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>>> Ross Cooperthwaite | Tucson, Arizona

It’s simple to understand that photographer Ross Cooperthwaite’s formal education in architecture gives him a distinct advantage when it comes to shooting commercial and residential projects. “When I work for an architect, I share the same vocabulary,” Cooperthwaite notes. “I understand juxtapositions of materials, angles and so forth. I can read a building.”

Ross Cooperthwaite’s recent work has included shooting projects for Tucson architect Rob Paulus.

What’s less simple is the story of how Cooperthwaite, a native of the U.K., landed in Tucson. It’s a circuitous tale involving a remodeling business, a wife and a beloved dog.

Born in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Cooperthwaite knew from an early age that he wanted to pursue architecture, and received a college-level national diploma in building and construction before moving on to study architecture at Southbank University and later at Kingston University in London. Along the way, he took a photography class as an elective and was hooked. After a stint at an architectural firm, Cooperthwaite decided that architecture was “too much time behind the desk.” He took a risk, leaving the university for photography.

“To make money, I set up a painting and decorating business in London with a partner,” explains Cooperthwaite, “which gave me three months off a year to travel and teach myself photography.” Traveling the globe, he taught himself to do landscapes and architecture. In between, he also worked as a photographer for a large London realty firm.

During the course of his travels, he met his future wife in Aspen, Colorado. “Her dog decided where we lived,” laughs Cooperthwaite. “It’s a pit bull, and you can’t bring those into England, so we decided to live in the United States.” Once in the States, Cooperthwaite couldn’t work for six months awaiting necessary immigration permits. “That meant we couldn’t afford to live in Aspen, so in 2005, we moved down to Tucson where my wife has family. That’s how we found ourselves here.”

When he was able to work in 2006, he launched his own photography business, setting up a Web site and cold calling architectural prospects. Slowly but surely, Cooperthwaite built up an architectural client roster in Tucson and Phoenix that includes names such as SmithGroup, Rob Paulus, Durrant and others.


Cooperthwaite’s typical approach to a job is to meet the architect at the project, walk the building and obtain a site plan, marking points of interest. “I like to get to a project in the afternoon, then follow the sun around until I get a dusk shot,” he explains. “Then, I’ll get up before dawn the next morning to get that early-morning light, follow the sun outside some more, then move indoors.

“I’d rather not just do three or four shots of a building,”

Cooperthwaite continues. “I like to explore the architecture and get 20 to 40 images. I think that’s more of a value for the client. They can use the images for different marketing campaigns or to enter design competitions.”

Three years after starting his own photography business, Cooperthwaite feels lucky to find himself busy, particularly in these uncertain economic times. “Work has really exploded for me recently. I’m happy to be busy.”

And, yes, Cooperthwaite and his wife still have the dog that determined their geography. “Evie just turned nine, but she’s losing her teeth. She’s a softie and afraid of everything. Not much of a pit bull, really.”

Cooperthwaite Photography, Tucson, AZ; (520) 495-0907 or www.cooperthwaite.com.