digital, as the majority of people interested in a project will never actually physically visit it. This is quite an honor as well as an exciting responsibility impossible to take lightly.
Citron Apartments in Ventura, CA by KTGY
What were some bumps you hit to get where you’re at now?
There are plenty of things one needs to learn when going out on one’s own. All of a sudden you do everything, from marketing to production to accounting to shopping for supplies. Oh, and you have to get the actual work done too. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by all of this, and my previous experience in project management alongside good advice from calm and collected friends/advisors definitely helped me overcome a few of the “how in the world am I going to get all of this done” moments. I have also learned a lot about copyright law and usage rights, and about the art of writing proposals and contracts.
Finally, the expression for having your own business in German is “selbstständig,” which loosely translated means to “stand on your own.” The joke in German is that anyone in that situation basically is “selbst” (by “oneself”), or “standing”, which in addition to “standing” also means “constantly.” In other words “feast or famine” is the common American expression of the life of the creative entrepreneur. You have to learn to deal with this fact, both financially and emotionally.
Activision Headquarters, Santa Monica, CA by Rios Clementi Hale Studios and REX
What is one thing you did wrong in the past that you can share with people?
Read the contract before signing it. I have made the mistake very early on of just signing without reading, which later meant that I had actually signed away my rights to a suite without realizing it. I tried to argue, but a call from a large N.Y. law firm basically ended all my aspirations. Only I am to blame for this, nobody else, as I did not take the time to read the document. Sure, I was on set already, it was a notable client, time was running, I was excited. None of that matters in the end. My client did the right thing for their interest, and I made a blatant mistake, which helped me learn and for which I am grateful to this particular client as well as the lawyer who called me later on. Mistakes are by far the best education you can get if you decide to learn from them.
What is a way you got your name out there?
Like most startups I initially relied entirely on word of mouth. Due to my background and Master’s degree in architecture I know quite a few architects around town and throughout the world. Speaking to friends, I got my first few gigs, and then they would speak to other friends and so it went.
Things were coming along nicely when a friend suggested I should seek professional help (in outreach, not the other kind) and I was fortunate to be introduced to my publicist extraordinaire Steven Le Vine. Along with our publications and direct inquiries Steven has really helped put things into overdrive for Photekt.
Boston Consulting Group West Coast Headquarters in Manhattan Beach, CA by R&A
Is there anything that almost stopped you from doing this?
The decision to go into business by yourself, for yourself, is always a daunting prospect, especially when you have a family and are not willing nor able to live off Top Ramen every day anymore. I had the luxury of being able to pursue this profession part time with a full time job in architecture alongside it. This gave me a little bit of breathing room initially and took the pressure off a bit. I was working a lot, but still receiving a salary and insurance via my “day job.” When I decided to go full force after a couple of years it made the jump less daunting as I had a client base and a rudimentary understanding of what was coming my way. Lucky for me I have a wonderful wife who stood 100-percent behind my decision, and after two years my income matched my previous day job salary.
Is there anyone in your profession that you admire and/or model yourself after?
There are a number of photographers I admire for different reasons, be it for their technical expertise in certain areas, or their ability to catch that “decisive moment,” or even their humor or strength of message in their photography. I have however never modeled my life after someone else’s. I believe we are all captains of our own ships, and we need to act accordingly. We might be inspired or turned off by elements seen in other people’s lives, but what we do with our own remains exclusively ours. That Cure song “Why can’t I be you” comes to mind, which I always found amusing and fitting.
I think James Nachtwey is amazing for his at-times shocking but very important imagery. I find Sebastião Salgado’s images awe-inspiring and almost tear up when I see some of the photographs. And. I laugh out loud with Elliott Erwitt’s work. There are many inspiring practitioners of the art of photography out there, and I learn from them every day.
California State University Bakersfield Residence Complex in Bakersfield, CA by Steinberg
How do you continue to perfect your craft?
Looking at photographs and art, researching new techniques and technology, and most of all, by looking at my own work through critical eyes. It’s all nice and good to say “Woah, look at the great photograph I took” and rest on that. Some people do this, and it’s fine for them. I want to improve with every shoot I do, thus I focus on elements I think could be improved and push in that direction. I know there is no such thing as perfection, thus, by definition, I have infinite room to grow.
The target might change slightly, so you might have to adjust your focus, but don’t just float and get tangled up in the day to day.
One Santa Fe Apartments in Los Angeles, CA by Michael Maltzan Architecture and KTGY Architects
What’s some advice you can share for anyone who wants to pursuit what you are doing?
Focus. Yes, of course, pun intended, but seriously, FOCUS! Know what you are going after, and then figure out how to get there. There are all the clichéd expressions like “keep your eye on the ball” and “eyes on target,” etc., but you really do have to have a plan or goal in mind in order to achieve this goal. Myopia is a bad way to start a career I believe, so thinking ahead and choosing a target is a must. The target might change slightly, so you might have to adjust your focus, but don’t just float and get tangled up in the day to day. Then, all of a sudden you have no idea where you were or are going, and it will show.
You have a nice online website. How much of your business is driven by online buyers/clients?
A website is your online calling card and portfolio. You are creating an image of and for yourself and thus should take this medium very seriously. This will most likely be a client’s first interaction with your work and your business, so it better be spot on. According to analytics my website has a steady stream of traffic, and I have had quite a few inquiries through it.
Steinberg Office in Los Angeles, CA by Steinberg
Where can people go to find out more about your awesome products/services?
People can keep up with the latest news on Photekt through our website, www.photekt.com; as well as on Facebook at “Photekt Architectural Photography,” and on Twitter, Instagram and Periscope with the simple handle @photekt
Backyard BI(h)ome by UCLA Citylab and Kevin Daly Architects in Los Angeles, CA
Thanks for sharing your story and your wisdom Nico!!
The post Interview Nico Marques: Mixing Passions To Become an Architectural Photographer appeared first on 7 Days Theory.