OLIVIA IN LOS ANGELES

I’ve been working with Olivia Burgess for years. We first shot in Paris, then New York, now in Los Angeles.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S HOLLYHOCK HOUSE

The Aline Barnsdall Hollyhock House, nestled in the East Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, is a celebrated architectural gem designed by the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright. Originally envisioned as a haven for the affluent oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, this masterpiece was constructed between 1919 and 1921. Today, it stands as the focal point of the vibrant Barnsdall Art Park, a cherished cultural hub in the city.

In a significant milestone, the Hollyhock House, alongside seven other structures crafted by Wright in the 20th century, was bestowed the honor of being added to the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2019. This recognition marks the first time that modern American architecture has been immortalized on this esteemed list.

The Hollyhock House's architectural significance lies in its pioneering design, which seamlessly integrates indoor and outdoor living spaces. This innovative approach has not only influenced subsequent architectural endeavors but has also become a hallmark of Wright's enduring legacy.

NOEMIE-PARIS

Red Magazine Cover Shoot. Styling by Oonagh Brennan

LONGINES-NEW YORK

Some images from a shoot for Longines in New York City, September 2023.

LONER DEER-PARIS

Loner Deer is a French folk singer and songwriter. His voice, his words are haunting, especially when you consider he’s in his early twenties. I’m so happy I got to shoot him in Paris. I’ve been listening to his music for a year. His new album comes out early November. @thelonerdeer

KAYLA MICHELLE MARTINEZ

“My name is Kayla Michelle Martinez and I am 100% Puerto Rican. I grew up in New York City, specifically in the Lower East Side & the Bronx. I enjoy connecting with people, writing and reading and I enjoy sitting on my couch and watching any Wes Anderson film. I did Musical Theater for a bit, it was definitely fun as a kid to explore myself through performance. It’s forced me to be okay with vulnerability and truth which is why I enjoy modeling. It’s an opportunity for me to be honest and open to any moment the camera captures — pretty or not. “

STUDIO-MUKA

In early April 2023, the owners of Studio Muka, Neda Kakhsaz and Zabie Mustafa, hired me to create new visuals for their launch. We shot at their studio in Los Angeles, we kept the images organic, clean, mostly shot with natural light.

JEROME DAVIS-SOUTH LOS ANGELES

I was in South Los Angeles on April 5th, 2023, early in the morning, on my way to the studio. I was shooting landscapes and things, as it’s a very photogenic area, when I ran into Jerome Davis. His face was striking, I told him so, he smiled, and asked him if I could take his portrait. We agreed on a small fee for his time, and we spent a few minutes together talking and shooting, and he told me his story a bit. He’s 54, has been homeless since he’s 19. He’s half Cherokee, half black American. He has no children. And like so many forgotten, he doesn’t spend time wondering why he was handed his struggles. He just keeps moving. I think he was surprised to be engaged in a conversation, he seemed lonely. I asked him if people photograph him often, he says yes, but they don’t ask. They click and take off. Homelessness and invisibility in Los Angeles are striking, it’s a strange city in so many ways, and it says a lot about us, as a society, and as individuals, that we see extraordinary outer beauty perhaps, but don’t pause to see a man, or a woman, in there, that would like to be acknowledged for their intrinsic value. After our talk, I saw him walk, far, on Crenshaw. I have no idea where he was going. I hope I run into him again.

TRIXIE AND GIANLUCA-LOS ANGELES

These guys are my neighbors in Silver Lake. They’re working on a vintage Toyota, I spent a few moments taking images.

KINGS GYM, OAKLAND CALIFORNIA

King’s boxing gym has been open since 1984, in Oakland, California. Champions like Andre Ward came out of there, as well as Nonito Donaire. I was there training a couple weeks ago, and I saw some good faces, so my friend Bryan helped me, we set up a grey backdrop, and we had fun getting to know people. Rain was happening, but we got it done.

TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A

The “To Live and Die in L.A” event happened on February 25th, 2023. It’s a yearly gathering of different L.A cultures, including chicanos, bikers, punk rock and others. The rain made shooting difficult, but I was able to get a few nice shots.

A GREAT DAY IN THE STOKE-HUNTINGTON BEACH

In June 2022, I photographed a great surfing event in Southern California named A Great Day In The Stoke. My brother Ali Naderzad wrote the article, and the series was published in TMRW magazine. Ali’s article is below.

When only a child of six, Ruby Bridges became the first African-American youngster to desegregate an all-white school in Louisiana. The year was 1960. How the times have changed, and how they haven’t, since. What’s stayed constant is the efforts by individuals and by communities, to challenge the status quo with positivity.

And yet, how much have we learned since Ruby Bridges (she had to be escorted to and from school by U.S. marshals to protect her safety) about acceptance? The countless slights suffered by African-Americans, from the murders of Emmett Till in 1955 to Ahmaud Arberry’s two years ago, to discrimination in all spheres of life, those countless tragedies in which innocent African-Americans are confronted by violence and reprisals from the white community, are seared into the collective consciousness and from that crucible, new claims for space and community are forged.

“A GREAT DAY IN THE STOKE” took place last month, the inaugural launch of what will become a yearly occurrence. Simply, surfing has traditionally been a white people’s game and “A GREAT DAY IN THE STOKE” aims to change that.

Event founder Nathan Fluellen, known as ‘Worldwide Nate’ because of his travels around the world (he’s visited 75 countries so far), dreamed up a day of surfing and community in Huntington Beach, Calif. for African-Americans. By going up on their boards Black surfers would swim upstream against the prevailing representation of surfing as a majority-white sport, and also came together as a community of like-minded sports enthusiasts. Some surfers present that day in June were beginners, others have surfing cred. It was a full program that awaited them, from surf lessons to yoga classes and an awards ceremony.

As Fluellen explains it, “‘A GREAT DAY IN THE STOKE was inspired by “A Great Day in Harlem”, which took place in 1958, and then ‘A Great Day in Hip Hop,’ which took place in 1998. I was inspired by the images of my favorite jazz musicians and hip hop artists and MCs.”

The history of Black surfing begins with Nicolás Rolando Gabaldón. Born in 1927, half-Black half-Latino, Gabaldón was a surfer at a time when beaches were segregated and black surfers were not a common sight (nearly a century later, they’re still not a common sight.) He was enrolled in Santa Monica College and worked as a lifeguard, soon rejoining other surfers on the beach who accepted and respected him. Gabaldón was a committed surfer, he was passionate for the sport. After a badly-performed move on the water, he crashed against the Malibu pier, his life cut short. “A GREAT DAY IN THE STOKE” is a tribute to Gabaldón.

Fluellen cuts a Richard Halliburton-like figure, iconoclastic, an overachiever eager to take on the world and if that fails, visit as many of its locales as possible and absorb foreign culture. His relatives are scattered about the world, which instilled in him a desire to travel, early on in life. He works as a TV host for West Africa Up Close, his Worldwide Nate African Adventures is currently airing on Amazon Prime. Nevertheless, for a seasoned world traveller who could be forgiven for living in a bubble, Fluellen appeared to me realistic about the backwardness on display on home turf, the prejudice and racism, the ignorance. “America has been oppressive for Black Americans and there have been efforts to keep this in place. All I can do is find my safe space. I wish I had a magic wand to make everyone truly feel like all people are created equal.”

In Huntington Beach that morning in June, surfers of all ages came together in paddle-outs, a surf ritual during which the community masses together on the water to pay homage to people who have died at the hands of racism. The names that come to mind here are George Floyd, Ahmaud Arberry and Breonna Taylor, among far too many others.

The surf competition took place after this, lessons were given and board demos conducted, a raffle was organized, vendors were on hand and a DJ provided music. Participants included surfers from Senegal and South Africa. Californians, young and less young ones, were there en masse and they were thrilled, excited, sometimes scared as this was the first time taking to the waves for some of the attendees. Brands like Quicksilver were represented to build new relationships and Patagonia co-sponsored the event.

At the end of our conversation Fluellen mused, “I want  ‘A GREAT DAY IN THE STOKE to be in the zeitgeist of iconic black events that had happened and also for current black surfers to see this event and say, OK, I’m coming next year.”

Besides standing in as joyful disruption of perceptions around surfing, ‘A GREAT DAY IN THE STOKE’ is the first in an inspirational yearly event series that celebrates community and pays homage to the sacrifices of those who came before.

JESSICA HENWICK-LOS ANGELES

In July 2022 I photographed actress Jessica Henwick in Beverly Hills at L’Ermitage Hotel for Rose and Ivy magazine. Jessica is currently starring in the thriller “The Grey Man’ airing on Netflix.