Trevor Parker is a romantic at heart. The New York–based photographer and artist draws inspiration from the classic architecture, craftsmanship and history that surrounds him every day. “I want people to fall in love with the small details that make our cities feel alive,” he tells Business of Home. “My mission is to get people to look up, to slow down, and to appreciate the artistry that’s all around them.”
Growing up in a small town in the Texas Hill Country, Parker taught himself how to use a camera in middle school and never stopped taking photographs. He moved to New York asa young adult and began working in real estate—and later, for an interior design firm, which influenced the way he photographed spaces. “I realized the importance of creating an emotional connection through imagery,” he says. “Whether I’m photographing a penthouse or a powder room, I want the image to feel like more than just documentation—I want it to feel like an experience.”
In 2020, Parker launched his namesake studio, specializing in interior and architectural photography. His work has been featured in magazines such as Traditional Home and Hamptons Cottages & Gardens. “One really special project was photographing Katharine Hepburn’s former townhouse for a designer,” he says.
He recently began experimenting with cyanotype—an old-school photographic printing method that involves coating paper in a light-sensitive solution—to produce cobalt-hued works that resemble architectural blueprints. “I wanted to create something more tangible than a classic photo print,” explains Parker. “I discovered cyanotypes and loved the connection to blueprints. It just made sense, especially photographing architecture.”
Each piece takes Parker up to 40 hours to make. He starts with a photograph of an architectural detail, then spends hours editing the negative until he settles on the right image. After printing the edited photo on either fabric or paper, he mixes the cyanotype chemicals by hand—fresh each time to ensure stronger blues—and then coats the design in the solution, before exposing it to natural light until it develops. “There’s a ton of handwork involved—from cutting the negatives to handwashing every piece,” he says. “It’s a really physical, hands-on process, which I love."
He casts his designs on either a Belgian linen or cotton paper ground, depending on the textural finish he hopes to achieve. “The linen goes through a crazy process of bleaching, steaming and ironing to prep it,” says Parker. “Every piece develops differently depending on the weather, the time of day, and even the season, so they’re all truly one of a kind.”
Last week, Parker unveiled Cyan, a collection of 26 original pieces, in an exhibition inside the Dennis Miller New York showroom at 200 Lex. “This is really just the tip of the iceberg,” he says. “I have already started experimenting with different materials, new techniques, and have some exciting collaborations on the horizon.”
