Mike Butler – Architectural Photographer

Mike Butler's Photography Blog

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Walking On The Dark Side

We have all photographed those bright spaces full of luxurious daylight poped a few strobes into a softbox or wall and come away with breathtaking shots.  For me there is nothing better to walk into a room like this on an assignment because I know the work has essentially been

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Success, What is it good for anyway?

What is success?  In 1994, before cell phones and before the adopted use of the internet, I graduated from art school, then like a hobo without a destination headed out into the world. I was full of energy and willpower.  In my mind, I would be successful, even if I had

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Drones are for more than taking photos!

Using Drones for Supplemental Lighting Since the colorado project in 2006, I had always seen the last piece of the lighting puzzle to be lights lofted above coming down at steller like angles.  I remember very clearly while shooting the old broken down general store in Animas Co thinking to

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Two toddlers Two Parents One Van, Thirty Days

How we learned the art of small living while exploring the country. Our Sprinter van is parked for the night at the Arapaho National Forest in Colorado at 13,000 feet, overlooking a pristine lake lined with snow-capped mountains, so close you can hike to the snow line in a few

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Fashion + Jewelry!

When I was approached by the owner of Atteza Jewelry to photograph their campaign I jumped at the opportunity!  Although outside my strick field of expertise architecture, which requires teutonic precession and workflow, this assignment would allow me to develop and re-discover my original and more natural approach to the

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The Beauty of Florida

Florida from Miami to North Florida is full of beauty much of it discreet and waiting to be found by the keen observer.  When I was approached by Merch Cloud to create a set of images to capture the essence of the beauty of S. Florida I was thrilled.  I

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Behind The Polish

Portfolio websites are a facade of perfection showing only the successes of one’s career.  They show the work after all the work sweat and sometimes tears are done.  After any mistakes are polished out the work is hung in a digital “glass” box and preserved as if in a fountain

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The 5 Metrics of an Amazing Architectural Composition

How often do photographers get clients who call up and ask to just do a few shots? Quick and cheap. Often times photographers will feel the pressure to work and justify unreasonably fast shot times to get the assignment; set up the camera and a few lights if any and

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Tortillas Galore!

Any photographer will tell you one of the best aspects of our job is the unpredictability of what we may be shooting next week. There may be a long string of homes and then in a sudden flash, you are shooting a yacht from a helicopter or as in this

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