The Daily Edit – Los Angeles Magazine: Amy Feitelberg
Heidi Volpe - July 29, 2014 - The Daily Edit
Photographer: Nancy Pastor
Photographer: ( left ) Gregg Segal
Photographer: ( right ) Meiko Arquillos
Photographer: ( left ) Christina Gandolfo
Photographer: ( right ) Art Streiber
Photographer: Dave Lauridsen
Photographer: ( left ) Joe Schmelzer
Photographer: ( right ) Christina Gandolfo
Photographer: ( left ) Sam Comen
Photographer: ( right) Ryan Young
Photographer: ( left ) Dave Lauridsen
Photographer: ( right ) Claudia Lucia
Design Director: Steven Banks
Photo Director: Amy Feitelberg
Check out the full story here
Heidi: What a great slice of LA nightlife. Describe the process for choosing the pitches, I'd imagine potential imagery and content played even roles.
Amy: For the initial pitch process, I went forward knowing there were a few built in obstacles.
– Since this all had to be shot on one night, that might limit what's happening around town.
– I had to cast a really wide net so I got enough disparate ideas.
– It meant it was a little bit of luck of the draw for who would be in town to do it.
When all the decisions were made, I fired off an email to each photographer saying that they got to shoot their pitch. Then I sent out a group email (everyone was bcc'd — I didn't want anyone to know who was in until the end), and I told them the parameters. Everyone HAD to shoot on the same night. Saturday, May 31st. We defined 'night' as between 6pm – 2am. I also told them that this was a case where they had to be reporters too because no one had a writer with them, and they HAD to get the caption info of what they were shooting for when the edit team when back to write about it. I also told them, it was a great opportunity to do extra stuff like gifs, videos etc. And so many of them did that, which is so cool because we're going to have a really awesome online component as well which I think beefs the whole project up.
How did you notify photographer this was happening, was there something online or in the print edition?
I thought this was an opportunity to reach out to people I hadn't been able to assign yet, but wanted to get them in the book. So after I made a list, I blasted it out to a ton of photographers and told them to pitch me what they wanted to do. Once I got all those pitches in, I complied them, and reviewed them with the with editor of the story and the editor in chief. Many photographers sent in more than one idea and since we had overlap, it helped narrow down the puzzle. We wanted it to feel diverse and hit a lot of different notes.
How many pitches did you get for this project?
I had over 60 pitches knowing I could only assign 20ish.
What were the determining factors?
Determining factors were things like diversity – geographic, ethnic, age etc, access, ambition and inherent LAness.
Were the photographers responsible for all aspects of production/access?
The photographers were mostly responsible for setting up their own shoots. I did write a lot of letters and make a lot of phone calls. Some things we never got permission on and they did anyway guerrilla style and some things we had to cancel altogether because the venue made it so hard or flat out refused. LA can be an extremely difficult place to shoot even for still photography. Are you listening Mayor Garcetti?
How many "tries" did they have or did everyone go out on the same night?
Everyone had to go out on the same night. A few people had 2 assignments if they could get them done. One that came in that wasn't even assigned but that I hoped someone was going to pitch was a shot of Hassidic Jews on La Brea. That area fascinates me and I had put it in as an example of something to pitch in my initial blast email. No one took the bait, but then Christina Gandolfo, who had shot these awesome bingo pictures was walking on the street that night and photographed a few. She ended up getting a second full page image in the package too because it was so great. A few projects didn't work out at all and got cut, but everyone really went above and beyond to make things work.
Photographer: ( left ) Alyson Aliano
Photographer: ( right ) Hussein Katz
Did you think it was unusual for the taggers to be photographed in "Canvassing the City?"
What type of relationship did Hussein Katz have with them?
When Hussein pitched that he said "I have many friends in the graffiti world… however I would need to keep their identities concealed." I thought it sounded awesome. It's such sub culture in LA and I always think it's weird when I see a building one day and it's blank and the next day it's tagged. I'm always wondering who the hell these people are. I didn't want to judge it as right or wrong, I wanted to see the experience of people who spend their nights doing this.
Photographer ( left ): Alyson Aliano
Photographer ( right ) Aaron Fallon
Aaron Fallon's image "Crew's Control" is great, did he have stories about getting access?
Aaron Fallon's pitch was cool and very unexpected. This is one of those cases that it SHOULD have been hard to get access — but it wasn't! He had a friend who worked there who helped get him in. I wrote a permission letter for him, but as far as I know, there weren't too many hoops. The photos are gorgeous. The one bummer about doing this whole portfolio is that almost every shoot that came in had soooo many great images and we only get to run one a piece! That's what the internet is for I s'pose. So shooting in an airplane hanger at LAX? – a breeze. Trying to shoot at the Hollywood Bowl? — I think they would have had me arrested and stolen my first born. Go figure!
Photographer: ( left ) Spencer Lowell
Photographer: ( right ) Wesley Brown
How did Spencer get that image of the stadium in "Diamonds are Forever?"
Spencer's journey in this is an interesting one. He told me he would love to go to the morgue. LOVED IT! Boom. I assigned it to him. He set out on his own to get permission. I didn't hear back so I thought it was all cool. So did he… but a few days before the shoot, even though permission seemed like a done deal, the guy helping him went AWOL, and then resurfaced the day before to say no. Spencer had also pitched doing aerials because I believe he has a relationship with a helicopter pilot. I really liked the idea of seeing Dodger Stadium, but there was a game that night and they have a 'no fly zone' during games. So he waited til after to shoot it and I love it even more because it feels less expected. He also still went to the morgue and shot and exterior and then went to a tattoo place and shot himself getting a tattoo that says LA on his wrist. Spencer will bleed for the cause!
Photographer: ( left ) Terence Patrick
Photographer: ( right ) Maarten de Boer
How did Martin de Boer get to tag along for his "Double Parked?"
So in the case of Maarten de Boer, he actually pitched going on a ride along with the fire department. He contacted them but they basically told them they needed at least 3 weeks to get approvals blah blah. So I dug into my bag of tricks because what ho! my sister is a deputy district attorney on the 'hard core gang unit' right here in LA. I called her and asked her if she knew any cops I could have Maarten go out with. She asked around and hooked us with LAPD homicide detectives Manny and Nate and we were in! I actually called on her to help us get into the morgue when Spencer was getting the shaft, but at that point we had lost our lead time, she was in trial and we couldn't pull it off. Having a DA for a sister is amazing! She comes in handy a lot.
What's the best way for photographers to reach you?
The best way for photographers to contact me is always through email. I wish I had the time to answer everyone, but I just can't. I do try to look at everything that comes in though!
Heidi Volpe
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Terence Patrick
on July 29, 2014 12:41:12
It was an awesome assignment to be part of! Thanks Amy!
Andrew Vanasse
Great article. It does need some editing though and you're missing a section. Just wanted to give you a heads up.