Meet Andrew Pielage: Architecture and Travel Photographer.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew Pielage and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Well, I was tactically born in Ohio but my family moved out to Phoenix when I was real young so I consider myself from Arizona. I was raised exploring the beautiful desert southwest every weekend. We would all pile into our Ford bronco and travel around to every corner of Arizona exploring, camping and hiking. This upbringing really grounded me in my love for the natural world and in landscape photography. Today, I continue that outdoor tradition by mounting my own expeditions, with camera in hand, into the desert.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an architecture and travel photographer focused on photographing all of Frank Lloyd Wrights remaining designs around the world. In Phoenix, I first discovered the beautiful relationship of landscape and design in the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. I found a shared love and respect for the landscape at Taliesin West and was hooked. Now I’m on a mission to help spread the organic philosophies of Wright through my photography and photography workshops across the country. Every Wright design has a story to tell and its my job as a photographer to find and share those stories through my images.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Phoenix has so much to offer and I would start with nothing else but coffee. Lola and Giant coffee both in downtown Phoenix are the best places to get your caffeine fix. Caffeinated, I would head over to the Desert Botanical Garden and walk in all the wonders of the Sonoran desert. Lunch is next and there is no better place to take in our beautiful weather outdoors and enjoy some food and brews than the Wilderness brewery in downtown Phoenix. Then catch a tour and our famous sunsets at Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home at Taleisn West. Next, dinner and a speakeasy drink at the Wright-inspired Biltmore hotel. Not done yet? Head back downtown to Cresent Ballroom or Van Buren for a late night show.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Great question…and so how much time do we have here!? First and foremost it’s my family, they encouraged me to respect and explore the natural world every chance I get. Growing up, we didn’t live for things, we lived for experiences to see and grow as a family and also as individuals. My mom always asks why I have to travel to all these faraway places and I tell her, you taught me to love adventure growing up, so don’t blame me! Second is my wife, she puts up with my highs and lows as a photographer and understands that creative people are weird and we have our own way of navigating through our art. Being a freelance creative is not easy and she has been a huge support on my journey. She always has a smile on her face and I love that about her.

Website: www.AndrewPielage.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apielage
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-pielage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpielage
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndrewPielagePhotography