If you’ve ever walked the High Line in Manhattan you know that strange feeling of experiencing a place as it should have been all along.  Recognizing that the genius of the architecture and design is not just in transforming an unnoticed feature of the urban landscape, but making it so vital and necessary that you can barely remember a time without it.

The architecture side of the High Line design team was headed up by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, who among other projects are credited with the redesign of the Lincoln Center, which the NYT called ‘forceful’ and said ‘makes it hard to remember the dreariness of the 1969 original.‘

Ric Scofidio is the Principcal and Founding Member of DS+R, and the first architect to ever receive a MacArthur Fellowship. When we got the call for Björn Wallander to go up and take some portraits, it was one of those assignments that you accept not with a ‘yes’ but with a ‘I can’t believe I get to do this for a living.’ Ric is one of Björn’s heros, a titan of architecture and design, so he knew he had to plan ahead and really prepare for the time he had in Ric’s office.

Ric was profiled in a 2007 New Yorker article that described his love of racing his Porsche:

When he really wants to lose himself, he heads for the track at Lime Rock Park, in Lakeville, Connecticut, where he can whip around a mile and a half of curves in about a minute. “It’s only when you’re out on the track that you really appreciate what mass, weight, and speed can do,” he said. “There’s nothing else that can enter your brain. Work, clients–all vanish.” When he’s on the job, the gear-works of architecture make him happiest. He sketches truss joints for hours on end, especially on weekends, when the phone rings less. I spent one morning walking with him amid the overgrown weeds of a still-untouched portion of the High Line, near the Javits Center, and he lovingly pointed out the track’s rivets and iron guardrails–the gorgeous brawn of nineteen-thirties engineering.

The man loves elegance in design, so Bjorn’s first thought was to bring his Rollei.  Beyond taking great photos, the German-made camera is known for its simple and durable mechanics.  Ric’s face really lit up when the Rolleiflex came out, he said ‘I haven’t seen one of those in years.’

Here is Bjorn shooting with the Rolleiflex:

Once Ric’s interview started, we were able to wander around the offices for a little while so Björn could get some detail shots, the kind of images that really give you a feel for the place.  DS+R is one of those rare firms that does more than focus on architecture – they are involved with art installations and spend tons of resources every year on projects that are not commercial.  That dedication is really apparent around the office – the whole place feels like some kind of master’s workshop where you can find wonders in every nook and cranny.

Then we headed down to the fabrication studio where all the model plans are transformed into real objects.  Below, on the left is a fully-scaled model of the new Museum of Image and Sound in Rio de Janeiro.  Sadly they didn’t let us play with the laser-guided 3D printer.

It was a special treat to see the inner workings of such an innovative firm.  They’re at the cutting edge and already have an amazing new project coming up in LA – the new $100 million museum donated by Eli Broad. Here is an interview with the man himself, Ric Scofidio:

All in all it was an amazing day and the images are not just beautiful – they really communicate a feel for the place, for the man, for his creative process.  And to be able to touch that, have it act on us, it was an honor.  Björn made it happen just like that – and it couldn’t have been anyone else.

The one sad thing about the Big Leo time of year is that it signals those last fleeting days of summer.  The sound of cicadas on a cool August night, where the breeze almost feels like a hint of October, a full two months early.  Safe to say this is my favorite time of the year.  I love this shot by Björn Wallander, it really captures that feeling.

This is from a personal series that Björn shot in Sweden.  I guess I should say ‘from a series’ because although this wasn’t an assignment, it really is not separate from the work that he shoots for commercial clients.  It has that same feel, the same quality of light.  Calling something personal work just separates it from everything else.  The best photographers really are who they are, and their vision is never fractured into different spheres of commercial and not commercial.

Being able to tell and story, to evoke a feeling, those are the things that matter.  And when you do that for a client, it should come from the same place.  Even when a shoot is art directed down to the most minute detail, there is a always going to be a touch of the personal in there.  Summertime is always good for getting away, traveling and spending time with friends, and so many great opportunities to pick up the camera, but not for anyone else but yourself.  Those are the times to push the work further with no risk, nothing at stake, and to shoot with love.  This fishing series that Björn shot is a lot like that, and we always include it with his portfolio.  An equivalent assignment doesn’t always come around so sometimes you need to go out there and do it yourself.  No better time than August – Big Leo time!

Big Leo would like to extend a warm welcome to the masterful Björn Wallander.  I’m a firm believer that photography (and art in general) should speak for itself, but in this case the photos say a lot, not just about the subject, but also Bjorn as a person.

While he has been shooting professionally for quite some time, a lot of his influences can be traced back to university, where he specialized in engineering.  One of the greatest strengths that a photographer can have is a way of seeing things differently.  In this case, he has an innate sense of composition and an exacting measure of the light.

Something else – the images themselves never judge.  They’re impartial in that Swedish way that allows the subject to stand on its own.  Bjorn is a lot like this – he has such a love for the craft that it doesn’t matter who or what he is shooting, there is always going to be a focus on the beauty inherent in the scene.  This can only really come from someone who has a clear sight and photography in their bones.  He’s been shooting his entire adult life and couldn’t be doing anything else.

Lastly, Bjorn is above all a nice guy and easy to work with, able to problem-solve with a team and keep the needs of the shoot front and center.  He works hard, with a smile.  Big Leo couldn’t ask for a more amazing addition to the team and we can’t wait to show his new work.  Already we’ve got some great projects on the books but as always, we’re looking for the next opportunity to collaborate.  Very exciting!