The Los Angeles Recordings Blog

Photography by Kwasi B. Full photography site at The Los Angeles Recordings

[larecordings]

kwasiboydbouldin.com

I’ve created a new website for my fine art work over at my new domain, http://ift.tt/1P4LTpU. Bookmark the site because although there is only a small preview up now, by the end of the month it will be completed and officially launched. The new site is a place for my fine art work, which doesn’t necessarily fit into what The Los Angeles Recordings has become. Please take a look and thanks for the support!

The post kwasiboydbouldin.com appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from kwasiboydbouldin.com

[larecordings]

L.A. Recordings Photo Mixtape 05122016

Greetings! Just dropping in with another Photo Mixtape. If you aren’t familiar, my photo mixtapes are posts with a few photos that reflect what I’m working on during a given week. Some of the images may or may not wind up in a portfolio but I feel that they are worth sharing with the world at large. This weeks images come from a roll of Fuji 400H that I ran through my Contax T2 and just got back. They are from 3 areas I shoot quite frequently: Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, and Pasadena.

The post L.A. Recordings Photo Mixtape 05122016 appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from L.A. Recordings Photo Mixtape 05122016

[larecordings]

Development Cycle

Greetings y’all, just checking in with an update from the front lines. There has been a bit of a pause in my portfolio updates as I have been focused on shooting and developing the conceptual framework for my next few sets. I’m moving away from the strictly location based work of last year (see my Sacred Spaces, Stomping Grounds, A Love Supreme, and Inconspicuous Monuments portfolios) and venturing into a broader depiction of life in LA as a whole. Anyone who knows me is aware that I can speak at length about what it is like to live in this city, I’m hoping to communicate my vision through my photography. And being that I’m shooting exclusively film (and I’m a really slow shooter), this is taking a while. But good things are coming very soon, here are a few photographs I’ve taken this year based on this new direction that I’ve embarked on.

The post Development Cycle appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Development Cycle

[larecordings]

L.A. Recordings Photo Mixtape 041916

Welcome to the Los Angeles Recordings Photo Mixtape series, the inaugural installment of what I like to think of as my visual sketchbook. I shoot a lot of images with my iPhone during the course of an average day (normally processed in either VSCO or RNI images) and they often go on to become the basis for some of my more formal photography. Also, to be honest I think that many of them are interesting photographs in their own right.

I’ve always been intrigued by the potential of mobile photography and I believe the technology has become sophisticated enough to produce some fascinating results. I don’t necessarily envision a time when my iPhone will replace my film camera (or even a dedicated digital one) for my most serious work, I’m endlessly thankful for it when I’m wandering around and happen to come across an image that I want to capture. Thank you for taking a look at the 1st installment of my Photo Mixtape and stay tuned for more in the very near future!

The post L.A. Recordings Photo Mixtape 041916 appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from L.A. Recordings Photo Mixtape 041916

[larecordings]

Mamba Day

var htmlDiv = document.getElementById("rs-plugin-settings-inline-css"); var htmlDivCss=""; if(htmlDiv) { htmlDiv.innerHTML = htmlDiv.innerHTML + htmlDivCss; }else{ var htmlDiv = document.createElement("div"); htmlDiv.innerHTML = "<style>" + htmlDivCss + ""; document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(htmlDiv.childNodes[0]); }

var htmlDiv = document.getElementById("rs-plugin-settings-inline-css"); var htmlDivCss=""; if(htmlDiv) { htmlDiv.innerHTML = htmlDiv.innerHTML + htmlDivCss; }else{ var htmlDiv = document.createElement("div"); htmlDiv.innerHTML = "<style>" + htmlDivCss + ""; document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(htmlDiv.childNodes[0]); } /****************************************** - PREPARE PLACEHOLDER FOR SLIDER - ******************************************/ var setREVStartSize=function(){ try{var e=new Object,i=jQuery(window).width(),t=9999,r=0,n=0,l=0,f=0,s=0,h=0; e.c = jQuery('#rev_slider_18_1'); e.gridwidth = [1240]; e.gridheight = [868]; e.sliderLayout = "auto"; if(e.responsiveLevels&&(jQuery.each(e.responsiveLevels,function(e,f){f>i&&(t=r=f,l=e),i>f&&f>r&&(r=f,n=e)}),t>r&&(l=n)),f=e.gridheight[l]||e.gridheight[0]||e.gridheight,s=e.gridwidth[l]||e.gridwidth[0]||e.gridwidth,h=i/s,h=h>1?1:h,f=Math.round(h*f),"fullscreen"==e.sliderLayout){var u=(e.c.width(),jQuery(window).height());if(void 0!=e.fullScreenOffsetContainer){var c=e.fullScreenOffsetContainer.split(",");if (c) jQuery.each(c,function(e,i){u=jQuery(i).length>0?u-jQuery(i).outerHeight(!0):u}),e.fullScreenOffset.split("%").length>1&&void 0!=e.fullScreenOffset&&e.fullScreenOffset.length>0?u-=jQuery(window).height()*parseInt(e.fullScreenOffset,0)/100:void 0!=e.fullScreenOffset&&e.fullScreenOffset.length>0&&(u-=parseInt(e.fullScreenOffset,0))}f=u}else void 0!=e.minHeight&&f<e.minHeight&&(f=e.minHeight);e.c.closest(".rev_slider_wrapper").css({height:f}) }catch(d){console.log("Failure at Presize of Slider:"+d)} }; setREVStartSize(); var tpj=jQuery; tpj.noConflict(); var revapi18; tpj(document).ready(function() { if(tpj("#rev_slider_18_1").revolution == undefined){ revslider_showDoubleJqueryError("#rev_slider_18_1"); }else{ revapi18 = tpj("#rev_slider_18_1").show().revolution({ sliderType:"standard", jsFileLocation:"//www.thelosangelesrecordings.com/wp-content/plugins/revslider/public/assets/js/", sliderLayout:"auto", dottedOverlay:"none", delay:9000, navigation: { keyboardNavigation:"on", keyboard_direction: "horizontal", mouseScrollNavigation:"off", mouseScrollReverse:"default", onHoverStop:"off", touch:{ touchenabled:"on", swipe_threshold: 75, swipe_min_touches: 1, swipe_direction: "horizontal", drag_block_vertical: false } , arrows: { style:"gyges", enable:true, hide_onmobile:false, hide_onleave:false, tmp:'', left: { h_align:"left", v_align:"center", h_offset:20, v_offset:0 }, right: { h_align:"right", v_align:"center", h_offset:20, v_offset:0 } } }, visibilityLevels:[1240,1024,778,480], gridwidth:1240, gridheight:868, lazyType:"smart", shadow:0, spinner:"spinner2", stopLoop:"off", stopAfterLoops:-1, stopAtSlide:-1, shuffle:"off", autoHeight:"off", disableProgressBar:"on", hideThumbsOnMobile:"off", hideSliderAtLimit:0, hideCaptionAtLimit:0, hideAllCaptionAtLilmit:0, debugMode:false, fallbacks: { simplifyAll:"off", nextSlideOnWindowFocus:"off", disableFocusListener:false, } }); } }); /*ready*/ var htmlDivCss = ' #rev_slider_18_1_wrapper .tp-loader.spinner2{ background-color: #FFFFFF !important; } '; var htmlDiv = document.getElementById('rs-plugin-settings-inline-css'); if(htmlDiv) { htmlDiv.innerHTML = htmlDiv.innerHTML + htmlDivCss; } else{ var htmlDiv = document.createElement('div'); htmlDiv.innerHTML = '<style>' + htmlDivCss + ''; document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(htmlDiv.childNodes[0]); }

Thanks for representing the City of Angels for 20 years Kobe!

Today, the Laker god Kobe Bryant is playing his last game at Staples Center. I don’t know if people outside of L.A. truly understand how important Kobe has been to this city. Here was a player who absorbed negativity and spit out championships. Who got where he is because he worked harder than everyone else in the league. He also brought the city together like nothing else. Los Angeles is a different place when the Lakers are in the playoffs. All of a sudden, everyone has something top talk about, something in common. From the highest paid executive to the janitorial staff, that is one of the times where as a city we are absolutely united. It’s a vibe that makes an incredible city even more so. It’s also a feeling that’s been missing for too long so hopefully we can get our basketball operations in order and get back to what we do best. The photographs above are from the 2009 and 2010 Laker championship parades. Those are special because those are the “Kobe” championships, the ones where there was no doubt it was his team and he was the main reason that we won them. They reflect the impact that those years had on the people of the city. L.A. isn’t a city full of stars and celebrities, it’s full of hard working residents who love the Lakers like nothing else. Thanks for the memories KB24!

The post Mamba Day appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Mamba Day

[larecordings]

Pico & Grand (Before/After diptych)

By focusing on photographing the same areas of the city, occasionally I get the opportunity to pair two photographs in a before and after diptych. In this case, these two photographs of the same store were taken 6 years apart and perfectly illustrate the rapid pace of change in DTLA.

2010, Canon Ae-1

2016, Fuji GA645, Kodak Portra 160

The post Pico & Grand (Before/After diptych) appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Pico & Grand (Before/After diptych)

[larecordings]

Really Nice Images (App Review)

I have always been a fan of the potential of mobile photography. Although I am am primarily a film photographer I am continually amazed at the quality of images that can be taken with my iPhone. I also like experimenting with film simulation apps to add some character to the mobile images I make. Keep in mind, this is all for fun and is not likely to make it into my proper portfolio (which is about 90% film photography) but I’ve found that some really interesting images can be captured and edited using a phone these days. My default photography app has been VSCO for quite a while but I recently came across a review on the Phoblographer website about the app by RNI (Really Nice Images) and decided to give it a try.

The RNI app is a stand alone photo editor and does not have an integrated camera function. Initially the workflow was a bit cumbersome but the more I used it the easier it became. The best thing about this app is the very specific film simulations that they offer. They are very, very good, far exceeding my admittedly jaded expectations. They have a wide range of film stock profiles ranging from Fuji Pro160NS to Instax. Best of all, the app is free with the option to purchase additional profiles if you desire. I purchased the Fuji C41 pack and I’m seriously contemplating purchasing the 2nd, more Kodak heavy profile set. There are worse ways to spend $3.99.

I think that the images in this post are the best argument for giving Really Nice Images a try. They are all shot with my iPhone 6s and I think that the app’s potential speaks for itself. In the long run, no, this is not a replacement for shooting film. Personally, I plan on shooting film until I can’t get it processed anymore. But should you find yourself in a situation where all you have is your iPhone and a great photograph presents itself, RNI is a damn good way to process it!

The post Really Nice Images (App Review) appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Really Nice Images (App Review)

[larecordings]

Crenshaw Square Outtake

This shot is from a photoessay that I’m publishing tomorrow on Crenshaw Square, an iconic stretch of black Los Angeles that has been in a state of disrepair for quite some time. Photographed about 3 weeks ago, I’m actually lucky that I was able to get any images at all from this roll as I fell into a rookie mistake (slow film + overcast weather x small apertures do not equal sharp photographs). Luckily, I caught on after a few frames and captured a few keepers. Keep an eye out for the full set here on the site and watch my instagram for more outtakes.

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1RQ5lHM</div>

The post Crenshaw Square Outtake appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Crenshaw Square Outtake

[larecordings]

Wash & Detail

This long gone structure was about as decayed and busted as a building could be. It was on the corner of Western Ave. and 8th St. right in the heart of Koreatown. I have quite a few photos of it from other angles over time (the MTA bus layover was on the south side of the building) but I think this is the only one I have with the signage front and center. Shot in 2010 with my Contax T2, film stock unknown.

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1WUEOaD

The post Wash & Detail appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Wash & Detail

[larecordings]

Ritz Carlton

This lot was located on the west side of Grand Ave. right before Pico. Nothing special structurally but I thought it offered a pretty imposing view of the development to come in the years that followed. Of course, this lot doesn’t exist anymore and this view is gone. Things are moving fast in DTLA…

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1UWX7gb

The post Ritz Carlton appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Ritz Carlton

[larecordings]

Dope Bag Sir…

This is a shot from a while ago (6 years) that I always really liked. That guys bag IS indeed pretty dope too. Shot with my Contax T2, not sure what film stock I had loaded though.

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1RuF3Wg

The post Dope Bag Sir… appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Dope Bag Sir…

[larecordings]

Western Discount Store

I got a REALLY old roll (over 10 years) of Tmax 3200 processed a couple of weeks ago and I found a few gems that I’ll be sharing over the next week or so. Follow the link to see a few on my Instagram feed that didn’t make it to the blog. This is from Western Ave. near Olympic Blvd., right in the heart of Koreatown. Shot with my Contax T2, the grain in this picture is amazing…

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1UP2U8J

The post Western Discount Store appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Western Discount Store

[larecordings]

Jo’s Still Standing

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1T84QrL

The post Jo’s Still Standing appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Jo’s Still Standing

[larecordings]

West Hollywood

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1LJKJi8

The post West Hollywood appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from West Hollywood

[larecordings]

1st Session Preview (2016)

This past Sunday I got the chance to go shooting all day for the 1st time this year (life, family, and work make this sort of thing hard to schedule sometimes). I had a lot of ground to cover so I left my house at about 8:45 a.m. with a Fuji GA645, a Contax T2, 5 rolls of film and a list of neighborhoods to photograph. I was able to hit the Crenshaw area, Koreatown, Hollywood, DTLA, and even a bit of Echo Park. The photos below are a small preview (shot with my iphone) of the work that will be eventually making it to my portfolio.

The post 1st Session Preview (2016) appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from 1st Session Preview (2016)

[larecordings]

New Work 03182016

Got some interesting photos back this week (thanks as always to Richard Photo Lab for the processing/scans) from a walk I took around my Toluca Lake apartment. It’s taken a while to settle in to shooting around here but I’m starting to see a few compositions that interest me. I took these with one of my favorite compact film cameras, the Yashica T4 Zoom. It’s a pretty basic, automatic camera with an exceptional lens (especially at the widest setting). More to come but enjoy this (small) sample for now.

The post New Work 03182016 appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from New Work 03182016

[larecordings]

Snapshot Galleria: 1 Year Later

One year ago in March, my friends and I resurrected an collaborative website we worked on together back in 2012 called Snapshot Galleria. We relaunched as an online film photography zine to promote our own work as well as to shine a light on some other talented film photographers from Los Angeles and around the world. Last year we put out 4 online issues (RE:Definition, Neighborhoods, Film Battle, and a year end Recap) and published interviews with 8 awesome photographers. Over the course of the year, we all learned a lot about running and sustaining a creative project while juggling the demands of work and family. It was a lot of work but it’s hard not to look back at the project as a success. It was an insanely fun learning experience that built a foundation for the year to come.

This year, we are taking Snapshot Galleria into the realm of physical goods.

Next weekend (March 6th, 2016) at the Los Angeles Zinefest in Downtown Los Angeles, we are debuting our first printed issue, simply titled V2|01!

This issue is a 36 page perfect bound book with 47 film photographs by Luis Torres, Erwin Recinos, and myself. In addition to this issue, we will all also have individual photo zines for sale (in addition to special guest Brandon Francis selling his “Total Bummer” zine). Drop by our table at L.A. Zinefest to pick up a zine or two or just to say hello. If you are unable to come by in person, we will be launching our online store in April with all of our zines available as well. This is all a part of our push this year to deliver that authentically L.A. aesthetic that Snapshot Galleria represents. Thank you for all the support so far and please visit http://ift.tt/1L1xtQ3 regularly for updates, interviews, and info on future shows/releases.

The post Snapshot Galleria: 1 Year Later appeared first on The Los Angeles Recordings.

from Snapshot Galleria: 1 Year Later