Architectural photography is an art form that is intrinsically dependent on the mind of another creator. Without architecture, there would be no architectural photography. Normally, one wouldn't imagine this to be a two-way street, but this insightful video posits a different view.
Stewart Hicks is an associate professor in the School of Architecture, lecturing in architectural design, at the University of Illinois, Chicago. In this video, he puts forward the case that photography has elevated architecture beyond its normal reaches by being a medium that can interpret and translate a building on behalf of the architect. Not only that but, as Hicks suggests, photography has put architecture in front of many more people, including those that might not have access or the financial ability to view a particular building.
Architects are visual designers, so they know the importance of good photography and have a keen eye for it. Hearing words like this from an educator in architectural design is a positive sign for those in this corner of the photographic industry. Presumably, most of Hicks' audience is interested in architecture, so it's great to see an appreciation for the craft being passed on to people that might not have considered this point of view before. I'm sure that a good chunk of that same audience is aspiring architects themselves, which bodes well for more collaborative work in the future between architects and photographers.
If you're interested in architectural photography, be sure to check out Mike Kelley's amazing tutorial series, Where Art Meets Architecture.
When I went to college, the arts department didn't have any photography classes. I took the class over the summer via the architecture department.