HORACE BRISTOL (1908-1997) started off as an architect but in 1933 moved to the West Coast of America and took up professional photography. He subsequently met Ansel Adams and through him, Edward Weston and Imogen Cunningham. He was a founding photographer at Henry Luce's new title, LIFE. In 1938 he collaborated with John Steinbeck documenting the Great Depression as manifested in California. He joined the US Naval Photographic Unit and documented the War, settling in Japan 1945.

A personal tragedy in the 1950's led to him destroying his negatives and only in later life did he agree to revisit the past. From his records, long packaged up, exhibitions and publications ensued.

FORTUNE used him sparingly, but his portfolio on Mobile deserves great attention and admiration.He is better served than many of the photographers who worked for FORTUNE for archive and monograph...

HORACE BRISTOL'S OWN WEBSITE

SEE Ken Conner and Debra Heimerdinger. Horace Bristol: An American View.