Trope Los Angeles, the seventh volume in the Trope City Edition series, celebrates the architecture and urban and natural landscapes of Los Angeles. This collection highlights 185 images from 19 photographers from LA and beyond who have captured the city in a new and compelling way, from the Pacific Coast to the lights of Hollywood.
Get to know Ian Kobylanski, David Gonzalez, Jack Landau, Rosa Rodriguez, and Alex Pelayo, 5 of the photographers featured in Trope Los Angeles.
Tell me a bit about your editing process.
It changes on the scene, for the documentary purposes of street photography I try to keep them relatively natural. I usually bank up photos over the month and cull them down. While the editing process is often light, looking to emulate film where I can, my favorite part is going through and seeing what patterns emerge. It could be fashion trends, poses people are in, similarities, kinds of businesses: ways that I can group photos together in a cohesive set. In many cases, one photo on its own wouldn’t have meaning, but in a set of similar ones it creates something unique.
What is it about Los Angeles that inspires you to photograph it?
I’ve always loved the energy of Los Angeles. Growing up in Vancouver on the West Coast, it is a frequent spot we would always travel to. The photos featured in the book are from the first time I went as an adult and not on family vacation. It was a far different experience to drive around the city, go to the places I wanted, and be able to experience it independently. I think like London, which I’ve now recently moved to, it’s a hub that people seek out for their respective careers and dreams (like I have here). There’s a sense of opportunity. With that in mind, it brings a lot of different emotions from such a large place as you walk down the street. While there’s a lot of energy and excitement, you can see the anxiety and stress other people are under. It’s a slice of life and you never know what someone may be going through. With such a large sample size, and so many different areas to explore, you really see all stages of people finding – or losing – dreams. Unlike a small town, where you might see a bit more sense of community and content.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming photographers?
Always make time for shooting something you’re passionate about. A piece of advice I received was always remembering “one for the wallet, one for the heart”. Meaning, for every paid shoot you do, do one for yourself. Especially during COVID, the way I got out of the house to shoot (especially working a remote day job as well) were photoshoots that paid. When I looked back at the work I made during that period, I didn’t get any better and I wasn’t proud of it. Coming out of the pandemic in 2022, I made a point to shoot for myself – whether with models or street photography – as much as I could. That work became the photos I was most proud of and ultimately turned my side hustle into a full-time career. Just from a matter of shooting what I wanted to shoot and then people came to me for that work. The images in this book from LA were photographed in that period of change in 2022 when I rediscovered the love I had for photography – especially validating it for myself and not the validation of someone paying me to do it.
What is your process like for shooting a new location? Do you try to match the feeling of the place with the image that you produce, or is it much more spontaneous?
Shooting new locations is always fun and refreshing for me. I usually like to be more spontaneous and just go with the flow, not really having any plans in mind. Although, I do like to have a general idea of how I want my photo to come out.
What is it about Los Angeles that inspires you to photograph it?
I think Los Angeles has a lot of character and diversity, making it really fun to photograph. You have everything from urban city landscapes to the beautiful beaches. It always feels refreshing and inspired my creativity.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming photographers?
I think the best advice for anyone who is just starting is to stay consistent. Go out and shoot regularly, experiment with different styles and explore different types of photography. Discover what you truly enjoy shooting and stay consistent. We all start out from ground zero and as long as we are consistent, everything else will fall into place.
How long have you been a photographer and what initially drew you to the profession? How would you describe your photography style?
I have been shooting since the early 2010s, a time when my hometown of Toronto had just embarked on a massive building boom that has radically transformed the cityscape over the last decade and a half. I was inspired to capture a city in transition through its most formative period, one that continues to this day.
My style has a bit of a range from hyper-stylized looks like retro-modern and neo-noir to more traditional documentary and street style. It depends on the camera, the assignment, and several other factors.
What is your process like for shooting a new location? Do you try to match the feeling of the place with the image that you produce, or is it much more spontaneous?
I try to translate the feel of the shoot to the edit, and everything from the temperature to the trip to/from the location will effect the final edit. LA's reputation as a sunshine destination pushes many photographers, myself included, to express the city's vibe using warmer colors. There is always an element of spontaneity, but vibes usually dictate the final look.
What is it about Los Angeles that inspires you to photograph it?
Los Angeles is one of those rare cities that exists as an idealized, timeless, celluloid-tinted dream. Even if you've never been, your mind's eye pictures those tall rows of palms, deep orange sunsets, and the landmarks that draw us all in from across the globe. LA is faceted. You have oceans, mountains, deserts and cityscapes all in a day's drive. And the duality. You have the hopeful newcomer living across the hall from the jaded has-been, the unfathomable luxury and all the equally unfathomable decay.
Do you have a favorite Los Angeles photography moment or memory?
We had just spent a day out in the desert and an evening shooting the sunset at Elysian Park. I was tired, but instead of calling it a night, we decided to make one last stop at the Park Row Drive bridge for some skyline shots over the 110. That's when a space launch soared right through the frame just as the sun crested over the horizon.
How long have you been a photographer and what initially drew you to the profession? How would you describe your photography style?
I've been a photographer for 3 years now. The beauty of the LA skyline really drew me into the profession. I wanted to capture that beauty and share it with the others that couldn't enjoy these views in person. My photography style is sunset vibes. I shoot mostly sunsets so naturally I gravitate towards pinks, purples, and blues.
Do you have a favorite Los Angeles photography moment or memory?
My favorite Los Angeles photography moment was when I met some of my best friends while shooting pictures at Elysian Park. You meet so many creators out here and some of them end up becoming lifelong friends.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming photographers?
Some of the best advice I can give up-and-coming photographers is just go out and shoot. Have fun! Photography doesn't have an industry standard. Photography is what you want it to be. It's your own form of art.
How long have you been a photographer and what initially drew you to the profession? How would you describe your photography style?
When I got my DJI Mavic Pro in 2017. I was focused on capturing landscapes without much thought to style. Over time, I developed editing techniques that matched the mood of each place. It’s a mix of letting the location guide me and enhancing the feeling through editing.
What is your process like for shooting a new location? Do you try to match the feeling of the place with the image that you produce, or is it much more spontaneous?
Here’s how you could phrase that: When I first shoot a location, I usually have a spot marked on my map. I start by exploring and walking around, looking for a safe place to set up my drone. From there, I capture shots as things catch my eye.
What is it about Los Angeles that inspires you to photograph it?
Los Angeles is such an interesting city. I grew up seeing it in movies, and when I finally visited, I started capturing some images and video. The mix of urban and natural landscapes makes it a unique place to photograph.
Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of "Meet the Trope Los Angeles Photographers" and learn more about Trope Los Angeles here.