Benny Chan to receive 2018 Julius Shulman Photography Excellence Award

From airplane hangars and warehouses, to aerial shots of building rooftops and X-Ray images, the photographs of L.A.-based art and commercial photographer Benny Chan reveal an unwavering curiosity of how things go together. Most recently, Chan was announced as the 2018 recipient of the honorable Julius Shulman Institute Excellence in Photography Award.

Woodbury University's Julius Shulman Institute presents the prestigious award to an early or mid-career artist whose work embodies the legacy of architectural photographer Julius Shulman. It features a notable roster of recipients, including Todd Eberle, Hélène Binet, Grant Mudford, Pedro E. Guererro, Catherine Opie, Richard Barnes, and Iwan Baan.

Check out some of Benny Chan's work below.

Having a background in architecture, Benny Chan's photos reveal a unique understanding of space and structure. After graduating from SCI-Arc in 1992, Chan traveled to Europe where his long-time interest in photography grew. Upon returning to the U.S., Chan worked at SOM and then at Neil M. Denari Architects. In 1993, he decided to dedicate more time to his photography and founded Fotoworks, which he continues to operate today.

In his latest photo series, Chan captures iconic and vernacular L.A. architecture under construction — as if it were a fascinating assembly manual to the city of L.A. The photos will be displayed in his upcoming exhibition, “Above and Behind: The Architecture Photography of Benny Chan”, which opens on May 12 at the WUHO Gallery. On the same day, Chan will be presented with the JSI Award.

Being the dedicated photographer he is, Chan will push the limits to get the perfect shot — whether that involves hanging from helicopters to capture the right angle, building his own cameras to surpass focal-length limits of off-the-shelf models, or finding his way into highly restricted sites.