Expanding the Lens

You may recognize our Southbay photographers from their frequent contributions, but these talented artists also cultivate a body of work captured outside our pages.

NEIL KREMER & CORY JOHNSON

Craigslist Encounter 18, 2017

This is part of an ongoing series, developed as an exploration of Craigslist culture and those who use it. The series has become our perspective of an accurate cross-section of all Angelenos. Surprisingly, responses to the ad have come from a wide gamut of socioeconomic, race, gender and age ranges.

SHANE O’DONNELL

Hot Rod and Boardtracker Builder, 2009

American Greaser is a photo story about the Rockabilly culture around us. This photo is of a Belgian-born Manuel “Manu” Müller. He created Old School Garage in Long Beach, where he builds cars and boardtracker motorcycles. He is posing with Lorren Carney, a model and tattoo flash artist, in front of one of his projects, a 1941 International.

MONICA OROZCO

Flipping the Birdie, 2017

Commissioned for Palm Springs Modernism Week, Mid-Century Crisis began as a sub-series of the larger “deMonica” conceptual character oeuvre. The playful project, however, got inadvertently imbued by turbulence, both inherently personal to me and largely environmental. As a result, the many faces of deMonica’s mid-life crisis confront us with angst, heartbreak, disappointment, loss and disillusion of personal life experience.

JEFF BERTING

Surfing Daze, 2009

This photo represents the place I love to be, doing what I love, with the people I love being with.

JACK ZELLWEGER

Blue Beach Towel, 2016

The Journal Times in Racine, Wisconsin was short on content, and I had been asked to go out and shoot something—anything—to fill the pages. I drove around for an hour and then eventually headed to North Beach Oasis, a local beach in Racine along Lake Michigan. I came across a group of kids playing in the sand. They were burying this kid. I saw a lot of potential in this scene and shot a lot of pictures of them—probably over 100—from the side, below and finally from up top … to get it just right.

KAT MONK

Luminosity, 2017

This shot is an image of Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers as he comes out to play tambourine after playing the drums. I loved how the light was hitting the camera.

LAUREN PRESSEY

Sacré-Cœur Street Scene, 2013

I’m often tempted to leave my camera behind when going on a trip after a hectic stretch of work. Of course, I never actually do. There’s only one way for me to experience a destination, and that’s behind a lens. Street photography is how I reconnect with life and myself.

ANNIE DEPTULA

Frida, 2017

Frida Kahlo marched to the beat of her own drum and defied societal norms. She had a voice and made sure it was heard through her art. I’m continually in awe and grateful to have artistic influences of past and present like Frida that have a significant impact on the projects I choose to photograph. This series is one of my favorites and most inspiring.

NANCY PASTOR

A Day in Beret, 2017

As a “mama” to a now preteen, this child of ours has been photographed thoroughly since birth. Our first European trip would be no different. Creating a series with my willing model proved to be a unique way to document the adventurous spirit she has become.