Brian Ferry Photographs the Pinwheel Inspired “Dutchess County” by GRT Architects
On a Sunday morning back in the fall, I was paging through Dwell, scouring it for ideas to inform my own home remodel, and came across GRT Architects Dutchess County, which is a gorgeous piece of architecture. The only thing I loved more than the house though, was its photographs, expertly crafted by New York based photographer Brian Ferry.
Brian’s photos of Dutchess County embody the style of architectural photography that I am partial to adore. They are moody, they feel natural and unfussy, they emanate a great sense of place and time, and they showcase the great and interesting light that streams into the home.
This is the image that immediately caught my attention for this project. The simplistic and tight composition allows us to focus our attention on the intense angular shapes and lock in on the textures and patterns that make up this home.
We are shown the way that the sunlight streams in from the triangular windows and creates playful highlights on the walls and floor. Brian’s range in exposure feels true enough to not appear overly processed or fake, but isn’t so contrasty that we miss out on important elements in the scene. There is a sense of heat and brightness that places us in the room ourselves.
A wider composition helps us mentally draw a floor plan and make sense of the space. We are able to note how the rooms connect and delineate scale, shape, and height from this view point.
I love the mood of this little vignette. It makes me feel as if I’m actually there, about to make an early morning or late afternoon coffee while watching out the window.
Dutchess County is based around a pinwheel design, which I would imagine could have been a bit tricky for Brian in regards to setting up his compositions. He does a great job of managing the barrage of angles and lines, and creates images that translate well while feeling complex yet organized.
Brian gives us a view of that beautiful pinwheel ceiling. He uses the strong leading lines to draw our eyes to the center of the frame. I’m a big fan of the rich contrast and gradients of light.
In the bedroom, Brian creates two totally different images that flow together to communicate the functionality and smart use of space in Dutchess County. Again, by harnessing good timing and good light, Brian adds visual interest by showing the patterns of light streaming into the room.
I appreciate Brian’s restraint in letting the house and patio trend dark. It feels true to life and helps us focus on the shape of the architecture while emphasizing how the house interacts and reflects its environment.
This elevation allows us to see the unrivaled slice of heaven that Dutchess County overlooks, while the warm glowing interior lights draw our eyes in ever so subtly. What an idyllic project!
A big thanks to Brian for sharing these gorgeous photos with us. Hop over to brianwferry.com or Brian’s Instagram @brainwferry to see more great work!
If you have a project you’d like to be considered for Project of the Week, you can submit it here.
