Julius Shulman, famed photographer, dies at 98
Modern architecture photographer Julius Shulman passed away Wednesday night in his L.A. home. He was 98.
Originally born in Brooklyn to Russian Jewish immigrants, Shulman later moved with his family across the country to California, where he would remain for the remainder of his life. As the story goes, Shulman happened upon architectural photography by chance. He claimed he was just in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. The only photography class he had ever taken was a course in high school. After Shulman had spent some time in and out of university, he received an invitation from a draftsman who was working on a modern home. Having never seen a modern home, Shulman went, camera in pocket. He took some photos, developed them, and sent them along. The next thing he knew, he was a professional photographer.
According to the L.A. Times, Shulman’s work is timeless:
Starting with Richard Neutra in 1936, Shulman’s roster of clients read like a who’s who of pioneering contemporary architecture: Rudolf M. Schindler, Gregory Ain, Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Eames, Raphael S. Soriano, John Lautner, Eero Saarinen, Albert Frey, Pierre Koenig, Harwell Harris and many others. His work was contained in virtually every book published on Modernist architects.
Shulman’s most well-known photo, Case Study House No. 22, is undisputedly one of the most famous photographs in all of modern architecture.
Shulman is survived by his daughter and grandson.
[photo: Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times]
Tags: architecture, Case Study House No. 22, Julius Shulman, photography
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