Vest Pocket Pictures: Julius Shulman

Julius Shulman, Sunday Trekkers on Mount Hollywood, 1933

When Los Angeles was young, a budding, curious photographer roamed the land. With his Vest Pocket Kodak, a compact, folding camera, he captured people, industry, and fun. These are the early works of one of the most revered architectural photographers of the modern era. Known especially for a far-reaching catalog documenting the mid-century modernist architecture, the rarely seen images in this exhibition show another side of the artist. With impeccable control of light, timing, and framing, the young Julius Shulman (b. 1910, New York City; d. 2009, Los Angeles) captured life in Los Angeles including, friends, hikers, “Hollywoodland,” refinery tanks, oil derricks, roads under construction, and more. Through these images one can see the promise of Los Angeles and the talent that would become Julius Shulman.

The Art, Design & Architecture Museum would like to thank Judy McKee, Shulman’s daughter, for generously lending the works in this exhibition.