87. Architecture
How’s it going, comrades? Let me extend a warm welcome to everyone who has joined this creative journey recently. I’m so glad you’re here! Drop a comment at the bottom or send me a direct message and introduce yourself if you feel like, no obligation.
This week, the algorithm reminded me that I should be celebrating a small milestone, I’m turning 10 years young as a freelance photographer. Above everything else, I’m grateful for the meaningful connections that I’ve made over the years, even more for the ones broken; but most importantly, I’m proud of everything achieved in business and at a personal level and I’m looking forward to the next years and the lessons that life will throw at me. Mom asked me if I were to illustrate my journey in one picture, what would that look like? instantly, I thought about this picture:
Recently, I was invited to give a talk presenting my work at a networking event for architects and designers; generally, I’m OK speaking in public. I’m not one to prepare for a presentation as I know my subjects very well. I’m usually led by intuition, I like to read the room and improvise on the tone instead of sounding like a salesman or lifestyle motivator. But this time, because I really wanted to make an impact, I prepared a deep and meaningful presentation since it’s an industry I have huge respect and admiration for.
As I was getting introduced by the host, a spark of self-doubt ignited a chain reaction that I can only compare to one of those videos of the demolition of a silo going wrong and falling to the wrong places. I panicked; I forgot my speech, I forgot I had cue cards and notes on my slides. I had to improvise, with a nervous laugh and a shaking voice.
I must have done something right because I had the room engaged and entertained.
Perhaps that crash and burn situation was only in my head since I had a very positive outcome getting lots of new connections and people coming afterwards for a personal introduction.
Hate is a very strong feeling but I do hate networking, especially with a corporate or very business oriented crowd. I’m a creative with purpose led business, not a CEO or anything like that, I speak ideas and concepts, not strategies and figures. So I left thinking if I’ve been networking in the wrong circles perhaps?
Anyway, If you’re curious to know, my presentation was titled Life is Architecture. A fragment from a quote by Chinese-American architect Leoh Ming Pei, which I borrowed for the title for my portfolio of architectural photos. The quote says “Life is architecture and architecture is the mirror of life” this quote suggest as deep connection between what’s built around us and how we experience it as humans. I think it implies that architecture (and I include design) reflect the values, culture, and daily lives of those who inhabit the spaces. I feel deeply connected with this way of thinking as that’s what my environmental photography is trying to do.
Here’s what my speech was meant to be:
“Hi everyone, I’m Xavi Buendia. I’m a photographer and visual storyteller with a deep love for architecture, not just as design, but as a reflection of life itself. Throughout the years I’ve had the chance to photograph incredible work by very talented architects and designers like yourselves but there’s a famous quote that I like to refer to when it comes to my approach of photographing the subject: “Life is architecture, and architecture is the mirror of life” This quote hits home for me. I grew up in Mexico City, a chaotic, vibrant and monumental place where my relationship with architecture really began. Not as a style or subject, but as part of daily life. See, I was raised surrounded by volcanic stone, pastel walls, brutalist blocks, and modernist residential courtyards. Before I was a photographer, I was already noticing how light moves across surfaces, how space feels, how color breathes. Once I started asking questions about this, I was introduced to the work of Luis Barragán, and the broader movement of Mexican Modernism; they taught me that architecture isn’t just form and function, it’s emotion. it’s silence, texture, solitude. Spirituality. I carry that into every project that I shoot.
Whether I’m shooting in Mexico, London, or Rome, I’m always looking for what architecture tells me about how people live. My Mexican visual language travels with me.
Working with designers and architects is a conversation. I’m not just documenting your work, I’m interpreting it. My goal is to reveal the intent, the emotion and the craft. My approach is slow. Observational. Almost meditative. I work mostly with natural light and try to understand the rhythm of what I’m photographing before I make the picture.
We live in a world of fast consumption and throwaway visuals, I believe architecture and design deserves more. Photography makes your work timeless. It can tell your story for generations. I’m always looking to collaborate with people who care deeply about what they do. If you’ve created something that deserves to be seen with heart, I’d love to talk. Happy to chat after this or answer questions. Thanks for having me.”
Hit your clicker HERE if you’d like to see the architectural portfolio on my website.
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Congrats on 10 years and congrats on a great speech.
You picked some great photos to go with this post today. I love them all!
I love all the color in your architecture portfolio!