Emily Owens has taken a photography class twice in her life – once in middle school, and once as a graduate student. The classes taught her about composition, light, perspective, and the craft of developing negatives and photographs. “A split second makes a difference in the darkroom,” she says. “You have to be focused on getting the exposure exactly right.”

Photography is the combination of technical skill and the expression of art inherently tied to time, and that’s why it appeals to her. Architecture is no different. Buildings are planned during a moment in time, but throughout their lives are affected by the environment and how they are used.

She believes that there are an infinite number of right answers in architecture and design. “Projects are successful when we find out what the values and needs are for each client, user, and community, and work as one team,” says Emily. “In the process, you also discover what’s important to you, and how much you care about what you’re doing.”