Bernd and Hilla Becher were two German photographers born in the early 1930s. They are renowned for their straightforward monochrome photos of industrial buildings which they did for almost 50 years! These photographs were a way of remembering as many of these buildings have been knocked down since their photographing.

Bernd studied painting and lithography at the Staatliche Kunst Akademie from 1953 to 1956. He then proceeded to study typography from 1957 to 1961. Bernd was very interested in functional buildings of industry and began photographing those which he had seen around his hometown. Hilla studied photography in Potsdam. Briefly, she also worked as and aerial photographer in Hamburg. Hilla moved to Düsseldorf in 1959 where she met Bernd. They began collaborating on their photos and married in 1961.

Bernd and Hilla Becher photographed industrial structures in Germany. Especially in the Ruhr. They also took photos all through Europe and North America.

Together the Bechers established a photography department in 1976 the school which Bernd attended (Staatliche Kunstakademie) and Bernd became its first professor. Their styles were so distinctive and their careers so successful that they came to be known as the Düsseldorf School of Photography.

The Bechers won awards for their photography such as the Hasselblad Award in 2004 and the Erasmus Prize in 2002.

Personally, I really like Bernd and Hilla Bechers work. I really think it is so interesting and I really love the style of photography how they found beauty in the strangest things as industrial buildings. and I would really like to use ideas from their work with mine on photoshoots.