Behind the Scenes: Architectural Photography at Kansai International Airport

At DAISHO Photography, we recently had the opportunity to return to Kansai International Airport (KIX) for a follow-up architectural photography project commissioned by Populous, a globally recognized architecture firm specializing in large-scale venues such as stadiums and airports.

This marks our second collaboration with Populous at KIX. While our first shoot focused on stylistic, semi-commercial images used for branding and communications, this time the focus was squarely on pure architectural documentation. The objective: to capture the built environment of the newly completed spaces, now fully operational and in use by the public.

Photographing a functioning international airport poses a unique set of challenges. We had to:

• Carefully remove or obscure airport users from the frame to preserve privacy and clarity.

• Blur or eliminate sensitive details related to customs, immigration, and security infrastructure, following strict guidelines from airport authorities.

• Retouch branding and advertisement elements that could not be publicly displayed due to client or policy restrictions.

Despite these technical and operational constraints, the final imagery remains true to the architectural intent, showcasing the form, materiality, and function of the airport environment.

While some images cannot be publicly shared due to security considerations, the project serves as a strong example of on-location architectural photography performed in a live, high-security environment. We believe this kind of expertise will be especially valuable for clients seeking documentation of airports, transit hubs, or other sensitive infrastructure.

If you’re a design firm, contractor, or operator in need of high-quality architectural photography that respects both design integrity and site-specific restrictions, we’re ready to work with you. Get in touch to discuss your project.

View the Final Work

You can view the final results on our portfolio page here:
👉 Kansai Airport Architectural Photography | Populous Collaboration