Photographing architecture on film in California

Architectural Film Pho...Residential Architectu...
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I think I am falling in love with film photography for architecture.

I was recently in California filming an online course on architectural filmmaking with my good friend Arturo and we were fortunate to spend a full week in two amazing locations.

The first location was in Bel Air… on a lot that Marilyn Monroe used to live on… that Usher was going to be filming a music video at just a few days after us. No big deal.

The other location was a penthouse in Century City overlooking all of the cliche Hollywood stuff like Beverly Hills, Hollywood, etc.

During our breaks, I got out the film camera and fired off a few frames and just wanted to share them with you.

Side note - if anyone is interested in having a project photographed in film (in addition to the normal digital photos) I am strongly considering *now, as of 2025, offering this as an option in both 35mm and medium format film. There is truly something magical about it!

Elevated view across Los Angeles with a golf course, urban neighborhoods, and the downtown skyline in the distance.

Elevated view across Los Angeles, shot on 35mm film from a Beverly Hills residence.

Modern living room with white sectional seating, custom wood shelving, warm sunlight, and sliding glass doors opening to a terrace.

Modern living room with custom wood shelving and terrace access in this Bel Air mansion.

Minimal powder bath with a floating sink, backlit mirror, recessed shelves, and geometric textured wall tile.

Minimal powder bath with floating vanity and textured tile, shot on film.

Sunlit bathroom view with marble wall tile, custom vanity, freestanding tub, and a framed passage into an adjoining room.

Sunlit bathroom with marble wall tile and custom vanity.

Primary bathroom with freestanding tub, glass shower enclosure, marble tile, and copper-toned plumbing fixtures.

The primary bath with a freestanding tub, glass shower enclosure, and copper fixtures, photographed on 35mm film.

Contemporary living room with curved sectional seating, textured lounge chairs, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Los Angeles.

Floor-to-ceiling glass frames a sweeping view of downtown Los Angeles from a Beverly Hills penthouse.

View through a primary bath with stone tile, freestanding tub, floating vanity, and warm afternoon light.

Soft afternoon light pulling through a stone-tiled primary bath, the kind of moment that only lasts a few minutes.

Sculptural stair with curved dark railing, pendant lights, wood treads, and hillside views beyond the glass.

A sculptural stair with a curved dark railing and pendant lighting, photographed on film at a Bel Air mansion.

Round soaking tub beside full-height glass in a warm modern bathroom with wood vanity and garden view.

A round soaking tub positioned beside full-height glass, looking out into the garden below.

Person seated on a stepped wood stair beside a glass railing, warm wood walls, and late-day sunlight.

A quiet moment featuring Arturo sitting on the wood stair, warm walls, and late afternoon sun finding its way through the glass.

Bathroom passage framing marble tile, geometric wallcovering, custom shelving, and soft natural light.

A bathroom passage layering marble tile, geometric wallcovering, and custom shelving, shot on 35mm film.

Sunlit high-rise bathroom with a sculptural sink, copper mirror, black marble base, and expansive city views.

A sculptural sink, copper mirror, and black marble base in a high-rise bathroom overlooking Los Angeles.

Open plan living area with floor-to-ceiling glass, terrace access, modern seating, and long afternoon shadows.

Long afternoon shadows cutting across the open plan living area.

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