Authentic Architectural Moments – Tom Ross
The casual ease and familiarity of Melbourne-based photographer Tom Ross allows him to genuinely connect with his subjects. Intuitive and adaptable, he embraces the unpredictability of a day on set, using conversation to drive his photographic approach – balancing reality and atmosphere in equal measure.
Tom’s interest in photography harks back to his primary school years, when he fondly recalls taking photos of his sister around the family property. “I just never really thought it was a job you could do,” he admits, instead pursuing environmental science after leaving school. On finishing his degree, the prospect of working for a local council felt lacklustre – so Tom and his camera set off for a yearlong drive around Australia. “That’s when I realised photography is definitely what I want to be doing,” he recalls.
On his return home, the budding photographer enrolled to study photography at TAFE, then went on to the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) for his final years. In retrospect, Tom concedes his ambition in photography was somewhat foolhardy given the competitive nature of the industry – “but then again,” he quips, “perhaps you need that naivety to pursue it. There’s something about just innocently enjoying the thing for what it is.” In his final year at VCA, Tom travelled to Boston on exchange, where an open bachelor’s degree allowed him to enrol in units of psychology and architecture. “That just sold it to me,” he remarks. “I remember being struck by the Therme Vals [hotel] by [architect Peter] Zumthor, fascinated by phenomenological theory, the idea of atmospheres, developing an awareness of space and what’s acting on you.”
Soon after graduating, Tom began sharing a studio on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, Melbourne, with Architecture Architecture and Splinter Society Architects, further developing his design nous by shooting their work. “You’re a product of your surroundings,” says Tom. “Melbourne has one of the most progressive architecture communities in the world, and the strength of the architecture has bred some pretty amazing architecture photographers.” Observing other architects producing progressive and interesting work in Melbourne, Tom quickly established enduring friendships with like-minded creatives – many of whom he has consistently worked with over his 14 years in practice.
With a laid-back and unformulaic approach, Tom seeks to capture authentic moments in time. “I like the whole thing to be a conversation,” he says. “Some people can be like auteurs, but I like each shoot to take its own trajectory.” Rather than rely on happenstance, Tom applies a gentle sense of journalistic inquiry to understand the architectural intention early on. “Conceptually, it’s way more interesting to have those insights,” he reflects, “then I can frame the work through the lens of the design process, not just catalogue the final outcome.”
In part, Tom traces his ethos back to 1970s photographic movement New Topographics, which interested him while studying. “It was kind of a reaction in photography [against] idealised landscapes,” he explains. Photographers like Stephen Shore showed the landscape in what Tom describes as “a very straight way,” with an aversion to wide lens distortion. “It was just about shooting places as they are every day – a more direct, naive or vernacular point of view,” he says. Tom also cites the brave work of filmmaker Werner Herzog as an influence, whose quote “we have to articulate ourselves, otherwise we would be cows in the field” he has hanging at home. “When I think about photographic influences it highlights some idiosyncrasies – that tension between being ‘straight’ while knowing how romantic I am about the whole thing,” he laughs.
This has been particularly apparent on a recent book project, where Tom has collaborated with architects James Mugavin and Michael Roper to chronicle the under-recognised work of Australian architect Paul Couch. “We’ve spent years documenting Couch’s projects – the culmination of 50 years of designing houses – many of which have never been photographed before,” reveals Tom. “We’re trying to reflect Couch’s enigmatic character, using the book as an abstract study rather than simply a survey of his work.”
Tom acknowledges the representation of place through still imagery is a big responsibility. “Particularly so in private residential, where very few people are able to experience the space first-hand,” Tom says. “Sometimes, the final 10 JPEGS of a house are literally all you have, so it makes sense to understand the work on a deeper level.” In doing so, Tom seeks to shoot spaces in a style that accurately depicts his personal experience of it – grounded in his reality and echoing intangible qualities of light, shadow, warmth, breeze and mood. “I never want to impose myself too much,” he admits. “I like to embrace how subjective the images are rather than trying to create a ‘timeless’ objective record of place. It’s exciting when more serendipitous things happen on the day of the shoot – ephemeral things that leave the whole thing open to some sort of evolution happening.”
Of course, Tom’s adaptable spirit is key in the equation and the best outcomes are born from trusting and collaborative relationships. “Architects are kind of like film directors, and I work really well with those who are open to the photography becoming something different,” he muses. “The exchange of ideas, the opportunity to empathise with my camera, there’s something so immediate about being on site and that energy comes through in the photography.”
Indeed, Tom’s career reinforces that photography is not a solitary endeavour, but the product of harmonious and enduring relationships between people and place. Thinking about his work and the creative endeavours of his clients and friends with a sense of introspection, he reflects that “you can cast things however you like – there is no truth in a photograph, it’s always an exercise in exclusion.”
