Gerald Ratto and John Follis

Gerald Ratto:

Frequently drawing inspiration from the cityscape of his native San Francisco, Gerald Ratto creates photographs that showcase his interest in architecture and industrial environments. In Golden Gate Bridge (1955), for instance, waves crash on a desolate beach while the iconic bridge rises silently and majestically from the choppy waters. In his collection Wild Flowers, then, Ratto turns to nature, capturing images suffused with soft light and gentle colors. A veteran commercial photographer for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and other clients, Ratto has seen his work exhibited at the San Francisco Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and other venues.

John Follis:

A veteran advertising and marketing executive for Kenneth Cole and other clients, John Follis has been published in industry publications including ADWEEK and the New York Enterprise Report. Working in collaboration with Gerald Ratto, he designed the cover for the 1958 issue of Arts & Architecture, supplementing Ratto's photograph with a complementary blue circular accent.