“I get the most satisfaction out of capturing that shot where the property I’m photographing and the scenery and the lighting all just come together,” says Dunedin-based commercial and architectural photographer, Graham Warman.

Graham describes his photographic origin story as something of a happy accident, nearly 25 years ago. “I was working a regular office job in London at that time, and I remember one day I was going to work and all I saw were banners and images with photographs everywhere. I got on the train and there were photos everywhere. I got off the train and there were photos everywhere; billboards, banners, photographs everywhere. I suddenly realised I was sick of my day job and I decided to take up photography kind of on a whim.”

He completely immersed himself in learning about the industry, reading everything he could find about how to take beautiful photographs. “I started off as a guy who turned up at a studio looking for a job without pay just to learn, and then transitioned into a full-time assistant before then doing some assistant work for other firms, some of which specialised in interiors and architecture. That’s when I learned how to balance a mixture of strobe and ambient lighting techniques.” When he first tried to venture into business on his own, Graham found the London market especially challenging. “The photos I was taking were okay, but the business side was terrible. Everything you want to do there and everywhere you want to go has already been done a hundred times. There’s a lot of rejection.”

When he met a Kiwi partner and the two eventually moved to Dunedin, Graham was pleasantly surprised by how accommodating the market was. He has since build up an established photography practice working with a range of clients throughout New Zealand. Graham enjoys capturing a variety of photographic subjects and styles – from portraiture to studio product photography to drone videos – but, over the years, he has carved out a speciality and a passion for architectural photography. “I love doing construction photography and getting into those parts of buildings that nobody else gets to see. That may be the part of the work that I love the most.”

Through established relationships with ADNZ and NZIA , Graham has built up an impressive portfolio of clients (including McCoy Wixon, Mason & Wales and construction firms Naylor Love and Calder Stewart), many of whom he now counts as friends. One aspect of the work that he finds particularly rewarding is exploring new and unexpected ways to capture their projects, which sometimes surprise even those who created them. “Quite often, an architect or a builder will see my images and say they hadn’t even noticed the angle I shot. Capturing unique angles and shapes and the ways that interiors and exteriors connect – these are all things that I’ve learned with a lot of experience. I usually take an hour or so to walk around any new site before I shoot, just to get the feel for the place. I’ll get as much detail from the client beforehand as I can, but I also like to bring fresh eyes to the space so I can really capture the essence of the building and find the best angle that represents that property.”

Graham considers himself fortunate to have built up some key relationships with the New Zealand industry, including the opportunity to shoot campus development projects at University of Otago and a milestone project to capture the then-new build of Dunedin Prison. “I was contracted by the Department of Corrections to shoot that project back in about 2007 and I got the opportunity to shoot for, not just DOC, but also the architect and the builder. I gained so much exposure from that one contract and built up my network. It was a massive project which really helped to establish my practice here.”

While Graham admits that picture-perfection can be easier to achieve with big-budget builds in beautiful natural surrounds, he also enjoys the opportunity to capture the beauty in more modest spaces. “I recently had a job in New Plymouth which was a simple shed home where half of a shed had been turned into a residence. It was a very basic structure but, at the end of the day, the light was perfect and I found this incredible angle where I could capture both the house and the sun setting on to Mt Taranaki behind it. The results were really stunning.”

Football played a defining role in Graham’s early life growing up in Essex, just outside of London. “My upbringing was all about football. I played as a child and I still play, though I’m not as quick as I used to be. I’m actually a little dark today because my beloved West Ham lost this morning. They’ll have another shot next week, but it’ll be a tall order for them to stay in the European Football (Europa League) Championship now.” Despite his deeply-rooted love of football, Graham says that one photographic avenue he hasn’t really pursued is sports. “I’m not very fast. With sports photography, by the time I’ve thought through the shot, the shot is already gone. I’m methodical. That’s the way I like to work. That’s why architecture is such a good fit for me.”

Graham is eager to continue growing his photography practice and is actively seeking out new clients throughout New Zealand and overseas. “I’ve really carved out a space for myself in the architecture and building industry now: shooting buildings and homes, supplier products like roofing and cladding, and also interiors. I love to travel, so I’m always looking to connect with clients who are prepared to bring me to their project to capture it. COVID has been a mixed bag for the industry. There are a lot of challenges around increased timelines and material costs, as well as the recent changes to interest rates, so I’m definitely eager to support industry professionals with some great imagery now before the market cools.”

Graham says he’s also nurturing his life-long interest in the architectural and design process, and revisiting an early passion for drafting. “When I was a little kid, I wanted to become a technical draftsman, but that sort of fell by the wayside. Recently, I’ve actually returned to that. I’ve been shooting buildings and construction for so long that I’ve become increasingly fascinated by how these structures are engineered and put together. So I’ve started studying architectural design. If nothing else, it will make me understand buildings even more than I think I do now.”

To connect with Graham and view his portfolio of images, visit https://www.grahamwarman.co.nz/, https://www.archiphoto.co.nz/ and follow him on Instagram.