Born and raised in Belgrade during the final years of Yugoslavia, Nikola Strbac’s path to photography was shaped by history as much as by art. In 1993, amidst rising political unrest and conflict in the Balkans, he left Serbia and arrived in the United States. After earning his degree in painting from Bard College, Nikola found in photography a broader language to explore space, memory, and transformation. New York City became his permanent home and creative foundation, where he began translating the discipline of painting into a refined, architectural visual style.

Nikola’s work centers on the emotional depth of structure. He is best known for capturing Modernist architecture in flux—spaces marked by history, geography, and social change. From pristine Manhattan interiors to forgotten hotels on the outskirts of Europe, his photography investigates what buildings can say about the people who use them, abandon them, or try to preserve their meaning. His lens doesn’t just document—he dissects the psychology of space, revealing something honest beneath the surface: design as narrative, architecture as witness.

Today, Nikola Strbac is recognized as one of New York’s most respected interior photographers, with work appearing regularly in The New York Times and other major design and architecture publications. Clients and collaborators turn to him for his consistent eye, minimalist storytelling, and quiet ability to elevate every project. Whether shooting a luxury penthouse, a contemporary museum space, or a private residence, Nikola captures not just the structure itself, but its soul—one frame at a time