Photographer and ArtCenter Alumnus Marvin Rand's Work is Chronicled in a New Book
Marvin Rand is one of the best architectural photographers you’ve never heard of. When it comes to the documentation of Mid-Century buildings, the work of photographers like Ezra Stoller and Julius Shulman often dominate the narrative. California Captured (Phaidon) hopes to change that, delving into Rand’s archives and bringing his work—and his love of his native Los Angeles—to light.
The son of a furniture maker and clothing designer, Rand studied photography at Los Angeles City College prior to a post as an aerial photographer during World War II. After the war, he enrolled at ArtCenter College of Design, his background of studying both photography and design providing him a unique perspective with the lens. “He really respected it. He loved architecture, but he also loved L.A.,” says Lubell, who co-wrote the book alongside Emily Bills and Pierluigi Serraino.