L.A. People
July 2018 ––
The idea for black-and-white portraits of LA people only came together after I got back to Poland. Originally I just wanted to use a free day between a PPM and a Cadillac ad shoot to walk around downtown looking for interesting architecture. Tired of craning my neck up at buildings, I sat down on the curb at 7th and Flower. People just started walking into the frame on their own. Some happy about it, some posing, some ducking out of the shot - a few even gave me their Instagram and asked me to send the photos over. The California sun at its peak, bouncing off the skyscraper windows, throws these strange reflections into the shaded streets - makes for incredible light. Real-life raytracing.
–– On set
–– San Pedro Fish Market
–– Shy and shiny
Walking through the city
L. A. Downtown ––
Photographing people isn't really my thing. Before I press the shutter I'm circling, hiding behind corners. By the time I actually decide to take the shot, the moment's usually gone-someone's already walked off, a car's driven into the frame. But I'm working on it, fighting the habit of always sticking people dead center.
Escape from the L. A.
More people ––
Once I "left" the city, more faces and figures started showing up — homeless people, folks on the beach, crew members from the film set. Ended up with a few dozen photos that, in color, made some odd pattern together. Hard to focus on the subject when the sky's colors and the yellow lines painted on the asphalt kept pulling focus. Hence the black-and-white idea — which, to be honest, I don't really know much about either.
On location
Shooting ––We were shooting an ad for an American brand aimed at the Chinese market, but the photos from that trip aren't really about the car. Between setups there was usually some downtime, so I'd wander off and look around — that's how these shots piled up, of places in LA everyone's seen already, just not from me before.
Guess that's just an occupational habit — I end up looking at the city like it's a set, even when nothing's actually being filmed.
Guess that's just an occupational habit — I end up looking at the city like it's a set, even when nothing's actually being filmed.
Over the city
Elysian Park ––
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