You can easily say 2023 was a year of many firsts for Studio 13. Our project with Lightswitch was no different. A lighting and media design company out of California, Lightswitch was introduced to us through our friends at FA Wilhelm to shoot their decorative lighting on the parking garage at St. Vincent Hospital.

Lesle was familiar with this project, as we had previously photographed the structure for FA Wilhelm upon construction completion, however there were many challenges to meet when highlighting not only the garage, but the way the lighting compliments the design. Photographing lighting as an architectural element was a first for Lesle and she was excited to do something new.

In the world of exterior architecture, photography would typically take place around dusk, when the sun is setting and the lighting is strong. When you’re working with outdoor lighting, you may have to pivot and begin shooting after dark to really capture the vision the client has in mind. Another challenge when working on exterior architecture is being at the mercy of the weather. Getting the finished product took three trips to the site, as the first attempt was made when a major fog cover was rolling through the area and hindered many of the shots. On the second trip, the weather was on our side, but the lights were turned off! Bummer, but that just meant the third try was OUR time to make it happen! And happen it did.

Big thanks to Lightswitch, FA Wilhelm and St Vincent 86th Street Hospital. This project really “lit up” our year!