Lobby of the CRL Tower Chengdu, China Photo © Paul Dingman 2019
The simplest designs often make the strongest statements. I was passing through the lobby of the new CRL Office Tower in Chengdu when I saw this scene and grabbed it with my I phone. It’s interesting how this cold, hard marble lobby generates a warm airy feeling. The minimal but distinctive furnishings make a strong statement in this understated space. Good design offers a refreshing view and experience of our surroundings. It opens us up to experiencing the built environment from a new perspective. And that experience enriches our lives.
I have decades of experience in photography. I studied composition and visual content, photo processing, and optics. I worked very hard on mastering the application of light as a studio photographer. But it was not until I focused exclusively on architecture that I began to understand the importance of design in my photography. The design of a photograph is the all-encompassing thread that unifies all of the other elements of the image – concept, composition, lighting, technique, and execution. It’s deliberate. It’s intentional. And it’s planned to achieve a predetermined previsualized result. Great photographs are not just taken or made; rather, they are designed. There is a great design unifying the elements of every great photograph.
Paul Dingman is an architectural photographer living in China and working throughout Asia. He designs photographs for architects.
Learn more: www.dingmanphoto.com