Some images have been made so many times; the real challenge isn’t capturing them… It’s finding a way to make people see them again.
That was the idea here.
Instead of standing in front of the iconic sign like millions before me, I wanted to climb behind, shoot only a fragment of the letters, just enough for your brain to instantly fill in the rest. The plan was simple: bluebird skies, crystal-clear visibility, and all of Los Angeles stretching endlessly below.
Weather had other plans.
After a 2.5-mile climb to the top, I was met with thick clouds, muted light, and a city wrapped in gray. But weather remains undefeated…so you adapt.
I shot every angle I could, knowing the magic might not reveal itself until I got back to the studio.
At first, the files felt flat...the overcast had drained the life out of the color. Black and white felt like the obvious move…until I noticed just how much green was hiding in the hills below. So I pushed it further, introducing an infrared-inspired UV treatment that transformed every patch of green into electric pink.
Suddenly, the image came alive.
A sliver of the sign. Downtown LA tucked quietly into the left corner. The Hollywood Reservoir. The maze of homes spilling through the hills. A place photographed thousands upon thousands of times…reimagined into something that feels entirely its own.
Sometimes the shot you planned isn’t the one you bring home.
Sometimes it’s better.
More about the work: Click here to view "Fake Empire"
