Ezra Stoller American, 1915-2004

Ezra Stoller, born in Chicago in 1915 and raised in New York, was a visionary architectural photographer whose career spanned from the late 1930s to the 1980s. After studying architecture at NYU, he honed his craft by capturing the essence of buildings, models, and sculptures. Graduating with a BFA in Industrial Design in 1938, he embarked on a remarkable journey in the world of photography. During World War II, Stoller served as a photographer at the Army Signal Corps Photo Center, where he further developed his photographic skills. Following the war, he emerged as a prominent figure in architectural photography, specializing in documenting iconic structures such as Fallingwater, the Guggenheim Museum, the Seagram Building, and the TWA Terminal.

 

His meticulous attention to vantage point, lighting, line, color, form, and texture brought buildings to life on a two-dimensional canvas. Beyond architectural photography, Stoller's lens captured the realms of science, technology, factories, industrial production, commercial, and residential architecture. His work serves not only as a testament to design and construction but also as a reflection of social history.

 

Throughout his illustrious career, Stoller collaborated closely with renowned architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Paul Rudolph, Marcel Breuer, I.M. Pei, Gordon Bunshaft, Eero Saarinen, Richard Meier, and Mies van der Rohe. Ezra Stoller's legacy lives on through the enduring impact of his images, which continue to shape our perception of modern architecture.