Richard Bryant - (Architectural Photographers) by Valeria Carullo & Martin Caiger-Smith (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Beginning his career in the 1970s after studying architecture, Bryant quickly became one of the most sought-after photographers by the architectural press. This book reveals how, following the general shift from black-and-white to colour, his work went on to define the image of 1990s architecture. Drawing from the art of the 17th century Dutch painters he admires, Bryant brings to his images a unique sensitivity, especially in the use of natural light. At the same time, his lifelong interest in Modernism can be traced in the emphasis on geometry and engagement with abstraction featured in many of his compositions.

As well as discussing his iconic photographs of Scarpa's architecture, London, and the Sir John Soane's Museum, the book highlights Bryant's collaborations with some of the giants of 20th-century architecture, including Tadao Ando, Geoffrey Bawa, Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Hans Hollein, Richard Meier, James Stirling, Norman Foster and Richard Rogers. The authors examine his career and interests, set his work within a broader context, and provide insights into his methods and approaches. The book also shows the changes which have occurred in both the architectural profession and the medium of photography over the past five decades.

Review Quotes

'Richard Bryant's photography has been instrumental in revealing the delicate balance between innovation and heritage in many of our buildings around the world. His discerning eye captures the essence of how new interventions can enhance and harmonize with historic structures, allowing the built environment to tell its story with both respect and vision.' - Lord Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners

About the Author

Professor Martin Caiger-Smith was until 2024 Head of the MA Curating the Art Museum at the Courtauld Institute of Art, and previously worked at the Photographers' Gallery and the Hayward Gallery, London. Valeria Carullo is Photographs Curator at the RIBA and the author of Moholy-Nagy in Britain 1935-1937 (Lund Humphries 2019).