Architectural Photography For Sandia Area Federal Credit Union: A Creative Case Study

Overview:

In February 2024, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Momentum, a design-build partner that specializes in creating high-performing environments for credit unions, banks, and higher education institutions. Momentum had just completed the new corporate headquarters for Sandia Area Federal Credit Union (SAFCU) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and needed a full suite of architectural photography to help market and document the completed space.

Planning the Architectural Photo Shoot

New spaces are a dream to shoot—clean, organized, and fully representative of a company’s brand. But the key to a successful architectural photography session lies in pre-production planning.

Momentum was an ideal client: they came to the table with a clear creative vision, a detailed shot list, and a deep understanding of the value that great imagery brings to marketing and branding.

Prior to the shoot, we conducted a location scout. This allowed us to walk the space, reference the shot list, and develop a strategic plan for shoot day—ensuring we’d be in the right places at the right times to capture the best light and compositions.

The reference images I took on my iPhone during this scout were shared with the client, who was flying in from out of state. This helped align expectations and made setup on the day of the shoot extremely efficient.

Capturing People in Architectural Photography

One of the key elements that elevates architectural photography is the intentional inclusion of people. Too often, commercial architecture images feel cold or resemble real estate listings—more focused on selling a space than showcasing how it functions.

Including people helps bring a space to life, demonstrating how it's used and connecting the viewer emotionally to the environment.

For this project, Momentum worked with SAFCU to coordinate 15 participants to be present throughout the day. This gave us a wide range of flexibility and allowed for creative compositions with natural movement and human interaction. Since the office was fully operational, we remained nimble, ensuring our process didn’t disrupt employees' workflow.

Behind the Scenes: What It Takes to Create Strong Architectural Imagery

A single image can take over an hour to create. There’s a lot of unseen work involved—cleaning, decluttering, lighting adjustments, and composition tweaks—to ensure each photo feels polished yet natural.

Every detail, from expression and posture, to movement and atmosphere, contributes to the authenticity of the final images. The goal is always the same: to produce images that feel immersive and true to the experience of being in the space.

Final Thoughts

Thanks to diligent pre-planning, a detailed shot list, a cooperative team, and great communication with the client, this one-day architectural shoot was a success. We were able to capture all 12 visual assets Momentum needed—each one a carefully crafted image that showcases SAFCU’s new corporate office in its best light.

Let’s Collaborate!

Looking for professional Architectural Photography to showcase your space? Whether you need striking imagery for marketing, real estate, or project documentation, I’d love to bring your vision to life.

📩 Shoot me a message to discuss your project!

Thanks for stopping by, Campbell Bishop