All images by Lars Stieger. Used with Creative Commons Permission.

Architecture photography can be mundane or too abstract to some, but it seems that Hamburg-based photographer Lars Stieger sees it as fodder to the imagination. Case in point is his impressive set called Spaceships, which, as the title suggests, is a clever reimagining of buildings and architectural elements as parts of a spaceship or space exploration headquarters. Photographers dabbling into this genre typically make use of lines, shapes, and textures to lead the eyes of viewers around the frame. Lars does the same in this set, with the added challenge of making viewers believe they’re something else. Achieving this goal obviously required both attention to detail and a creative imagination, but his keen interest for science fiction also made the representations more believable.

It feels like walking on the premises of an abandoned and forgotten NASA facility, said one of his viewers on Behance. That, or walking into the set of a sci-fi flick. After the first few photos and the context provided by his title, it sure does feel like it. The curves look like segments of flying saucers, the lines seem otherworldly, and the shapes are suggestive of control towers or alien mega structures. To complete the mysterious vibe going on in this set, Lars chose to envelope his structures in muted hues and subdued shades of bluish gray.

Given all these reimagined details, one can’t help but wonder about his shooting locations and which of them sparked the brilliant idea for Lars. On his website, he shares that he’s always on the look-out for structures that stand out as strange or unnatural, and the subjects for Spaceships fit the bill indeed.

Since we’re going along with Lars’ playful narrative, let’s imagine Spaceship as a prelude to the equally intriguing stroll on Stefano Gardel’s alien-like Neon Deserts.

Lars’ Spaceships demonstrates some of the strengths of effective photography: the photos speak for themselves and encourage the viewers to imagine. As the age-old adage goes, show, don’t tell.

 

If his Spaceships set got you intrigued, take a look at more of Lars Stieger’s impressive work on his website and Behance page.