B+H Architecture – Mosaic Stadium Photography

B+H Architecture commissioned architectural photographer Brett Gilmour to photograph Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Canada. The stadium is a prominent sports and entertainment facility. The goal of the project was to create an aesthetically appealing collection of photos that would highlight the stadium’s architectural design, role as a community hub, and distinctive spectator experience during major sporting events. The stadium was photographed over the course of one week to cover a variety of lighting situations.

The Challenges

1. Limited Timeframes: Sports and concerts have tight timetables that leave little room for staging shots and necessitate quick decision-making and adaptability.

2. Visual Uniqueness: As a popular venue, the challenge was to create images that stood out from those typically associated with sports stadiums and events.

3. Varied Lighting Conditions: The project required capturing images during daytime, nighttime, and under different weather conditions, demanding adaptability and expertise in handling diverse lighting scenarios.

Approach

1. Pre-Production Planning

Brett Gilmour worked closely with the B+H Mosaic Stadium team to fully comprehend their vision and objectives for the photography project. This entailed identifying essential architectural components as well as the event schedule to plan for the best shooting chances.

2. Scouting and Location Familiarization

Brett visited the stadium before the shoot to scout for unique angles, lighting conditions, and interesting vantage points. The scout revealed that many of the ideal points of view were blocked by other buildings and obstacles. To overcome this man-lifts were hired and access to locations on the rooftops of adjacent buildings were secured by Brett and his producer.

3. Equipment Selection

Brett chose a variety of cameras, architectural photography lenses, and lighting equipment based on the varied shooting conditions to achieve high-quality pictures in all scenarios. Cranes were hired to achieve many of the elevated points of view required for this shoot.

4. Event Coordination

Brett worked directly with B+H Architecture, the stadium administration and event organizers to gain access to approved places and coordinate shots without interfering with the facilites event schedule and the Saskatchewan Roughriders training schedule.

Execution

1. Architectural Photography

Brett photographed the stadium’s exterior and interior at various times of day, emphasizing its design, funtionality, key features and beauty. Wide-angle photography and ultra-wide angle composite photos made up of 15 to 35 images showed the entire stadium, while close-ups focused on smaller details like the seating, signage and way-finding.

2. Light Painting

Brett experimented with long-exposure light painting techniques to bring a distinctive touch to the project, resulting in breathtaking shots of the stadium drenched in colourful lights.

3. Post-Production

The photographs were painstakingly adjusted to improve colours, contrast, and clarity while retaining a natural look. Retouching was done carefully to ensure that the finished photos matched the client’s branding and marketing objectives.

The Result

The images portrayed the stadium as an architectural masterpiece, calling attention to its distinctive features and eliciting praise from architecture enthusiasts and the general public alike. Resonating with both sports enthusiasts and eventgoers, these images became powerful marketing tools for attracting future events and visitors.

The photographs were successfully used by B+H Mosaic Stadium in their marketing campaigns, social media, website, and promotional materials, considerably increasing their brand identification and online presence.

The photography project received acclaim from industry peers and photography enthusiasts, solidifying Brett Gilmour’s reputation as a masterful commercial photographer.