Paul Warchol, architectural photographer
“I was simultaneously inspired by Ezra Stoller and Julius—they had different inflections. Every time I photograph a house with a pool and lounge chairs, I think of the Kaufmann House. If those chairs were off, the whole picture would fall apart. Kaufmann is an iconic image to me. The height of the chairs—and realizing that the angle of the back of them is very important—are vital to that photograph.”
Steven Ehrlich, FAIA, RIBA, principal, Ehrlich Architects
“I have had a long and personal relationship with Julius, which has been very rewarding for me. …
I designed and built my first freestanding structure in L.A. in 1981—the Kalfus Studio, a small photography studio and guesthouse adjacent to a Richard Neutra house. When it was done, I felt Julius should photograph it. I was in my early 30s—he must have been in his middle to late 60s. He saw the project and said, ‘I want to shoot it.’ I said great. He asked me to be his assistant, which I obediently agreed to, and we photographed the project. On the second day [of the shoot] he said, ‘Now take off your clothes.’ I said, ‘Uh –, ‘ to which he replied, ‘I need a model.’ He wanted it to be as if a model were posing for a photographer in the studio. Those particular photos were never published. They’re in the Getty archive now! Julius really promoted architects he believed in, and before I knew it, that project was on the cover of The New York Times‘ Home & Garden section, in the AIA Journal. It was sort of splashed around everywhere. It really launched my career. …
In 1998 we did a major addition to a Neutra house on the beach. [Shulman] was already in his late 80s and—this is my opinion—had kind of retired. He had photographed the house back in the day, and wanted to shoot the addition as well. This is unsubstantiated, but I like to take the credit that I brought Julius out of retirement with that shoot. …
He also shot our house in Venice. I felt it was important that he shoot it. ‘Uncle Julius’ has always been a dear friend. In the global picture, if he believed in an architect’s work, he would really be a champion of it. He had such a long career—some of his classic photos just became iconic symbols and images all of us know and are kind of ingrained. Let’s take Case Study No. 22. In the daytime, it’s not the same photo. It’s embracing a moment in time and an ethos—the endless possibilities of what architecture can do. I cherished his mentorship. He was a good man.”
Sylvia Lavin, professor of architectural history and theory, UCLA
“I think it’s interesting that there’s a little bit of competitiveness between architects and their photographers, in terms of who was more important. Most architects kind of go on one side or the other. Shulman was interested in both. On the rare occasions when he combined them—those are the ones that have become iconic; Koenig [Case Study House No. 22], for example. The cantilever looks more exaggerated than it is, and the girls look like they’re wearing fancier dresses than they are. With the Kaufmann House, it was the same kind of thing. It’s a highly abstract view, but Mrs. Kaufmann is there lounging by the pool. She’s halfway between an object and a human being. There really wasn’t anybody else at that time who understood how to do that. …
The photos are all like stills from movies. They make the viewer imagine the movie they’re not seeing. …
Architecture is a frame for the things that happen in it. [Shulman] was very good at rendering the frame. There’s a photo of a house—the Singleton House by Neutra—where it takes about 25 minutes to figure out where [Shulman] stood—it’s a highly abstract view of the architecture that no one would ever see. It’s making the architecture an even more extreme version of its architectural self. But he was also interested in other photos that showed what the frame made possible—the life in the house—the artfully placed shoes.”
Dion Neutra, AIA
“Shulman learned a lot from my dad [Richard Neutra], no question about it. They were friends—not social friends, more of a business relationship. There was a moment when my dad was really upset, when Shulman hired Soriano to design his house. But they continued to work together long after that. …
I like his way of using people in his pictures. The photo [of Case Study House No. 22] with the two women is incredible. And using Mrs. Kaufmann to block the pool light [at the photo shoot for the Kaufmann House]—that became an iconic shot. That story is in Thomas Hines’ book about my dad. …
My dad and mother sent photos to various editors, but I’d say Shulman also played a part, in that he became very good at ringing doorbells and making phone contact with magazines.”
Norman Millar, dean, Woodbury University School of Architecture
“The Julius Shulman Institute at Woodbury University came about as a result of a friendship between Julius Shulman and Woodbury. He was one of the most important ‘friends of Woodbury.’ When he sold his collection of prints to the Getty, he turned around and donated $1 million to Woodbury. He spent a lot of time here with us. We’re certainly the newest program here in Southern California, and he saw us as a ‘new light.’ We’ve been coming into our own, and Julius has been here along the way. He has watched the school grow and helped it grow. His generous donation initiated a capital campaign to help us build new studio space here in L.A. and in San Diego. It also funds special events and initiatives. …
The Shulman Institute focuses on a legacy of enduring modernism—affordability, social responsibility, the client relationship, and all aspects of [modern] design—its history, theory, and practice. Julius Shulman is one of the most important figures in the modern world in terms of embracing contemporary architecture in the 1950s and ’60s. He often talked about the Case Study project as being a failure on a certain level, because it was supposed to be affordable. [The Case Study houses] ended up being clean, elegant, modern [and so on], but not so affordable. So we decided the Shulman Institute should really look at the issue of affordable and experimental housing. …
I remember [Shulman] talking about meeting Richard Neutra for the first time, and then it all just went from there. I just think it’s really remarkable to go to his house, which was once a barren landscape. To see this incredible garden with huge oak trees—he was in his element there.”