Snapshots and Skylines

Photographing multistory structures and capturing their brilliant details is no easy task. For Adam Taylor, however, photography a gratifying art. Breathtaking images of local condos and commercial buildings from his portfolio are spotlighted in his freshly published hardcover book, “Honolulu Highrises And Other Oahu Architecture.” We caught up with Taylor to learn more about his work.

“We all know Hawaii is a unique place,” says photographer Adam Taylor. “This even extends to how I photograph architecture, largely due to the landscape and weather here.” Taylor recently compiled a bestselling book featuring his favorite shots of local architecture and cityscapes.

How did you get interested in photography?
I grew up in a very small town just outside of New Orleans, so there wasn’t much to do or see in my immediate area. However, I was lucky enough that my mother took my sister and me on a vacation to New York City when I was in fifth grade. She gave me her Kodak point-and-shoot camera and a bunch of rolls of film. I have a very distinct memory of standing on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty and taking pictures of the city skyline from across the harbor. That was the moment I fell in love with photography.

Taylor’s images of the Lilia Waikiki building (shown here and below) spotlight his artistic and technical expertise. Shooting high-rises sometimes requires a drone to take overhead views of a property, or finding key angles to capture nuanced design details and lighting.

What fascinates you most about local high-rises and architecture?
When I moved from Long Beach, California, to Oahu in November 2020, the unique shapes and styles of the high-rises that make up the cityscape immediately caught my attention. For some reason, they just seemed so much more diverse than what we had in SoCal. As a photographer, my brain works in a very two-dimensional way, so it always boggles my mind how architects and designers can think so creatively with a 3D medium — and especially at such a large scale!

What are some of the technical and artistic nuances you consider when shooting these buildings?
A lot of the challenges come from the things that I just can’t control — construction going on around a building, cars and other things in the way, shadows from neighboring buildings, etc. Also, the sheer size of the buildings always presents challenges you have to work around — so maybe I photograph it with a drone to get a completely different perspective, or from a few blocks away with other elements in the foreground that give a different context to the project.

Oftentimes, the best lighting is very early in the morning or late in the evening. Additionally, the clouds tend to shift so quickly here — I’m often sitting and waiting for extended periods of time for just that right moment of sun exposure needed to create the image I’m looking for.

What do you hope readers take away from your book?
I would love for people from Hawaii to have a newfound appreciation for the built environment around them. They may see these buildings in real life on a regular basis, but I would hope as they turn the pages, they find themselves saying, “Wow, I’ve never seen this building look like that before!”

Adam Taylor is based in Kailua, Oahu. To learn more about his new book and photography, visit adamtaylorphotos.com.

Editor’s Note: This article has been slightly modified from the original print version for optimal online reading. To view the full print story, pick up your copy of Hawaii Home + Remodeling at one of our partner locations.