Capturing Architecture Through a Photographer's Lens
Theodoros Bafitos
Architectural Photographer · Beirut
An architect's eye, turned on the buildings themselves.
Portrait by Ghada Khunji
Why this conversation
Theodoros Bafitos came to photography the long way around, through architecture. He trained as an architect, spent years placing virtual cameras inside his own designs, and then walked outside and pointed a real one at the buildings of Beirut. That double training is exactly why his pictures feel composed from the inside out. I wanted to talk to him about photographing a building as though he had drawn it, and about why he keeps putting people into the frame.
The work
His fascination began in childhood, sparked by a father who loved capturing moments through a lens. It found its form at university, where Theo studied architecture and spent countless hours in SketchUp and 3ds Max, perfecting the virtual views of his projects and, without quite realising it, training his eye for composition. "I treated each architectural project as if it were my own creation," he recalls. "Positioning cameras virtually and manipulating light and angles became second nature to me."
The move from virtual to real was seamless. With his first digital camera in the early 2000s he began photographing architecture near home in Beirut and on his travels, and social media gave him a place to share it. He sharpened his craft with formal training at Dar al Mussawir, the well-known photography club in Beirut, and with online tutorials, pairing structured learning with a self-taught instinct. "My creative process mirrors my architectural background," he explains. "I approach each building as if I'm designing it, seeking angles that highlight its form and character."
Before a shoot he researches the notable landmarks of a place, looking for the perspective most people miss, then works with the light and the materials to convey the essence and the scale of a building. And he likes to leave room for a figure. "I believe that including people in my photos adds a human element," he says. "It not only provides scale but also creates a connection between the viewer and the space."
I approach each building as if I'm designing it.
The conversation
Your greatest inspirations or influences?
My greatest influences come from my childhood. My dad had the same hobby, and I was always amazed at how moments captured by a camera became tangible photos. I loved opening the albums cabinet in our bedroom and looking through the pictures he had taken. That early fascination stayed with me and laid the foundation for everything since. Later, as I became an architect and focused on buildings and projects, I began to draw inspiration from the architectural wonders around me.
Tell us about a favourite location.
Definitely the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the most mesmerising location I have shot. It combines everything I love in architecture: concept, scale, materials, location, and the emotions it evokes. During a workshop with Beautiful Destinations we had exclusive access to the museum, so we could capture it without the usual crowds, and that let me really appreciate and document the intricate details of the place.
In motion
Find his work
See more of Theo's architecture on Instagram. His portfolio celebrates the structural integrity of buildings while inviting you to notice the artistry behind each design.
