California culture
Street photographer Nema Etebar is somewhat of a nomad. Traveling the world, he makes friends wherever he goes, often collaborating creatively with like-minded, free-spirited people.
Last month, Etebar found himself in the City of Angels.
“@JoelJoel (right) and I connected on Instagram and spoke about creating together while I was in L.A., documenting ‘California Culture.’ He expressed his appreciation of my portraits, and I was intrigued by his tattoo selections, ink history, freedom of expression.
We decided to walk the streets looking for random pockets of light. Once we met downtown, Joel mentioned having a friend “Richie the Barber,” a tattooed clown who cuts hair at Bolt Barbers nearby. Joel made a call to Richie, and the three of us connected for a short introduction and easy conversation. We laughed and snapped shots on random sidewalks for a quick 10 minutes.
Joel, an extremely respectful veteran paired with Richie’s high energy and positivity led to great shots showing their unique and warm personalities.
It’s always a pleasure meeting characters from around the world, sharing and shooting from the heart, breaking down stereotypes. I’m drawn to diversity, style and tradition; seeking to highlight humanity by documenting the streets, characters and cultures deep within our communities.
I truly enjoyed walking L.A. and documenting the energy of its sunlit alleys and soulful people.”
The image was taken with a Nikon D300s and 24-70 lens.
Follow Trishna Patel on Instagram and Twitter.
Each week, we’re featuring photos of Southern California and California submitted by readers. Share your photos on our Flickr page or tag your photos with #socalmoments or #californiamoments on Instagram and Twitter. Follow us on Twitter or visit latimes.com/socalmoments for more on this photo series.
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