A photographer who began his professional life shooting for advertising and product design, Marvin Rand later turned to architectural photography and became one of the most comprehensive chroniclers of California’s mid-century architectural style. Born in 1924, Rand was a California native whose professional life working alongside a who’s who of architectural talents led him to produce an archive of images that not only captured the masterpieces of the mid-century movement but instilled them with a sense of style and personality.

Rand captured the burgeoning style as it sprung up around California, his photographs taking in everything from private residences and drive-thrus to the famous Capitol Records building. Showcased in a new book from Phaidon entitled, California Captured, Rand’s archive contained a goldmine of captivating images that defined the California style.

Images courtesy of the estate of Marvin Rand