I love my retoucher!

In Production..Samantha at Next...raw images

This is LA! part one

Today I began a new body of work to help me visually document how I see LA,  titled 'This is LA!" Originally I thought I would be using strobe and daylight for this project, and actually began testing yesterday morning with the lights on location. Funny how sometimes your plans to make pictures lead you somewhere completely different....It took a few hours of doing various lighting tests on site but came to conclusion what I really need to capture along with the subjects, is the west coast light itself. So all I have come full circle and will be shooting the whole project daylight, but at only during the last few hours of light. It makes the project both more difficult and yet also easier. My intern Jesse (a huge help so far) is happy not to have to carry a Profoto pack around with him, but now we are confined to the only the last few hours of daylight. 

The first image I made for this project happened on Hollywood Blvd, June 1st , sometime around 4pm. The light and mood of the image worked out so perfect I cant believe its the first image for the project. Usually the first image you do is more of a "breaking down" of the photo process, your own ideas, and of course your self awareness of the image you have yet to capture. 

First images, this is LA! 

raw with some color correction.

Last light series...the beginning

Jason at Next. 

Raw image.

Last light concept (more on this soon), shot last hour or so of daylight. Location Santa Monica. 

Post coffee morning images..

Raw image from daylight shoot, Melissa Graham at Nous, Malibu, California.

Coffee and stopped moments in time

This morning I have been thinking about inspiring images in terms of light, human nature, and understanding that within a frame. Rendering light in a way unique to time and nature..Philip-Lorca diCorcia, I always wonder how set up his images are, how much planning vs. the moment goes on..

An image from Hollywood Blvd.

There is something stange and magical about Hollywood Blvd. This was actually the first image I made there, and the light has a really great west coast feel to me. Its the east side of the Blvd. , so not as much foot traffic as you may think, even looks sort of desolate here..

Abby, Hollywood Blvd, CA. (raw images)