From Sketch to Reality: Architecture Photographic Magic by Anna Devís and Daniel Rueda

For those who may not be familiar with our work, let us introduce ourselves to give you a clearer picture of what we do and why. We are Anna and Daniel, better known as @anniset and @drcuerda on Instagram, a fine art photography duo from Valencia, Spain. We met over a decade ago while studying architecture at university—yes, we are indeed former architects!

Today, we use our background in architecture to make photos that help people appreciate and feel curious about the built environment. Unlike traditional architectural photography, our approach goes beyond capturing the aspect of buildings and structures. We interact with them to tell a unique and special story in each picture. In other words, in our photography, there is always a location and an idea.

The Location

We like to say that the locations choose us rather than the other way around. While there are occasions when we’re assigned specific sites for projects, more often than not, we stumble upon unique spots that inspire our stories.

One thing we always recommend for those looking to create artworks in the city is to be a tourist in your own town; never take it for granted! Avoid walking from place to place with your eyes glued to your phone. Instead, take time to enjoy the journey and rediscover your surroundings with a fresh perspective. Inspiration can be found in something as simple as an unusually shaped window, a colorful wall, or an intricate façade pattern. You’ll be amazed at the incredible scenes your city has to offer!

The Idea

A key aspect of our artistic approach is creating the illusion of effortlessness, even though our process involves lots of planning. From selecting the right outfit to studying the movement of the sun for optimal lighting, every detail is carefully considered.

We often take quick photos of locations we like with our phone cameras and brainstorm potential stories for each spot from our studio by sketching ideas on paper. These simple drawings help us clarify our vision and understand what props will be needed.

Initially, we focused on geometry, scale, and forced perspective. Over time, we started incorporating clothing and small objects to interact with the architecture. Today, we also enjoy designing and using ephemeral installations that we create ourselves—like the balloon cord shown in the image! Careful planning is essential to ensure our ideas come to life exactly as we envision them!

Photo-shooting

When creating art around the city, we highly recommend determining the best time to shoot. Lighting is crucial; we always check for the right time when we can enjoy soft natural light in the scene to avoid harsh shadows in the image.

Equally important as lighting is ensuring the location is free of people—quite the opposite of street photography. That’s why we often find ourselves taking photos on Saturday or Sunday mornings while the city is still asleep. There’s something magical about photographing at sunrise when the streets are empty: no cars, no people, the city feels like it’s all yours. While waking up early on the weekend can be challenging for many, it’s incredibly rewarding. If you’re still not convinced, plan a delicious breakfast after your shoot to celebrate your early start—or treat yourself to a power nap afterwards!

Camera

Creating these images would not be possible without the right camera. As Hasselblad ambassadors, we’re always excited to get our hands on the latest and greatest from Hasselblad. This time, they truly knocked it out of the park with the new Hasselblad X2D, which is the camera we’re currently using. It’s not only the most beautiful camera we’ve ever held in our hands, but it’s also an incredible machine.

If there are two things that are crucial for us, they are color and detail. The X2D excels in both areas, thanks to the world-famous Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution (HNCS) and its remarkable 100-megapixel sensor. The colors are incredibly true to life, and the level of detail is simply unparalleled.

In short, the Hasselblad X2D embodies everything we love about photography: stunning design, extraordinary color accuracy, and incredible detail. It’s a camera that inspires us every time we pick it up.

Tripod

Last but not least, for our type of photography, where we turn a planned sketch into a real scene, having a great tripod is also crucial. When we set up our shot, the tripod is key to keeping the camera steady and in the same spot for the whole time we’re shooting. This helps us take as many shots as we need until we get the perfect image. The street becomes our photography studio, quite literally!

Since the tripod stays in one place during the shoot, it needs to be strong enough to hold its position firmly. But it also needs to be light and easy to carry. We already have a lot of heavy equipment, so we need a tripod that is compact and doesn’t add too much weight.

We currently use the , and it meets all our needs perfectly. It’s strong, light, and easy to carry, making it a great fit for our setup. Plus, it’s Arca-Swiss compatible, which makes switching between shooting in landscape and portrait effortless for us when our X2D is mounted on an L-bracket.

One thing that pleasantly surprised us when we first used this tripod was the friction control on the main knob. Because we focus so much on getting the perfect frame, this feature is really important. It lets us move the camera with a level of precision we hadn’t had before, making it much easier to achieve the exact shot we’re aiming for.

In short, the has become an essential part of our gear. It helps us turn our creative ideas into reality with great accuracy and ease, making our work much more effective and enjoyable.

Conclusion

We hope our story has inspired you to plan a trip to a new city or, even better, to rediscover your own city with fresh eyes! There’s so much to see and explore out there

Remember, every corner holds the potential for a unique story, waiting for you to capture it with your camera.

Whether you’re a seasoned photographer with years of experience or someone who’s just starting out with photography, the joy of exploring new places and being creative is something everyone can enjoy. Every time you pick up your camera and tripod, you have the chance to discover something new and exciting.

So, get out there and start exploring! Take your time to look around and find interesting details in your surroundings. Happy shooting, and may you find beauty in the unexpected!