By Sterling E. Stevens

4 August 2007

1. What kind of designer are you?

I practice architecture.

2. What did you want to do for a living when you were a kid?

My desire to become an architect began at age ten. Like many wannabe architects, I enjoyed drawing and playing with building blocks and Legos as a child. As a perpetual nerd, my high school lunch period served as extra time to learn how to draft and design in our technical drawing classroom.

3. What is it about your design work that makes your photography better? And vice versa? Where do you see parallels between the two?

My design background directly influenced my foray into photography. I believe that architecture purposely (and inadvertently) adds to, alters, and mirrors our natural earth, the built human environment, our cultural and socioeconomic experience, collective ideas of aesthetic appeal, and time itself. Built structures then become a measurable dichotomy between impact and reflection that can complement, supercede, or be overwhelmed by its surroundings or any particular moment.

With this personal understanding of our built environment, I first picked up a camera five years ago and became so enthralled with photography that I have been unable to put it down since. My design acumen parallels photography to not only freeze unique intersections of human-built structure with its surroundings, but illustrate how those elements can bridge environments. Occasionally, architecture becomes self-referential and develops into its own contained environment.

Seeing the world through a viewfinder has made a surprisingly delightful impact on my design. Photography has not only provided new ways to express my creativity, but continually challenges how I see the world, our impact on it, and vice versa. Forming personal ideas about photography is now inextricably linked to my evolution as a young architectural designer shaping to the world. Both my camera shutter and pencil serve to draw correlations between built elements and a) the natural earth, b) our human experience, c) transitional elements of light, shadow, reflection and time, and d) the built environment itself.

4. What do you find most challenging about your work?

I am lucky to productively implement architecture, photography, and general design abilities in a single work studio. Daily multitasking among several modes of creativity while working within practical constrains of budgets, deadlines, and a never-ending series of phone calls and e-mail communication is both the most exciting and challenging aspect so far.

5. Do you have design heroes? Photography heroes?

My photography hero is Ansel Adams because of his precision for detail and qualitative control over his craft; each photo is painstakingly designed and executed.

My three favorite architects are Renzo Piano for his elegant building design, Santiago Calatrava for illuminating the inherent beauty of structure, and Tadao Ando for mastery of light within organic shapes, spaces, and form.

6. Name some unexpected sources of inspiration you've had.

The wealthy encyclopedia of information about architecture and photography available on the Internet is overwhelming. I am being exposed to and influenced by artisans I would have never noticed otherwise and can instantly share and communicate ideas with an international community. To be exposed to such continual streams of creativity is invigorating.

My biggest personal surprise during my photographic journey is how enamored I became with the simplicity and rustic nature of the rural landscape. Accustomed to the city and suburbs, I never imagined being pulled towards dilapidated barns, crop fields, and barbed wire.

7. Do you have any regular habits/exercises that make you a better designer? Photographer?

The easiest habit to maintain is daily exposure to photography and architecture through the internet, book and magazine publications, brick and mortar art galleries, and continual discussion among regional designers and photographers. The most difficult habit would seem the most obvious - experience is the best practice. Similar to tackling design solutions on a daily basis, my camera equipment never gets dusty and the progressive benefits become clear over time. Just keep doing it!

However, the most significant routine is to never stop asking questions. Creativity is the budding child of curiosity and one should never be afraid to address what they do not know. As a rambunctious kid, I pestered adults with my questions no matter how stupid they seemed and am now convinced it's one of many reasons that my mother's hair is turning shock white. Today, my countenance still often bears perplexity and my boss and older experienced photographers can attest with chagrin my numerous questions! Why have it any other way? Embrace curiosity, love creativity, and never deny either.

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