The AIAIC architecture photography competition featured the best photography from the region and included over 25 works from regional amateur and professional photographers. The competition is a part of the ongoing efforts by the Inland Chapter to inspire appreciation for the built environment through exceptional architecture and photography. There were 6 finalists selected by the jury in 2023 representing the strongest works submitted. Finalists included members of AIA Inland California, Orange County, and Desert Chapters as well as a local architecture student. Congratulations to all of the finalists this year!
The jury for 2023 were widely respected professional photographers Christopher Kern and Darren Bradley.
Christopher Kern has been shooting and producing commercial photography projects since 2003. He has a MFA in Photography from the prestigious Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA. Along with his freelance photography work, he has been utilizing his MFA as a photo instructor since 2009. Currently Program Lead + Associate Professor of Photography at California Baptist University in Riverside, CA. His work has been featured in the industry by; PDN, CMYK, IPA, and the APA. Photographically he is looking to create imagery that is – aspirational yet attainable. His true passion is for the people he encounters, whether it is as a portrait subject, fellow creative, student, or stranger. While his commercial work has taken him all over the United States and Internationally – He calls Riverside home, where he lives with his wife Nikki and daughter Eva James.
Darren Bradley is an American architectural photographer with a passion for mid-century modern architecture and design. Born in 1972 in Honolulu, HI, Darren took his first pictures for a photography class while a freshman in high school. He was instantly hooked. He took his camera everywhere, turned his parents’ laundry into his darkroom, became the school newspaper photographer, and worked at a darkroom in college – but his obsession eventually faded, and when he moved to France to finish his schooling in 1995, he didn’t even bring a camera with him. Upon returning to the US in 1998, he and his wife rented a mid-century modern house in Palm Springs, CA, and he was smitten. He began researching, exploring and appreciating modernist architecture more and more. This new awareness also rekindled his love of photography as he sought to document the buildings he was discovering. Things started taking off from there…Darren’s work has now appeared in large-format art books, academic and professional architecture journals, and lifestyle magazines around the world. He regularly accepts commissions from architects, builders, developers and homeowners. Based in San Diego, CA, Darren is an avid and active supporter of historical preservation efforts, volunteering for organizations including the San Diego Architectural Foundation, La Jolla Historical Society, Docomomo, and Palm Springs Modernism Week. Darren speaks French with native fluency, and holds a degree in history from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
2023 Finalists
