Urbanites are often dismissive of Los Angeles, citing its endless sprawl and dependence on the automobile. But the city’s character comes clearly into focus when viewed in relation to its outlying geography: the mountains to the north and east, and the ocean to the south and west. LA doesn’t resemble dense, nineteenth-century cities like Chicago or New York. By contrast it’s a porous, low-lying city, open to broad views of the surrounding land and the sky.
     The most powerful photos in “Los Angeles” combine the strong, clean lines of the region’s modern buildings with the expressive contours of its landscape. If one looks closely at some of Shulman’s most famous architectural interiors, the landscape is often strongly embedded within them. Beyond windows and porches one finds expansive stretches of land and sky. In a shot from “Los Angeles” of Richard Neutra’s Kaufman House in Palm Springs, the hovering, horizontal glass and plaster planes of the building mimic the spread of mountains beyond. This scenario– of a cool, modern structure nestled within a powerful landscape– might be the essence of Southern California glamor.

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Los Angeles: The Birth of a Modern Metropolis