Lakers Special Edition + Recent Photographs
Archival Recordings 12
This week, the Los Angeles Lakers are honoring Kobe Bryant with a statue in front of Crypto arena. It was expected for a long time given his accomplishments on the court but is bittersweet because of the tragic way that he and his daughter Gigi lost their lives 4 years ago. That event left the city heartbroken, he was a homegrown legend and the incredibly sad circumstances made the loss even more difficult to process.
To mark the occasion, there are many tributes to what Kobe did on the basketball court going around but I wanted to focus on his impact on the city from street level. He was very popular from the beginning of his career with the Lakers but during the run up to the final two championships he won, his popularity and influence grew exponentially. That man had an impact on the city that I had never seen before or since. Maybe it was because he was a Laker from the start and stayed loyal to the city (despite the unfulfilled trade demand). Or perhaps it was his incredible work ethic and the success that he found seemingly by sheer will alone. That characteristic in particular really resonated with the working class residents of the city and magnified his appeal beyond the realm of sports, cementing his status as a true Los Angeles icon. He felt like one of us and we loved him for that.
Lakers Championship Parades. Los Angeles, 2009-2010.
I have fond memories of those championship runs that mostly revolve around my time taking public transportation at the height of the playoffs. Random conversations with strangers about the Lakers, and specifically about Kobe's exploits, were started at bus stops, on the Metro Red Line, and even just walking down the street. It was what everyone talked about at every bar and "last night's game" was the first thing that was brought up at work every morning. The Lakers connected the city like nothing else could and Kobe led the way. You can get a glimpse of that unity in the photographs I was able to make during both parades. They are examples of the best aspects of life in L.A., and how beautiful the people of the city are when they come out to celebrate.
Recent Photographs
The photographs that I'm sharing from this week are the result of the atmospheric river that pummeled Los Angeles and the need to replace my car in the middle of the storm. Thankfully it all worked out but I had to take the bus home from the car dealership one evening, which turned out to be an unexpected bonus.
Riding a fairly empty Metro bus at night with rain on the windows is a rare photographic opportunity. The red brake lights filtering into the cabin contrast nicely with the sterile, controlled lighting of the bus interior. I always have my Ricoh GR3x on me and it was the perfect tool to document to my ride home. The whole experience was a throwback to my late twenties when I first started taking pictures seriously. It was before I had a car and I was working full time while attending Cal State Los Angeles. That was when I worked out how to frame a bus ride and what angle/approaches worked (and which ones didn't). Bus trips like this were a large part of my practice back then and this ride allowed me to reinterpret that work.
Metro Line 233, Van Nuys 2024.
Archival Recordings Zine 01
Be sure to pick up a copy of Archival Recordings Zine 01! This is the first quarterly zine I've published as a part of this project and it features photography from a Los Angeles that is long gone. You can pick up a copy at Structure & Hue (my online shop) or, subscribe to the paid tier of this newsletter and get not only this zine, but a copy of each new Archival Recordings Zine sent to your house as they are released (total of 4 zines per yearly subscription).