2019 Allied Member: Studio 66 LLC

Mark Bealer, Co-Owner, Studio 66 LLC

Who inspires you? 

Ezra Stoller, the pioneer of modern Architectural Photography. A recent book of his work is “Photographic History of Modernism.” His style was to spend time studying a building to find the best light/time of day to make the pictures from the different angles. He used natural light, versus flash, to depict architecture as it was in its original state. 

An artistic historian, not a documentary photographer, he photographed mainly in B&W, although it can be more difficult to make an intriguing picture without color.

Book Excerpt: “Under his lens, design is elevated to heights unforeseen by the architects themselves.”

What is a favorite recent project?

We were tasked to photograph Lisle Elementary School, just west of Chicago, which was designed by Perkins & Will. Fortunately I was able to spend 3 ½ days at the school, and with it being a ground up, brand-new build, it took every bit of that to show it at it’s best. I had multiple areas to photograph and they were in all four directions of the compass. 

The main focus was in the enormous Learning Resource Center, a very large atrium Library/media center the students would use multiple ways each day. We were to concentrate on how the design of the ceiling promotes natural day lighting and acoustic control.

What do you consider your strongest skill?

Inside of photography, regardless of the modern tools, my strongest skill must be in my ability to listen and understand what an architect is asking me to translate about their design in the still photo.

What do you love most about what you do? 

I love searching for, finding and creating that one “signature shot” which reveals the vision of an architectural project.

When you’re not being a photographer, what are you doing?

You will find me generally being outdoors, canoeing/camping hiking and biking in the mountains, especially North Carolina.