Brian Vanden Brink
Life Guard Station, Santa Monica, CA
“I began my life in photography in 1971 in Omaha, Nebraska, but it wasn’t until two years later when I first started to work with a large format view camera that my career direction became more clear. My wife and I moved to Maine in 1978, and I began to specialize in architectural photography. Today my professional work consists of shooting beautiful houses for architects, interior designers, landscape architects or magazines and books about residential design. However, I also love to photograph architecture just because I find it interesting, beautiful, curious or fun.
My personal work frequently examines abandoned architecture, rural architecture or industrial/post industrial structures and their relationship to the landscape. I find this to be a fascinating world of shapes, textures, spatial relationships and history. I love to photograph how and where we live, seeing in our architecture an expression of what we value and what is important to us. I am attracted to photographing design, whether it is represented by a hot dog stand, a Romanesque cathedral or a private residence. My primary tool is the light, which defines space and adds emotion.
After working with a view camera for over 30 years, I transitioned to digital shooting, which opened the door to a completely different way of working, which is very exciting. My most recent personal work has been done using my iPhone.” - Brian Vanden Brink
AWARDS
PDN 2010 PHOTO ANNUAL WINNER, RUIN: Photographs of a Vanishing America earned a Photo District News 2010 Photo Annual award in the books category
RUIN: Photographs of a Vanishing America was awarded the 2009 New England Art Awards critics’ choice for Best Book in New England by The New England Journal of Aesthetic Research
Selected to be included in the book: 100 Artists of New England Schiffer Publishing, February 2011
GUEST LECTURES, SLIDESHOWS, PRESENTATIONS
Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, ME
Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, ME
Maine Media Workshops, Rockport, ME
Savannah School of Art and Design, Savannah, GA
Public Libraries & Schools
Maine Historical Society
Bangor Book Festival
Maine Festival of the Book
Build Boston, “At Home by the Sea”
Boston Architectural Center, Photographing Architecture
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Human Impact (Group Show) Hess Center for The Arts Deerfield Academy Deerfield, MA 2015
Garner Center for Photographic Exhibitions (Solo Exhibition) New England School of Photography, Boston, MA 2011
Photography in Maine: Ten Years Later (Group Show) Center for Maine Contemporary Art Rockport, ME October-December 2010
Ruin : Thomas College Art Gallery (Solo Exhibition) Waterville, ME April-May 2010
Ruin: Gallery Show (Solo Exhibition) June Fitzpatrick Gallery Portland, ME June-July 2009
Images of Home: Photographs of Residential Architecture (Solo Exhibition) 2005
Center for Maine Contemporary Art Rockport, ME
TEACHING
“Photographing Residential Architecture” Maine Media Workshops Rockport, Maine June 10-16, 2012, June 12–18, 2011, October 3–9, 2010, October 4-10, 2009
