My father, Keith Collie, who has died aged 74, was an acclaimed architectural photographer whose work is held in collections together with the Victoria & Albert museum, the Nationwide Portrait Gallery and the Bibliothèque Nationwide, Paris.
In addition to architectural practices, he undertook commissions from patrons together with the Rothschilds and the Saudi royal household, and from quite a few publishing homes. Publications included The London Ritz: A Social and Architectural Historical past, by Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd and David Watkin (1980), documenting the artwork deco and modernist options of the resort earlier than they have been misplaced to renovations.
He additionally produced a collection of metropolis guides to latest structure, revealed by Ellipsis (1993-2000), taking in Berlin, Prague, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Tokyo, Paris, London and Moscow.
Born in London, to Ian Collie, a psychiatrist, and Dorothy (nee Breaks), a social and political activist, Keith attended King’s Faculty faculty in Wimbledon, south-west London, then studied images at Manchester Polytechnic (now Manchester Metropolitan College), graduating in 1971. A grasp’s in images on the Royal Faculty of Artwork adopted.
There he received the Vogue photographic award, and on leaving the RCA was taken up by Condé Nast to work as a nonetheless life and interiors photographer for the journal. He continued to work for Vogue till 1977, throughout this time additionally enterprise commissions for the Design Council and the V&A.
In 1979 he was employed by Philippe de Rothschild to doc the household’s viniculture. A few of these pictures have been included within the Venice Biennale of that yr. Keith’s pictures of the Arabian horse for the Saudi royal household have been revealed in The Origin of the Horse in Saudi Arabia (1985).
Within the Nineties he turned affiliated to the RIBA as a recognised architectural photographer, taking pictures for Structure In the present day, RIBA Journal, DOMUS and Crafts. His shoppers additionally included Ron Arad Studio, British Council and Artemede Lighting.
Keith had a formidable presence, all the time bedecked with one hat or one other. An incredible storyteller, with a fast and acerbic wit, he would recount the extraordinary adventures of his photographic journeys. He was a devoted father, significantly to my youngest sister, Poppy, and would fortunately prepare his working day round her every day and weekly actions.
Whereas a pupil in Manchester he had met our mom, Jane Bourne, a textile designer. She survives him, as do their youngsters, Alice, Poppy and I, alongside together with his sister, Penny, and brother, Donald.
