Reaching the Downtown Skyline Photography Studio at the Top of Houston Highrises

Houston Skyline Photo by Visual Contrabrand

Alice Barr and her KHOU camera crew spend an authorized-by-building-management evening on top of an unnamed Downtown hotel to feature the photography and highrise hijinx of the “rooftopper” who goes by the name of Visual Contrabrand. The photographer (pictured above) tells Barr he’s afraid of heights, and that even after climbing down, glances at some of the images he’s taken “still make my palms sweaty.” But that doesn’t stop him from finding a way to access various tall structures around town (“without destroying any property,” he says) and snapping daredevil pix with his Canon 70D.

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Houston Skyline Photo by Visual Contrabrand

“Because his art often comes with a side of trespass,” she explains, Barr keeps Visual Contraband’s name and full face off-camera. But his Instagram feed documents his various adventures on rooftops in Houston — and a few other cities he’s visited.

Houston Skyline Photo by Visual Contrabrand

Photos: Visual Contrabrand

Night Pix

15 Comment

  • i always wondered what the occupy wallstreet hipsters did in their spare time….

  • All it takes is one unexpected gust of wind, and….

  • This guy I don’t mind so much, just taking pictures, but the idiots tagging the (used to be) nice overpasses on 59 between Montrose and Woodhead, I hope one take a nosedive off right into traffic!

  • dude deserves a pat on the back for facing his fears boldly….even if he ends up as a greasy spot in the street below.

  • Was he working in a paint factory the morning before the shoot? Why the respirator? If it’s to hide his identity, it seems there are more practical ways.

  • I used to follow this kid on instagram. He over estimates his importance and if I’m being truly honest, his work isn’t all that creative. There are people all over the world taking similar shots and posting them on instagram. He does have a pretty big set of balls though.

  • Back in my news reporter days, I got to go on the roof of the Texas Commerce Bank building (now JPMorgan Chase tower) for a press conference on the air quality monitor up there. I could not bring myself to get anywhere near the edge, although the view was magnificent! We were actually above the smog line. The photographer for the Houston Post gave us all a scare by hanging over the edge to take photos!

  • Perhaps he’s never heard of fall protection. I guess a safety mindset doesn’t cross all lines of work.

  • There’s a really good evolutionary reason your palms are sweaty, dude.

  • Check out the Russian kids who did this in Egypt and all over Europe. Also that’s from the top of the Magnolia Hotel (cel repeaters are up there), 2nd pic is from top of Great Jones bldg, and so is the 3rd pic except looking south down Main St.

  • Those would be some great photos if not for the idiot posing in the photos.

    Also, the top photo looks like he’s taking a leak. Watch out below!

  • Man yall are some salty folks up in here. They’re some neat shots that took a lot of guts…or stupidity (not sure which).

  • I think the drones will put this fool out of business.

  • This is really kind of pathetic, does he think he’s Peter Parker? Also, in this age of terrorism it’s more than a little disconcerting that this idiot can get on the roofs of these buildings. Perhaps it’s time to reassess the security in these buildings, just sayin.