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Alex MacLean

b. 1947

American photographer and architect

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About Alex MacLean

Born 1947. Alex MacLean is an American photographer and architect.

Alexander S. MacLean (born 1947) is an American photographic artist who is best known for his aerial photographs. His photographs have portrayed the history and evolution of the land from vast agricultural patterns to city grids, recording changes brought about by human intervention and natural processes.

MacLean graduated from Harvard College in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and earned a Master of Architecture degree from Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1973. He became interested in aerial scenery while he studied community planning and by 1975, MacLean received his commercial pilot license. Soon after, he established Landslides Aerial Photography to provide illustrative aerial photography for architects, landscape designers, urban planners, and environmentalists.

He is the author of ten books and has won many awards, including the 2009 Corine International Book Prize, the American Institute of Architects’ award for Excellence in International Architecture Book Publishing, and the American Academy of Rome’s Prix de Rome in Landscape Architecture for 2003–2004.

His photographs have been exhibited in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia and are found in private, public and university collections.

MacLean flies a highly fuel-efficient carbon-fiber airplane out of Bedford, Massachusetts. He currently maintains a studio and lives in Lincoln, Massachusetts.

Published books Up on the Roof: New York’s Hidden Skyline Spaces (2012) Chroniques Aeriennes: L’Art d’Alex MacLean (2010) Las Vegas | Venice (2010) OVER: The American Landscape at the Tipping Point (2008) The Playbook (2006) Taking Measures Across the American Landscape with James Corner (1996)

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Important facts

Born
1947
Birth century
Nationality
Education
Harvard University, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard College
Also known as
Alex S. MacLean

People in Alex MacLean's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Alex MacLean's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Alex MacLean?

American photographer and architect

When was Alex MacLean born?

Alex MacLean was born in 1947.

What is Alex MacLean's occupation?

Alex MacLean is a photographer and architect.

What nationality is Alex MacLean?

Alex MacLean is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Alex MacLean

· Wikidata: Q439975

· DBpedia: Alex MacLean

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Alex MacLean. https://biography.guide/alex-maclean/

MLA: "Alex MacLean." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/alex-maclean/.

Chicago: "Alex MacLean." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/alex-maclean/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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