A Constructed View: The Architectural Photography of Julius Shulman- Joseph Rosa
Form, line, curves, glass, wood, metal… all various elements and components that come together in architecture. Most people walk past a building, they walk by giving little thought or consideration to the elements involved in that building. They don’t think about the countless details that go into the construction of that structure. It is merely a building where people work, live, go to school, or pray to their chosen deity. For others though, they see beyond the purpose of the building or it’s inhabitants. They see the clean lines, the carefully crafted curves, the perfectly placed arches, or every other delicate element that make up that structure. As a photography you must train your eyes to see what others don’t. Architectural photographers do much more than look at the building as a whole and create a well lit photograph. Like the architect who first drew the plans for the building, the photographer must create a plan to photograph the structure. All elements must be considered and worked into the finished photograph.
As a child growing up in the greater Los Angeles area I was amazed, and still am to this day, at the wonderful architecture that makes up my lovely city. The buildings and glittery Hollywood homes are to me what give Los Angeles so much of it’s character. For me it is such a great treat to see a photographer who was able to capture those structures so wonderfully.
Julius Shulman seemed from an early age to show a great appreciation for architectural elements. Without much training or schooling he picked up his camera and captured buildings and other architectural elements first around Los Angeles then around his campuses at UCLA then Berkeley.
Too many photographers recently pick up their cameras or camera phones and snap away to excess with little to no thought consideration as to what they are shooting, or even why and how. After snapping away hundreds and sometimes thousands of images when they come across a handful good shots with decent light and exposure they pat themselves on the back and claim themselves worthy photographers. This is most notably seen on the Las Vegas Blvd street on a daily basis. Tourists coming through town and snapping away with little regard to what they are photographing or even why.
When I look at the work of Julius Shulman I am reminded very clearly how much thought and planning should go into a well constructed photograph. Architectural photography doesn’t happen by chance and takes much more skill than a tourist walking down the Strip snapping away. It isn’t very easy to understand the complicities in photographing a great structure or building living here in Las Vegas. There is a great lack of architectural wonders in the City of Sin. Yes we have a replica of the Eiffel Tower and a version of New York City, but all that is theme park type structures easily seen at Disneyland. To get a better understanding of great architecture look at older cities such as Los Angeles or the real NYC.
The book shows many architectural elements from around the world. But the main focus seems to take place around Los Angeles. In a city that is filled with movie stars, political icons, everyday people, and powerful businessmen and women it is no wonder there is such a vast difference seen throughout the city. The architecture reflects this varied difference in status and background. I have always been fascinated by the great Hollywood homes of the rich and famous. My affinity also lies with the 1950’s and 60’s. There seemed to be a great playfulness in architecture in those years.
It is amazing to see these great homes of a day much before my time captured to perfectly by Shulman. The way he photographs these grand homes transforms me into the day these homes were sparkling and brand new. But while flipping the pages it is also just as fun to see a modest home in the suburbs of West Covina, a city just east of Los Angeles. I know this city well, as I grew up just a town next door. The photograph entitled House, an assignment Shulman did for Good Housekeeping, was taken in 1954. Since I know the area well, this house doesn’t seem too out of place even today. I can clearly see this home driving the streets of West Covina. But it is still so interesting to see this home of many years ago, a simple home in a quiet suburb outside Los Angeles among the huge, fancy Hollywood Hills homes.
Other than the beautifully shot homes, there are many other architectural elements throughout this book. Some photographs are of office buildings in New York City or even Mexico City, as well as an NBC transmitter. Overall I think the book is a fun stroll down a time that seems so foreign to us now. It is also a great study of the fun and amazing architecture of the 50’s and 60’s. Just about every page draws me in the closely examine the great details encaptured by Shulman.
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