Residential Architecture

Home is where I want to be
But I guess I’m already there
I come home, she lifted up her wings
I guess that this must be the place
— Talking Heads
Architectural photographer of a luxury family room. Bold textiles, custom lighting and curated art. Capture by South Florida & Los-Angeles-based architectural photographer and filmmaker Christian Santiago

Translating Your Labor of Love into Timeless Photographs

Homes are a sanctuary. They are also where people fight over paint colors, binge their favorite shows, or argue about who’s holding the remote. They’re living, breathing spaces, not just square footage measured out for a listing. That’s why I don’t approach residential work like a real estate photographer cranking out shots for the MLS.

You’ve poured years of your life, money, and sanity into this project, and this might be the only chance you’ll have to document it. No pressure, right? The truth is, 99.9% of your audience will never set foot in these spaces. That’s why I shoot with the weight of those stakes in mind. The photographs should do more than record. They should translate the experience.

Great architecture deserves better than stretched-out, over-saturated images that make every living room look like a bowling alley. Ultra-wide lenses might sell “big,” but they strip away proportion, intimacy, and truth. My approach is different.

I photograph residences with the same discipline I bring to civic or cultural landmarks: precise composition, motivated light, and a sense of scale that honors the architect’s intent rather than distorting it. Where traditional real estate photography focuses on selling floor plans, my work conveys atmosphere, proportion, and presence.

That distinction matters. A thoughtfully framed image doesn’t just document a space—it conveys a vision. It allows a buyer to feel the weight of a cantilever, or gives an architect’s details the space to breathe. Whether it’s a Malibu hillside modern or a Coral Gables Mediterranean revival, my goal is to translate design into images that are as timeless as the work itself.

An architectural photograph of a luxury mediterranean revival style home in Coconut Grove shot by South Florida & Los Angeles-based architectural photographer/filmmaker Christian Santiago.

Villa Serenita

Architectural photograph of the Sandcastle House in Malibu, California, designed by Harry Gesner, captured at sunset overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Captured by South Florida & Los Aneles based architectural photographer Christian Santiago

Sandcastle House: Malibu

252 Bal Bay