See the Lenscratch article here: http://lenscratch.blogspot.com/2010/10/larry-brownstein.html

Today, I'll take the opportunity to describe some of the other galleries on the site.

LA Impressions is a synthesis. Whereas i have explored different neighborhoods in great depth this series is different in that it is about a gestalt, a final impression, as though a tourist were to leave with such an impression in his head. Cars are present in most of the images because that is how people see the city and out the window are the billboards, the girls, the buildings ...

This series is a sort of homage to Los Angeles. Of course, not everyone feels the same affection for the City of Angels. Take, for instance, Lewis Baltz, photographer, who has said, "I never did [understand L.A.], really: I always believed that God would destroy L.A. for its sins. Finally I realized that He had already destroyed it, and then left it around as a warning."

The farmers are better at planning and taking a long term view - they have to cultivate their crops but their work can pay off in a nice harvest. They are able to conceive exactly what an image will look like and pick the right model, clothes and location and set up the right light and direct the models, just so.

The hunters, on the other hand, set off with high hopes and no guarantees. They can spend all day in the elements and notl catch anyting. When they do, though, it is very exciting. These photographers think that planning consists of picking a direction and heading there with their camera. They learn to become sensitive to the nuances of available light, to sense interesting photo opportunities before they have even actualized, to tread lightly so as not to disturb a situation and to react quickly to capture an image before it disappears.

I am more of a hunter with a camera and Arcana is a series about the delightful surprises I have encoutered and captured while heading out in a general direction with my camera.

Years later I discovered the wonders of the American landscape and was drawn to such iconic places as Monument Valley and Big Sur. Eventually, though, my interest turned back to people. I discovered that people are freer to express themselves and to show a side of themselves that are usually hidden at Festivals. So, I went in search of interesting festivals.

I recommend the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island, New York. LA has some wonderful events including the Haute Dog Easter Parade and Halloween at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. But my favorite event so far is The GreatCircus Parade in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Let's start with Broadway. I've never seen any other place like it. It must have been an incredibly prosperous area at one time. I base this upon the glorious architecture, including some art deco masterpieces, numerous theaters with ornate marquees, even the colorful sidewalks speak of a glorious past. Now it is a twilight zone of sorts with a large Mexican population but certainly unlike anything to be found in Mexico.

Broadway is a kind of mystery in the midst of LA, a mystery I wanted to solve.

Street Art has its stars. Banksy is the most notorious of them all. You could call him famous but that isn't completely accurate since he is an underground artist. On the other hand his art is now fetching small fortunes, so it must be fame of some sort.

Mr. Brainwash is another such star, a local LA star who is a Banksy protege. Some, however, say they are one and the same - Mr. Brainwash being the legitimate face, and therefor commercial side, of Banksy.

Besides the fascinating political messages it brings up interesting questions. Is it OK to stencil your art on a public wall in the middle of the night? You might say, no, of course not. but increasingly people are doing it and there have even become designated places for it.

If it is here one day and gone the next, is it art? If it is done with a spray can or a stencil could it really be art? Even if it is art, should we give it any attention if it is done illegally? Banksy tried to answer that question when he snuck one of his pieces, framed, of course, onto the wall of a museum where it remained for hours.

As you can see it is an interesting world and my search for street art in Los Angeles was truly a revelation.

Is the camera a critical factor in taking pictures?

I recently did an engament photo shoot and broke my cardinal rule of not showing the clients any photos on the camera LCD. The clients looked at the photo and seemed excited to see themselves looking so good. Then she said quite emphatically to her fiance, "See what a good camera can do?"

Ouch! Well then I guess the answer must be yes ... it's all about the camera.

Cindy Sherman has said  "People are always trying to find the next groovy thing, and it hasn't gone back to painting... . I'd like it to go back to painting. I'm sick of all this photography and video. There's so much of it, it's almost annoying."  Interesting comment from one of the most wildly famous photographers of our day.@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }