wet plate collodion american indian

  These pictures make me think of what Los Angles use to be like before we laid concrete and basically trashed it.  It must have been such a beautiful place.
  Let me explain how I ended up taking this photo in the first place: I was invited to a pajama jammy jam and upon arrival I met up with my friend Celina (girl in the photo). Her outfit for the night was Native American. It was crazy because she really looked Native American. I asked her if she was Native American and she said yes . I knew I had to photograph her as a Native Angeleno it just made sense to me. 

 I love this image in her eyes, you can see so many emotions. Before I shot this I repeatedly told her she would have to be real still for the photo. I could see she was concentrating on it real hard. Normally I would have had the person soften up there face. I liked it so I just let it be.  Looking at it now I think I shot her this way because the way I feel about the American Indians and the emotions I have about the way the were treated. 

I am not mad at this one either. I had her stand on this electrical box so I could shoot up and make the viewer feel they have to look up to her. The Urban/Native juxtaposition is super surreal.
Photo: Celina Vaniersel
Location: Los Angles, Ca