ABSTRACT
Buildings and the built environment were among the first subjects the camera lens focused on after the invention of photography in 1839. Bulky equipment and very long exposure times required still subjects; moreover, photography offered an unparalleled means of documentation to a variety of professionals: architects could have their new buildings recorded or could acquire detailed information on old buildings being restored; historians could study and compare buildings that they could not visit or access; civic planners could have entire neighbourhoods recorded before they were swept away by urban renovations. Acquiring archives from architectural practices or photographers and keeping them intact, rather than focusing on the acquisition of individual images, should be one of the guiding principles for any institution that intends to build a significant collection of architectural photography. Education also plays an important role in the preservation of architectural photography.
