Mid-Century Modern's Photographer: Julius Shulman

Julius Shulman was not an architect, but his images probably appeared in more issues of Architectural Record and Architectural Forum than anyone else's during the middle of the century. Shulman was a California based photographer who shot some of the most iconic images of mid-century architecture. His photograph of Pierre Koenig’s Case Study House #22, cantilevering above the Los Angeles skyline at twilight, has become one of the most recognizable images of the period.

Life in Photographs

Shulman was born in 1910 in New York. He took his only photography course in high school and never finished college. Shulman began shooting photos to earn rent money while living in Los Angeles. But in 1936 a friend, who worked for architect Richard Neutra, invited Shulman to visit one of the architect’s new designs. He was intrigued by the modern home and took a series of photographs. Neutra was impressed by the images and invited Shulman to photograph more of his designs. The two strong personalities often clashed, but the result was a sharpening of Shulman’s skills and his eye for framing images. Commissions soon followed from Charles Eames, Frank Lloyd Wright, Rudolf M. Schindler, Eero Saarinen, Harwell Harris, Welton Becket, and many others.

His Legacy

Shulman’s images have become as famous as many of the designs he photographed. And in some cases, such as Koenig’s Case Study house, it can be argued that he helped create the career of architect through his imagery. Shulman died in 2009, but his reputation continues to grow. The Getty Center acquired his large archive in 2005, and a 2008 documentary, Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman, won a number of awards at international film festivals.