Batyshchev Vitalii

Instagram | @ssortass

Sabin Prodan:

How did you decide to start doing architectural photography? Did you set out to pursue a career in the field, or did it just happen?

Batyshchev Vitalii:

I didn’t plan to become an architectural photographer; it grew naturally from my life. I was working as a location manager for a production company, constantly surrounded by spaces, buildings, and environments. My job was to search for places with character, atmosphere, and story. At the same time, I always had a camera in my hands.

Over time, I realized I wasn’t just scouting locations, I was already framing them, studying the light, observing geometry, and silence. I was instinctively photographing architecture before I even called it architecture photography. So it didn’t feel like a decision. It felt inevitable

S.P.

How do you approach a photo shoot? Do you prepare in advance, follow a certain procedure, ask the client  for a brief?

B.V.

Yes, of course, understanding the client’s wishes is very important. Usually, I ask them about the emotional and technical brief. Also, I can tell how important is to prepare their location for a better photoshoot.

S.P.

We tend to focus on what the result of our work looks like, but we rarely talk about what happens behind the camera. What does a day in your life as a photographer look like?

B.V.

Creating even small things can turn even usual daily things into art, so on a daily basis, I’m trying to create something. Always thinking about something new.

S.P.

What would an ideal photo shoot look like for you? How do you know when you have everything you need in a frame? Can you describe your thought process or the steps you take before pressing the shutter?

B.V.

An ideal shoot is quiet. No rush, no chaos, just space, light, and time to observe. Before I even raise the camera, I walk around. I study how the light moves, how the lines interact, how the architecture breathes. I try to feel the rhythm of the place.

When I look through the viewfinder, I’m not searching anymore, I’m refining, removing distractions. Simplifying. Reducing the frame to only what matters. Photography has rules, geometry, balance, perspective, and I respect them. But intuition is just as important.

I know the moment is right when everything feels aligned: the light, the composition, the silence. Then I press the shutter. Not to capture the building,  but to capture the feeling of being there

S.P.

Do you approach architectural photography differently from interior design photography? Since you started photographing until now, have you noticed any changes or evolution in the way you shoot or in the environment around you?

B.V.

Yes, of course, I can see the difference in my photography. We are always learning something new, so we are sharpening our skills. Personally, I just love to photograph, and it doesn’t matter what kind it is.

S.P.

How do you see the interaction between the client, the one who requests the photos, and the photographer?

B.V.

I see them always in a friendly environment.

S.P.

What is your perspective on copyright and crediting your work?

B.V.

My art work or fine art prints should be protected. It’s important because they’re our creations as photographers, but in working on a commercial basis, it’s just a subject of discussion and interaction with the client.

S.P.

What is our role? Do photographs have an impact on how architecture is perceived?

B.V.

We don’t just photograph architecture. We define how it will be seen. Buildings exist in space. Photographs make them exist in memory. Light, shadow, silence, scale, we choose what the world notices and what it feels.

A wall can be power. A window can be loneliness. A structure can become a story. Through our lens, forgotten places return to life. New spaces become desirable. Cities gain identity.

Long after materials decay, photographs remain. Sometimes the image outlives the architecture itself. That’s our responsibility. That’s our influence. Architects build spaces. We build perception. We are not observers. We are collaborators with time

S.P.

If you could change one thing about what you do, what would that be?

B.V. 

I would travel more to see more beautiful places.

S.P.

What motivates you in this field?

B.V.

Motivation comes from two places. Photography is my profession, it supports my life, so of course there’s a practical side to it. But what truly drives me is something deeper. Certain spaces give me energy. Especially brutalist architecture — raw concrete, strong geometry, silence, weight. It feels honest and timeless.

When I work in locations like that, it doesn’t feel like a job anymore. It feels personal. Those are the shoots where I forget about time and just create.

S.P.

Is there a particular project you would especially like to photograph?

B.V.

I want to make a series of photographs of the architecture designed by Mexican architect Luis Barragan.

S.P.

Besides architectural photography, what other type of photography do you do or would like to explore?

B.V.

Besides architecture, I shoot street photography and behind-the-scenes on film sets.

Street photography keeps me alert, and it teaches me to react fast, to notice small details, light, gestures, and unexpected moments.
BTS is different. It’s about observing people, processes, and the energy behind creation. Architecture gives me structure and silence.
Street photography gives me life and chaos. BTS gives me a story.

Together, they balance each other and shape the way I see the world.

S.P.

Are you working on any personal projects?

B.V.

Always. It’s usually interesting ideas that I’m trying to create with my close surroundings and friends.

S.P.

Sources of inspiration — photographers you look up to? Not necessarily from architectural or interior photography.

B.V. 

Ren Hang. He has always inspired me, not because of technique, but because of freedom.

His work feels fearless, raw, and honest. There’s no decoration, no pretending, just pure emotion and direct visual language. That kind of courage in photography really resonates with me.

Even though I shoot architecture, I’m drawn to the same simplicity and honesty, stripping everything down to the essential..

S.P.

A few words about your gear? A photo would be enough, but how would you describe your camera bag?

B.V.

My bag, hmm… In my bag I’m carrying Sony products: Sony Alpha 7 Mark 4 and a couple of GM lenses. Also, there’s always a film camera in my bag, to shoot small things, and a lot of different film rolls.

S.P.

Have you ever refused a photo shoot? Can you say what the reason was?

B.V.

Never in my life.

S.P.

What are your fears before starting a new photography project (if you have any), and what’s your routine for taming them?

B.V.

I’m always a little nervous before a shoot. For me, it’s a good sign. It means I care. Every new space feels like a first time, and there’s always pressure to do it justice.
I try not to fight that feeling. Instead, I slow down. I arrive early, walk around, observe the light, and drink my flower tea.It became a small ritual — it helps me breathe, focus, and tune into the space. After that, the anxiety turns into concentration.

S.P.

How do you know you did well, photographically speaking, in the end? What lessons have you learned through practicing architecture photography? 

B.V.

I can feel at the end of the shooting that I did great. I’m looking at photos and I’m smiling. Photography gives me that emotion, so I can really feel it. I learned that sometimes there are no rules in photography, just pure joy and inspiration.

S.P. 

What concrete/conscious approach do you take in trying to improve your architectural photography process? 

B.V.

Shoot as much as I can, that’s my way of approaching this process. Practicing and practicing again.

S.P.

How do you promote yourself as an architectural photographer? 

B.V.

Since I have changed my country of residence, I had to do everything from scratch. Communication, promotion on the Internet, new acquaintances and friends, attempts to publish in magazines, and work with famous brands. I hope all these will help me promote myself as a photographer in a new place, and recognition from people who, thanks to my vision, can observe the beauty of architecture through my lens.

Thank you, Batyshchev Vitalii, for taking part in this project. For more similar articles check the blog page at tryingtodoart.com/blog