This is the story of a journey that had its beginnings during undergraduate architecture college. As with every other student finding a spark and a fascination for something, Binsan Oommen Baby found it in photography. It was a simple start - a photo of a plant on a borrowed phone. But there was something about that photo, something different that he observed. This manifested into a passion for and obsession with clicking photographs of anything and everything. It was combined with an increasing understanding of light and shadows and their effect on the output.
Cut to 2015, and it was time to join an internship, a mandate of an architecture course. Binsan joined Triple O Studio, a multidisciplinary design studio based in Chennai. During this time, there was great experimentation with photography being carried out. The opportunity to visit construction sites opened a whole new arena, and Binsan would be found capturing frames there. The learning was augmented by exposure to websites and other platforms that hosted splendid photographs. His entry into architectural photography had its base in 3D visualisations that took into account the perspectives and angles observed in professional photographs. By the time the internship ended, Binsan had started photographing architectural spaces, using a DSLR camera. The camera was a generous gift from Zoyab Kadi, a pillar of support from even before the seeds for this initiative were being sowed. A mountain of effort and studying, through theoretical courses and practical experiences, paved the way for a skilled and dedicated approach, composition and output. The aspiration now was to pursue this profession upon graduation. The fact that the photographs clicked for Triple O Studio’s projects were noticed by a contractor who wished for similar photographs for another project was a definite push in the right direction.
A conversation between Anupriya Subbian and Tahaer Zoyab, the co-founders of Triple O Studio, and Binsan proved to be a life-changer. The decision to start an independent initiative for architectural photography was fuelled by an appreciation for the contractor’s project's photo documentation, which in turn was noticed by an architect, and the encouragement offered by Anupriya and Tahaer to explore and achieve. The end of 2017 saw the birth of triple o PIXEL, the name an ode to the place and people who were the foundation, inspiration and greatest support to this brand-new initiative, championing every act and aspiration that aimed to push the boundaries and create a niche for itself.
PIXEL has today completed 200+ photo documentation projects, which includes residences, schools, colleges, corporate offices, commercial establishments, hospitality, urban projects, heritage buildings and sites, artworks, products, and industrial projects and has worked with 20+ firms across the country. The initiative works towards capturing the essence of architecture and heritage and has worked extensively with professionals across varied fields of architecture, design, heritage, and industry. The work and operations are led and managed by Binsan.
4 years later, the drive is as fresh as ever, every site a new experience, an empty canvas that lets Binsan engage differently and create magic. He loves to hear stories from the designer, understand their style(s), and their precise vision for capturing their design. Being an architect further proves to be a wonderful advantage as Binsan is able to visualise the designer’s expectations while contributing his own inputs to the frames and compositions. The most exciting part is that these expectations and inputs keep changing with the designer, resulting in Binsan approaching each project with an open mind and directing his ideas and process to achieve unique outputs that showcase the project uniquely.
It continues to be a partnership between the three co-founders, a healthy working relationship that celebrates powerful visuals and impressive spaces, growing with each day and ensuring that each other grow in the process.
