Mexican born photographer Maximiliano Baderas, defines his unique craft in humanizing architectural design in honoring light and its unfolding within space. Recently graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, Balderas dived into hospitality and design, while bringing in his architectural eye. He understands the importance of framing the various hidden elements to anthropomorphize a space or structure. In his words, “When I photograph architecture, I am capturing my ideals. The design elements we find beautiful reflect the qualities of the type of person we strive to be.” Providing a distinctly novel perspective that demonstrates his eye to the type of beauty he seeks in the world.
Balderas has found himself being guided by natural light, through its different variations, over the course of the years. It’s his compass whether on street level or many floors above the New York scene, as shown in his documentation of Fox Fodder Farms’s florals at SAGA, or Union Square Hospitality Group’s hospitality flair at Manhatta. “No matter how many times I took that elevator, once I stepped out, an idyllic light stretched out in the horizon and enlightened the space. And even on a nebulous and foggy day, it’s extraordinarily beautiful to slowly absorb how the view is revealed sporadically. But it really did not matter, because there is an abundance of beauty in what I photograph, in the florals, in the dishes, in the spatial design.”
At his core, Max is a storyteller. He recalls being struck by a creative force around age 12 that shaped his eye. “Inspiration is contagious. I grew up in a family where artistry flows. My grandfather and my mom were photographers, and so is my sister. I remember living in Austin, Texas at the time and my favorite activity was to walk slowly around downtown and look up to admire the architecture. Back then it had a rather conservative skyline, but for me it was an innocent reminder of what I loved documenting, it influenced me.” The artistic values Balderas has rooted are manifested from his pre-production to actively documenting. “I try to work on every project with different focuses– some projects are about the color or materials, others are about explicitly showing an item or a space, but always with the same genuine care. My love for light and linear work is very evident, and it is beyond gratifying when someone recognizes it” the New York based artist recalls, especially after interning at JGN Architecture during his senior year at FIT. During this time he visited the firm’s completed projects and pre-construction sites. “I knew I was going in a space that had either already been photographed or a space that would be completely renovated. And both were completely exciting, it deepened my appreciation for architecture beyond photographing it.”
There is a common, yet taken for granted, belief that Max shares, and that is that we are a visual centric species, he knows his mission and there is a charming element that Balderas is able to capture constantly throughout his work. With curiosity, guided by color, and a sensually sophisticated imagination, Max steps into different spaces and captures what can’t be staged. When it came to photographing CORE design studio’s space in San Miguel de Allende, there is an introverted element imbued in the photographs while flaunting the elegance the furniture holds. He sees it as if somehow he’s photographing himself. It’s a self portrait through design.
“Every time I arrive at a new project space I let the architecture surprise me. It’s incredibly beautiful thinking how an architect or designer has allowed the light to come in and embrace the space and by default, the people in it. I see it as an infinite collaboration between me, the architect, and the light. And I have the creative responsibility of honoring that. But sometimes, you have to create the light you want in a space” On a recent assignment documenting Wexler Gallery, at the New York Design Center, he dramatized the light with a strobe in a way he never had. Some creative enlightenment similar happened when photographing the clothing brand Vowels store in collaboration with WAKA WAKA furniture, featured in Whitewall Magazine. The store had a light that was in theme with the Japanese street wear brand, but Max was in charge of translating it through a warm and sophisticated framing.
The 24 year old photographer recognizes the thick of his career is still in fruition, but he feels strongly about the profundity and the ethic with which he has created so far. His trained eye and aesthetic feel vulnerable and true, whether he’s capturing architecture, portraiture, or even fashion, as he tends to do with Swedish native PR agency Redgert Comms. Balderas remains open to navigating other corners of the photography industry while being certain his niche is the junction of hospitality and architecture. Whether it’s recreationally or for work, there is no need for reinvention or a forced trend to follow when it comes to Balderas’s artistry. He lets his artistic instinct guide him. “I feel a continuous organic evolution happening, while staying true to my core.” There are multiple visions and upcoming plans the creator has for his artistic career. Max wants to establish a visual legacy while entrenching himself to the design and hospitality industry. Not in a self aggrandizing way, rather rooted in self accomplishment, while continuously exploring light that reveals new spaces and structures across the globe.
