American architectural photographer Julius Shulman spoke Thursday evening to a jam-packed audience at the Untitled [ArtSpace] gallery in Oklahoma City as part of the Bruce Goff Lecture Series.

Shulman, 97, is recognized for his iconic images of mid-century structures and helped establish architectural photography as an independent art form.

Although most of Shulman’s work depicted buildings and homes on the West Coast, his lecture focused on his 60 photographic projects in Oklahoma.

The lecture was preceded by a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception and followed by a book signing.

“The beauty of life consists of memories,” Shulman said. “And some of my greatest memories in my life were from Oklahoma.”

Shulman said the work he did in the Sooner state was among his favorite. His collection of photos showed a variety of Oklahoma architecture.

Many of his pictures taken in Oklahoma City featured swimming pools, churches and banks that are still standing today.

Shulman said and showed that he likes to take architectural pictures from the inside of a structure to the outside. This is a way for the viewer to get an idea of what the building looks like from a different angle.

Shulman also mentioned that he likes to take architectural photos in black and white to enhance the image.

Throughout his presentation, Shulman said Oklahoma’s mid-century architecture was something to be proud of and that the OU is one of the reasons why.

During his tour in Oklahoma, Shulman photographed many structures designed by architects studying at the OU

Shulman said good architectural photography helps to showcase the architect’s work in a precise way.

He said architecture is a great field for photographers to specialize in because it has been an exciting profession for him.

“I’ve lived a good life, I’ve been doing my work for 77 years,” Shulman said. “I was born with an ability to take pictures and have lived my life as an architectural photographer. I’ve learned to live so comfortably that time doesn’t exist in my life. My life is patterned to live to 120, my wealth is that I can sit here today.”

Nick Safley, a fifth-year architecture student, said having Shulman come to Oklahoma was thrilling because his work is some of the most famous in architectural photography.

He said Shulman’s work is a staple for architecture and photography students.

“His work is one of those things you wouldn’t necessarily study because it is so famous,” Safley said. “Any modern [architectural] photo from the mid-century is a Shulman.”

Safley said photographers like Shulman are a crucial link for architecture because the pictures they take describe the space better than words.

“Shulman’s pictures are very well composed,” Safley said. “He likes to tell a spatial story and explain what the space is through photographs. It tells you the entire building in one or two photos.”

Gentle Cashion, an active member of the Oklahoma City arts community, said it is exciting to feature artists like Shulman in Oklahoma City.

“Architectural photography is important because structures don’t last forever and its great to see them in their original form,” Cashion said.