Walter Nurnberg
Encyclopedia
Walter Nurnberg was born on April 18, 1907 and died on 19 October 1991. He was one of post-war Britain's outstanding industrial photographers
. Originally, he hoped to become a musician, but later he turned towards advertising instead. He began studying photography in 1930 at the Reimann School of Arts and Crafts and the Bauhaus
. On graduating, he took a job at a Berlin advertising agency. He learned fast and applied the Bauhaus
-influenced lighting principles he had studied at the school.
He moved to England in 1933 and opened his own advertising studio in London
. His first big assignment was to advertise GPO greetings telegrams. With a good command of spoken and written English, Nurnberg’s intellectual powers soon led him to write articles for trade magazines, in which he effectively conveyed his philosophy of photography
.
Later he joined Kraszna-Krausz's stable of writers at the Focal Press. Ultimately, however, he became one of post-war Britain's outstanding industrial photographers, applying a modernistic, sometimes abstract vision to the representation of objects and processes. His book 'Lighting for Photography: Means and Methods' was first published in 1940. It remains a classic to date.
In 1937, when the Reimann School was driven out of Germany by the Nazis, it re-established itself in London. Here, Nurnberg became a part-time teacher
.
Shooting a series of stirring portraits of servicemen and women entitled 'The Fighting Face of Britain' for a Sunday newspaper, his images proved to be the opening salvos in his battle to change the face of British photography.
With the declaration of war in September 1939, Nurnberg became an enemy alien
in Britain and his cameras were confiscated. They were returned to him in 1940. However, Nurnberg was made an 'honorary Briton' and served in the Army until 1944, when he was invalided out on medical grounds.
His books on lighting for Focal Press had become industrial standards for years to come, whilst his photographs commanded high fees and even higher accolades. Particularly memorable were the covers of Engineering, a glossy Design Council magazine, in which his dramatically lit images appeared regularly for fifteen years.
In 1968 he became head of the Guildford School of Photography, later part of the West Surrey College of Art and Design, he was plunged immediately into troubled waters. At the time, student sit-ins and strikes were commonplace, but he won the hearts and minds of the more responsible students and his tenure was crowned with success. He taught at Polytechnic of Central London
and among his students were the likes of Chris Cook
in 1974. His teaching was inspirational majoring on the philosophy and psychology of photography.
For three decades, the industrial images of Walter Nurnberg were a benchmark and challenge to every other photographer in the field.
Nurnberg received an O.B.E. for his contribution to industrial photography and photographic education.
Life before the Second World War
He was brought up in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Originally, he hoped to become a musician, but later he turned towards advertising instead. He began studying photography in 1930 at the Reimann School of Arts and Crafts and the Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
. On graduating, he took a job at a Berlin advertising agency. He learned fast and applied the Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
-influenced lighting principles he had studied at the school.
He moved to England in 1933 and opened his own advertising studio in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His first big assignment was to advertise GPO greetings telegrams. With a good command of spoken and written English, Nurnberg’s intellectual powers soon led him to write articles for trade magazines, in which he effectively conveyed his philosophy of photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
.
Later he joined Kraszna-Krausz's stable of writers at the Focal Press. Ultimately, however, he became one of post-war Britain's outstanding industrial photographers, applying a modernistic, sometimes abstract vision to the representation of objects and processes. His book 'Lighting for Photography: Means and Methods' was first published in 1940. It remains a classic to date.
In 1937, when the Reimann School was driven out of Germany by the Nazis, it re-established itself in London. Here, Nurnberg became a part-time teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
.
Shooting a series of stirring portraits of servicemen and women entitled 'The Fighting Face of Britain' for a Sunday newspaper, his images proved to be the opening salvos in his battle to change the face of British photography.
With the declaration of war in September 1939, Nurnberg became an enemy alien
Enemy alien
In law, an enemy alien is a citizen of a country which is in a state of conflict with the land in which he or she is located. Usually, but not always, the countries are in a state of declared war.-United Kingdom:...
in Britain and his cameras were confiscated. They were returned to him in 1940. However, Nurnberg was made an 'honorary Briton' and served in the Army until 1944, when he was invalided out on medical grounds.
Life after the war
After the Second World War, Nurnberg saw the coming changes in manufacturing and became an outstanding industrial photographer, his style taking into consideration the design and function of his subjects. Rebuilding his career, Nurnberg became a naturalised British subject in 1947. Taking industry as his subject, he used a Rolliflex 6 cm x 6 cm twin-lens camera and tungsten lighting, employing his powerful personality to single-handedly change the depressed attitudes of run down, near bankrupt post-war British industry. He was often heard to remark, "I have not touched a 35mm camera since I reached puberty."His books on lighting for Focal Press had become industrial standards for years to come, whilst his photographs commanded high fees and even higher accolades. Particularly memorable were the covers of Engineering, a glossy Design Council magazine, in which his dramatically lit images appeared regularly for fifteen years.
In 1968 he became head of the Guildford School of Photography, later part of the West Surrey College of Art and Design, he was plunged immediately into troubled waters. At the time, student sit-ins and strikes were commonplace, but he won the hearts and minds of the more responsible students and his tenure was crowned with success. He taught at Polytechnic of Central London
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
and among his students were the likes of Chris Cook
Chris Cook
Chris Cook may refer to:* Chris Cook , NASCAR racing driver and instructor* Christopher Cook, English swimmer* Christopher Cook , American journalist* Chris Cook , professional bodybuilder...
in 1974. His teaching was inspirational majoring on the philosophy and psychology of photography.
Legacy
The value of Nurnberg’s contribution to 20th century photography is twofold. Firstly, by doggedly sticking to his lighting principles, creating memorable black and white images for the printed page he did much to boost the image and confidence of British industry. More importantly, his work challenged and inspired those who followed. The best of them have sought and found new creative ways to convey the vitality and power of the fast-changing face of world industry.For three decades, the industrial images of Walter Nurnberg were a benchmark and challenge to every other photographer in the field.
Nurnberg received an O.B.E. for his contribution to industrial photography and photographic education.