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PHOTOGRAPHERS OF DESIGN

>>> Jeff Zaruba, Carefree, Arizona

Several years ago, Jeff Zaruba was asked to shoot the exterior of a Marriott hotel in New York's Times Square. "The client wanted to show how the building had been remodeled, plus its Times Square location," explains the Arizona-based photographer.

Zaruba, who's traveled the world doing corporate and architectural photography, began his preparations to do this big hospitality project. "First, I had to hire a location scout to find a good vantage point for the shot," he explains. "Then, I had to coordinate with everyone from the art director and my assistants to the staff and electricians to make sure lights were on, and extra lighting could be set up. I also had to look into renting lifts and getting permits. Did I mention this happened in January, and it was 10 degrees outside?"

For Zaruba, shooting a residential project, by comparison, is a breeze. "The homeowners, the architect and the builder are proud of the home," Zaruba notes. "They're happy to be really involved in the process, whereas at a hotel, you can't disrupt the business." Nonetheless, Zaruba is equally content to shoot both residential and commercial work, and brings an artistic vision to each frame.

Hilton Cancun Golf and Spa Resort in Mexico.

Zaruba grew up in Chicago's western suburbs, and credits a high school technical drawing class for planting the architectural photography seed. "This was actually an architectural drafting class, and I think it helped me see how something could unfold in three dimensions. I also grew up in a family that was always involved in renovation and building," he says.

He opted to study architecture at the University of Illinois, but after one year, his father's company transferred him to Phoenix. "I decided to follow the family west," says Zaruba, "so I went to architecture school at Arizona State University."

Zaruba also signed up for a photography class, and before long he found himself spending all his free time working on his photography. Switching majors, he earned a BFA in 1975, emphasizing photography. At the time, he points out, the school didn't help much with career counseling. "They didn't exactly know how I could make money doing photography. As far as the school was concerned, I could be an artist, or I could teach."

Renaissance New York Hotel Times Square.

Neither sounded financially fulfilling, so Zaruba headed back to Chicago, where he found work assisting several commercial photographers, learning the ropes of the business. When it came time to launch his own commercial photography business, he decided he really liked the West and moved to Los Angeles. "I shot everything — people, corporate work, annual reports — but I also kept doing my art photography, which involved shooting architecture," he says. "I finally realized I was happiest shooting architecture, both commercially and in my artwork."

It was through his corporate work that Zaruba got involved with Marriott hotels, which, in turn, led to more hospitality work around the globe. He's shot hotels, resorts and cruise lines in locales ranging from Seoul, Korea and Berlin, Germany to Venice, Italy and the Hawaiian Islands.

Along the way, he also began shooting residential projects. "When I talk to architects and homebuilders, I can relate to them," he says. "What they're saying makes sense to me, so I can see a project through their eyes."

W Hotel, Scottsdale, Arizona.

Marriage and family led Zaruba to relocated to Seattle, Washington, then Marin County, California. More recently, he's found himself back in the desert of Arizona, where he's picked up local work in addition to his globe-trotting projects.

He's also kept up on his art photography, participating in gallery shows in Phoenix and in Oakland, California, as well as in a museum show in Los Gatos, California. His art photography has been published in a photography magazine based in India.

More recently, Zaruba expanded his commercial work by photographing residential projects for editorial use in consumer shelter publications.

"The art photography is just for me. It helps balance out the commercial work, where I strive to make the client happy."

Jeff Zaruba, Carefree, AZ; (480) 575-7882 or www.jzaruba.com.