My father, Keith Collie, who has died aged 74, was an acclaimed architectural photographer whose work is held in collections including the Victoria & Albert museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Bibliothèque National, Paris.
As well as architectural practices, he undertook commissions from patrons including the Rothschilds and the Saudi royal family, and from numerous publishing houses. Publications included The London Ritz: A Social and Architectural History, by Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd and David Watkin (1980), documenting the art deco and modernist features of the hotel before they were lost to renovations.
He also produced a series of city guides to recent architecture, published 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 College school in Wimbledon, south-west London, then studied photography at Manchester Polytechnic (now Manchester Metropolitan University), graduating in 1971. A master’s in photography at the Royal College of Art followed.
There he won the Vogue photographic award, and on leaving the RCA was taken up by Condé Nast to work as a still life and interiors photographer for the magazine. He continued to work for Vogue until 1977, during this time also undertaking commissions for the Design Council and the V&A.
In 1979 he was employed by Philippe de Rothschild to document the family’s viniculture. Some of these photographs were included in the Venice Biennale of that year. Keith’s photographs of the Arabian horse for the Saudi royal family were published in The Origin of the Horse in Saudi Arabia (1985).
In the 1990s he became affiliated to the RIBA as a recognised architectural photographer, shooting for Architecture Today, RIBA Journal, DOMUS and Crafts. His clients also included Ron Arad Studio, British Council and Artemede Lighting.
Keith had a formidable presence, always bedecked with one hat or another. A great storyteller, with a quick and acerbic wit, he would recount the extraordinary adventures of his photographic journeys. He was a dedicated father, particularly to my youngest sister, Poppy, and would happily arrange his working day around her daily and weekly activities.
While a student in Manchester he had met our mother, Jane Bourne, a textile designer. She survives him, as do their children, Alice, Poppy and I, along with his sister, Penny, and brother, Donald.
