Julius Shulman "Case Study House #21"
1958, Chromogenic Print
I chose this image because of how simple it is. A somewhat candid feel, framed as if the viewer is stumbling upon a typical suburban couple in their home. Photographed by Julius Shulman, one of the greatest architectural photographers, the photo utilizes impressive techniques to highlight a home in a very pleasing way. I admire the way Shulman composes his shot, allowing the viewers' eyes to follow the ceiling lines to the scene itself. That scene being casual suburban american living in a Modernist context. If composed any other way, the effectiveness of the shot could be lost in the geometrics. Those geometric patterns of glass and steel against a natural landscape, and also reflecting off water, provide a very attractive contrast. The color palette of the shot, tungsten interior lighting against fading daylight, compliment each other extremely well. Eventually meant to be an advertisement for postwar American housing, the photo demonstrates a unique aesthetic of simplicity, allowing postwar Modernist architecture to feel comfortable, as well as inviting to the American public. Shulman beautifully demonstrates the basis of this architectural style: form follows function, and simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
