LA. to L.A. photographed and written by Benny White/Benjamin Black
The word travel means to take a journey, typically of some length or abroad.
In this Kapture Global post I will share accounts, experiences, and photos from my recent travel to Los Angeles,CA.
I set out to LA for many reasons including friends, family, vacation and fun but most importantly photography.
Photography has been a love and passion for me for quite some time now and there are many avenues where one can venture down pursuing a career as a photographer.
My journey to LA was focused on and sparked by a childhood desire to take part in fashion photography.
To put it simply:
I love fashion, I love women, and I love photography.
So what?.. I ask what trip could out model and mayhem a trip to Tinsel and temperate Los Angeles California.
Here in the United States of America the most elite models and agencies exist in two places.
The two model meccas are Los Angeles proper and New York city.
People like myself travel the world in search of these two places in hope of discovery or being discovered.
Actors, models, and artists alike set out to achieve greatness or go broke trying because like Helen Keller said:
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”
So I went to Expedia, booked the flight, and arrived in sunny California ready to take on the world.
One of my best friends and past roommates John Robert Browning IV offered me a place to stay and work so he was naturally my first contact.
Rob is a ball of energy and he is an extremely talented and seasoned model/artist who has worked with many brands and designers.
Also he has worked under Alec Monopoly the artist.
Rob is also the brand Ambassador for BMG Cigars Co. owned by the amazing fun-loving New Jersey native now Hollywood producer Rob Weiss.
I was immediately propelled into the LA nightlife when Rob answered my call like a lightening bolt charged with love and excitement at my arrival.
He quickly told me to meet him at the SOHO House in West Hollywood which is a private members’ club on Sunset Boulevard.
After our thrilling meet filled with hugs, punches and dancing we made our way into the elegant and swanky SOHO House.
I won’t be spilling all the details in this post but I got to witness young and middle-aged kids in the biz that is LA.
As we mingled and softly marauded our way around I caught a glimpse of what the weeks to come had in store.
Through the gleaming eyes of these dreamy young professionals in their and now my social network I witnessed and tasted the fruit of next level labor.
Now, no matter the outcome of the trip my outlook is as Mary Anne Radmacher said:
“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.”
In the home where I stayed I had the pleasure of living and working with my friend Rob, Z(Zebastian..) an amazing designer and dancer/model/actor Skylar(Mimuro)Roberge.
Z is absolutely fantastic and is the man behind design companies YRU and Esqape.
These brands are colorful and intruiging as they invoke both futuristic and retro styles marketed toward the ever-growing festival seeking crowd and scene.
In addition, the ever so talented Skylar Mimuro(Instagram:Sky_sky_) was a constant inspiration.
Most days Sky would be filming pole dancing instruction vids and generally inspiring us with her many styles.
I was truly blessed to work in such a creative, clean and healthy eating environment filled with clothes for daily models, a studio and music to fuel us.
On the daily at least 2-3 new models would come by to shoot with Z for either Esq or YRU or even generally to hang out and have fun.
The house in Silver Lake is where the majority of my work took place but I also got the chance to shoot with Sky and Z in Malibu at the beach.
This experience alone has been crucial to my development as a photographer but more importantly as a working professional.
In addition to my aforementioned friends I also got to work with Jade Lorna(London), @Jessicalifornia I.G., Victoria Loi, Madeline(Alexandra) Browning, and Hayley Ashton.
I am truly grateful for the opportunity and I am impressed by the ease and style of these ladies and other unmentioned ladies I had the pleasure of working with.
LA was a rollercoaster ride filled with uppers and downers. Among the clubbers, lovers, workers, owners, and tourists I was a bit of everything during my trip.
Looking back from my home here in New Orleans,LA I am reminded by the words of my favorite poet from my childhood Robert Frost who wrote The Road Not Taken.
“Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by.” There is a lot a hard work that weaves beneath the glamorous.
Considering the infinite outcomes of travel we all venture out seeking the unknown in hopes relaxation, rejuvination, redefinition, or rest.
I’ve always believed that the most fortunate people in life are the ones who’s work allows them to travel and for me….
that is what makes all the difference.
In Conclusion I would like to leave you with these 3 quotes which you might have heard or read before.
I hope that these quotes and this post inspire you all toward wanderlust and I thank you very much for your time and company during our worded walk.
Please know that;
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine
“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” – Anonymous
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” – Susan Sontag
Senior Photographer and Co Editor @ www.kapturenola.com
Benny(Benjamin Black) White
NO,LA to LA,CA
