Portfolio

Athletic Facilities

"Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light."

Le Corbusier (Swiss-French Architect)

A symmetrical view of the locker room at the Univ. of Alabama, showing the custom ceiling graphics

University of Alabama Bryant-Denny Stadium | Locker RoomDavis Architects

The ultimate multipurpose athletic facility, the Colosseum, has stood in Rome as a venue for athletic competition, spectacle, and tourism, for almost 2000 years. When photographing slightly newer athletic facilities for our clients, we focus on the venue design that draws people together in an experiential fashion capturing form and function as a destination for spectators, athletes, and their teams.

Athletic facilities are more than merely a field, stadium, gym, natatorium, or ballpark. Quite often, the activity which takes place within, offers tremendous economic development for the owner and the immediate surrounding. Their very existence as hosts of sport also provides a school or a community a sense of belonging, a connection to a wider world. In this sense, athletic facilities transcend being mere structures and take on the role of a conduit to build a sense of unity.

An athletic venue offers the photographer a unique set of pragmatic challenges and opportunities. We routinely find ourselves working with the operations team to coordinate things like timing for chalk lines to be applied to a field, which personnel are available to control lighting and graphics, and synchronizing practice and game schedules to have athletes in (or out of) the facility, as desired. Planning is how we stay ahead of the game.

When pursuing athletic facility projects with colleges and universities

strong and compelling architectural photography is one of the most effective marketing tools architects and interior designers can use. Decision makers evaluate aesthetic design, technical performance of a facility, and how it supports recruitment, student experience, institutional branding, fundraising, and community engagement. High-quality photography helps communicate all these benefits in a way that drawings, specifications, and written descriptions cannot.

Schools and communities want evidence

that an athletic facility performs well after opening. Strong photography provides a common visual language that resonates with stakeholders. Showing occupied spaces with active athletes and vibrant student engagement demonstrates design expertise.

Athletic facilities are highly experiential environments, images capture:

• The scale of arenas, stadiums, and training centers
• Energy of events
• The flow between athletic, academic, and social spaces
• The design and quality of finishes and materials

Thoughtful design teamed with the professional photographer’s eye can create compelling visuals to demonstrate how a facility promotes athlete wellness, and enhances both recruitment and student engagement.

Architectural photography is far

more than project documentation. It serves as visual proof of design excellence, helps institutions envision future possibilities, demonstrates recruiting and branding value, and creates an emotional connection that influences decision makers. Strong photography can often be the difference between simply showing a project and successfully communicating the vision behind it.

Case Study

Goodwyn Mills Cawood & HOK – MTSU Student-Athlete Performance Center

The MTSU Student Athlete Performance Center (SAPC) at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee,...

Aerial Drone

Westminster High School Athletic Fields

Today's visual artist is able to lift their point-of-view above the gravity-imposed 5-7 foot limit...

Creative Sources Photography | Atlanta Architectural Photographers