A World Less Seen

       Fine Art International Photography By Thomas Upton       

Structures: Buildings, Geometry & Design

Not every constructed subject is a celebrated work of architecture. A structure can be a celebrated work of architecture, a piece of infrastructure or something built for an entirely practical purpose. Lines, geometry, repetition, materials, weathering and color shape the photographs, often drawing attention to how an object occupies its surroundings. The gallery considers both intentional design and the visual interest of ordinary construction, without limiting its scope to architectural landmarks. The examples here range from the brightly exposed pipes of Paris’s Pompidou Center and experimental creations in Culver City to Shanghai towers, Kansas silos and a former yacht club at the Salton Sea. Repetition, shadow, weathering and unexpected color can make these subjects visually compelling. The interest is in how built forms occupy space, not only in famous buildings.

Close view of bright red lattice steel beams and braces forming the structure of Tokyo Tower.
A wet stone alley glows with warm lantern light between old buildings in a European town.
Hundreds of thin rods project from a curved pavilion wall against blue sky, forming a dense bristled texture.
The Salton Sea Yacht Club exterior shows a turquoise circular tower, palm trees, brick walls, and blue desert sky.
A close architectural view of the Salton Sea Yacht Club shows blue corrugated roofing and rounded metal vent forms.
A row of tall industrial tanks or silos casts shadows across a sandy historic structure.
A grid of circular window frames and reflective glass creates an abstract pattern in warm afternoon light.
A vertical architectural detail shows red stair treads and railings forming strong repeating geometric shapes.
Two modern Pudong skyscrapers rise against gray sky, including the rectangular opening of the World Financial Center.
The Pompidou Center facade fills the frame with vivid exposed pipes, braces, and glass.
Black and white view of the Seine River with a moored boat and Eiffel Tower in the distance.
A minimalist white wall with a blue-trimmed door is crossed by a tall, brightly striped vertical pole.
An upward architectural view shows a tower framed by dark steel lines and translucent glass panels.
Bright red arches and a yellow wall create a graphic architectural composition with a green palm tree.
Large Buddha statue appears faint and nearly hidden behind fog above dark treetops on Lantau Island.
A curved bridge spans a shaded creek, its underside washed in green light amid dense evening foliage.
Curved ironwork, pale walls, and a circular glass ceiling fill an upward view inside the Grand Palais.
The Glen Canyon Dam spans red sandstone cliffs with turquoise water churning below the spillway.
Metal beams and transparent roof panels form a geometric view toward surrounding buildings.
Strong sunlight casts angular shadows over pale stone steps and walls, creating a graphic architectural pattern.
Bright red torii gates recede along a stone path, creating a narrow tunnel of repeating columns.
A black-and-white view emphasizes the Walt Disney Concert Hall's curved metal forms and dramatic geometry.
The sun flares through skeletal metal artwork standing on a barren desert flat with distant mountains.
Black-and-white striped columns fill a Paris courtyard while visitors walk between them.
Side entrance to San Javier, which sits on a mountain road about 20 miles inland from Loreto.
Black-and-white view of Shanghai's waterfront skyline across the river beneath streaked clouds.
Warm lights reflect in a Bruges canal beneath an arched bridge and historic brick buildings.
The northern point of the Big Island is windy and a logical place for a wind farm.
Banff street with pedestrians and colorful businesses, framed by a great mountain beyond the rooftops.