Collection Guide to the John M. Hall Photographs Now Available

This blog post contributed by Ari Green and Shima Hosseininasab.

NC State University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center is pleased to announce that the collection guide for the newly processed John M. Hall Photographs is now available online. The SCRC is excited to provide access to the collection of such an accomplished and well-respected photographer and alumnus.  

 John M. Hall (1952-2019) was an architectural photographer from Hurdle Mills, North Carolina. In 1975, he graduated from North Carolina State University with a BFA degree in architecture and attended North Carolina School of the Arts. By 1977, Hall moved to Europe where he developed an interest in photography. In 1981, Hall returned to New York City and created John M. Hall Photographs. Hall worked with numerous magazines including House and Garden, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, and Veranda. He was also the photographer for numerous books, including Biedermeier, Greek Revival America, Adventures with Old Houses, Designing Women, and Private Gardens of Connecticut. His photography also appeared in The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. His work has been exhibited in many museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale University Art Gallery, and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.  John M. Hall and John C. Waddell were partners for 37 years and were married in 2017. Hall passed away at the age of 66 in 2019.

This collection is comprised of four series, representing different formats he used throughout his career: Slides and Transparencies, 4x5 Color Transparencies, Photographic Prints, and Digital Media. The collection dates from the 1970s to the 2010s.  A majority of the collection documents Hall's work with interior design, architectural styles, private and public gardens, floral studies and details, and natural landscapes. The scope of this collection is geographically situated in a global context. While a majority of the photographs are situated within the United States, Hall also completed international assignments in Europe and Asia. Included are countries such as Egypt, Nepal, India, Italy, France, Spain to name a few.

For more information on John Hall, see this video where he discusses his background, as well as this one where he describes his methods and philosophy.  This press release also provides more information on Hall and his collection.

If you are interested in viewing the materials in this collection, you can access them by scheduling an appointment with the Special Collections Research Center. The Special Collections Research Center is open by appointment only. Appointments are available Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm and Saturday, 1pm–5pm. Requests for a Saturday appointment must be received no later than Tuesday of the same week. If you have any questions or are interested in viewing Special Collections materials, please contact us at library_specialcollections@ncsu.edu or submit a request online. times. Please also feel free to explore our Rare and Unique Digital Collections and our online collection guides.