Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer's Journey

Raymond Telles and Yvan Iturriaga are co-directors and co-producers of American Masters — Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer’s Journey. The filmmakers conducted an original interview with Guerrero in 2010 and used that as "the spine for telling his story," says Telles. Although they filmed on the same locations where Guerrero worked, they decided to use less footage and more of his photos.

Photographer Pedro E. Guerrero collaborated with three iconic American artists of the 20th century — architect Frank Lloyd Wright and sculptors Alexander Calder and Louise Nevelson. Share your photos of architecture, design, sculpture and artists at work and tag them #PedroPBS on Instagram. Our favorites will be featured on the American Masters site starting in September.

Photographs of Alexander Calder's mobile and stabile sculptures in open landscapes, at Lincoln Center in New York City, and in Spoleto, Italy, show how Pedro E. Guerrero captured the art works' relationship to space, to the workers who created them, and to the public that observed them. Guerrero and Professor Joan Marter, who knew both Calder and Guerrero, provide commentary on Calder and photos.

In 1952 Frank Lloyd Wright built a spiraling cement-block house in Phoenix, AZ, for his son, David. When it was complete, Pedro E. Guerrero photographed the interior and exterior. Wright was troubled by the constant circulating that he saw in the photos, but hadn't seen on the drawing board. The architect came up with a solution. The story is told by Guerrero, who worked with Wright for years.

Pedro E. Guerrero lived for many years in Connecticut, where he photographed modern homes and interiors for magazine assignments. In this outtake, see photographs documenting The United Church of Rowayton in Rowayton, CT, designed by Joseph Salerno, who won the American Institute of Architects’ highest award in 1963. Also seen is Guerrero's photo of the Philip Johnson Glass House in New Canaan.

Photographer Pedro E. Guerrero describes the working style and art works of New York City sculptor Louise Nevelson, with whom he collaborated. Her black-on-black works were particularly challenging to photograph. He photographed her and her art works in her apartment, work studios, and on public installation sites and in museums.

Pedro E. Guerrero rose above challenges to make his interior lighting look natural, which architect Frank Lloyd Wright valued highly and is why Guerrero shot so many of Wright's buildings across the country. "Pedro E. Guerrero was an expert with a flashbulb. He said that he could make those flashbulbs dance," says an interviewee in Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer's Journey.

Photographer Pedro E. Guerrero talks about his magazine assignments in the 1950s and 60s. When he first came to New York in the late 1940s, his portfolio was nearly exclusively photos of impressive Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. He worked for many magazines including for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Good Housekeeping. He also photographed Julia Child's show kitchen.

Pedro E. Guerrero began his career by photographing Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West in Scottsdale, AZ, skillfully capturing texture and depth in a two-dimensional medium. Architectural photographer Norman McGrath and an animation help explain Guerrero's use of a large format 4x5 camera. In an original interview, Guerrero also comments on one of his favorite Taliesin West photos.

In response to the film American Masters - Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer’s Journey and public television workshops based on Guerrero's work, hundreds of people have shared more than 3,000 photos inspired by the photographer, using the hashtag #PedroPBS. Five public television stations also partnered with local organizations to hold screenings, workshops, exhibitions and architecture tours.