I’m taking time out today to take a look at Los Angeles-based Snapshot Galleria, a film photography zine co-founded by Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin and Erwin Recinos. In fact, if you’re one for paying attention, you will have already seen a recent interview with Erwin on these very pages.

The project has seen some changes since its initial inception as a platform to promote the photographic projects of its original founding members in late 2012 . As is often the case with labours of love, life took a few unexpected turns and the original concept was rolled up just a year and a half later.

Not all was lost, as good ideas often stay unrealized for long and the Snapshot platform was reimagined and relaunched in early 2015; the first issue being aptly titled, “ReDefinition”.

Issue 01: ReDefinition - Snapshot Galleria
Issue 01: ReDefinition – Snapshot Galleria
Issue 01: ReDefinition - Snapshot Galleria
Issue 01: ReDefinition – Snapshot Galleria
Issue 01: ReDefinition - Snapshot Galleria
Issue 01: ReDefinition – Snapshot Galleria

The relaunched Snapshot Galleria is now framed as a quarterly online zine featuring the film photography of its four founding photographers and also includes work from, and interviews with film photographers across from across the globe.

The lives and experiences of the founding members continue to influence the theme and tempo of the project and content is squarely aimed at exploring and discussing the urban environment both in and beyond LA.

You may have come across a few of the photographers featured by Snapshot in the past; Edward Conde, George Buchholz and Allison Casey, to name but a few. It’s well worth your time checking these and the other Snapshot interviews out (after finishing reading our own, of course…shameless plug, sorry)

Issue 02: Neighbourhoods - Snapshot Galleria
Issue 02: Neighbourhoods – Snapshot Galleria
Issue 02: Neighbourhoods - Snapshot Galleria
Issue 02: Neighbourhoods – Snapshot Galleria
Issue 02: Neighbourhoods - Snapshot Galleria
Issue 02: Neighbourhoods – Snapshot Galleria

As Erwin says:

“For the last five years that I have been photographing downtown Los Angeles, that developers have taken over. In less than a year, three new condo/apartment blocks have risen and two new skyscrapers are changing the Los Angeles skyline. The rent for small businesses and restaurants is forcing out the old and familiar locations to make way for high-priced eateries that I would not step foot in.

It’s making it harder to work in DTLA but also making harder to watch all these places disappear. This is a city in the midst of a facelift and old familiar locations everyday spots are no longer there. I’ve known some of these locations places since I was a child and I’m trying to capture them before they are all gone.”

There’s no doubt that urban environments worldwide are undergoing massive change; from the creation of new urban centres in Africa and the Far East, to the extensive redevelopment of long-established urban centres in Europe and the US, Los Angeles is no exception.

In fact, it’s probably one of the largest and most diverse examples of scales-of-change and class upheaval in the world.

Issue 03: Film Battle - Snapshot Galleria
Issue 03: Film Battle – Snapshot Galleria
Issue 03: Film Battle - Snapshot Galleria
Issue 03: Film Battle – Snapshot Galleria
Issue 03: Film Battle - Snapshot Galleria
Issue 03: Film Battle – Snapshot Galleria

Each of Snapshot Galleria’s issues takes a theme and runs with it. At the time of writing three issues have been released; Redefinition, Neighbourhoods and Film Battle.

The project is a real labour of love, brought to you in part by the film photography community but mostly through the dedication of its founding members:

Creator, Founding Photographer, and Co-Editor
Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin is a Los Angeles based urban photographer and co-founder of Snapshot Galleria. His work can be found at The Los Angeles Recordings, a site focused on the landscape and people of Koreatown, Hollywood, Downtown, and all areas in between.

Co-Creator, Founding Photographer, and Co-Editor
Erwin Recinos is a busy man. In addition to being a co-founder of Snapshot Galleria, he somehow finds time to shoot for L.A. Taco, process and develop his own film, and know literally every street artist in the City of Angels. More of his work can be found at http://www.losojos.photos.

Founding Photographer
Luis Torres is based in Echo Park, Los Angeles and travels to some pretty amazing places with his camera. Whether in LA or traveling internationally, his photography captures his surroundings from a unique perspective that is impossible to replicate. You can find more of his work at http://www.louonethree.com.

Founding Photographer
Nery Madrid is one of those photographers whose body of work consistently amazes. He has the ability to document life in a way that is both raw and inspiring.

 

What next?

Get involved, it’s as simple as that.

If you’re an urban shooter and fancy the opportunity of having some of your work showcased by the Snapshot team, simply send an email (no attachments, please!), to snapshotgalleria@gmail.com with a link to your work to get the ball rolling.

As Kwasi says:

“…the true power of an image comes not from the tool used, but from the person using it and their motivation for doing so…”

If you’re not in LA or the surrounds, you won’t be (immediately) shirked. Urban environments the world over are undergoing rapid change and if you have a story to tell, or a specific point of veiw to explore, make sure you drop the Snapshot team a line.

 

 

Share your knowledge, story or project

The transfer of knowledge across the film photography community is the heart of EMULSIVE. You can add your support by contributing your thoughts, work, experiences and ideas to inspire the hundreds of thousands of people who read these pages each month. Check out the submission guide here.

If you like what you’re reading you can also help this passion project by heading over to the EMULSIVE Patreon page and contributing as little as a dollar a month. There’s also print and apparel over at Society 6, currently showcasing over two dozen t-shirt designs and over a dozen unique photographs available for purchase.

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