Laura + Dry Lake Bed, Southern California, 2019

Soon I hope to repeat this session with Laura and make something better out of these difficult times.

This frame with Laura represents to me the very best of photography. The obstacles in the way of our collaboration could have prevented this image from being exposed, but Laura persevered and the resulting images are, to me, priceless. 

Etsy 

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Laura + Dry Lake Bed, Southern California, 2019

Last week Laura asked me to scan one of her color images, and I was glad that she did. We exposed one color roll towards the end of our session when almost all of the tones matched, with the exception of the sky which was the exact opposite in color. The location was magical and Laura sacrificed tremendously to make it happen. To have this image as proof of our time together on that dry lake is the gift of photography!

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Laura + Dry Lake Bed, California, 2019

 This frame with Laura represents to me the very best of photography. The obstacles in the way of our collaboration could have prevented this image from being exposed, but Laura persevered and the resulting images are, to me, priceless. 

We connected online and made plans to meet in between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. To have someone willing to do so and in this most remote of spaces is incredible. I am privileged to have met this young woman, and to have had the chance to document her unmatched talents. The fact that she brought her wardrobe along, giving us so many choices, made these images that much more beautiful.

Note: this frame was exposed with a Hasselblad V system. 

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Kylee + Dry Lake, El Mirage, California, 2019

Seven years after we first met at this magical space we reunited for our second session. We had the most beautiful day, perfect sun and very little wind. This time around we failed to bring a thistle brush, but we had our gallon of water for the end of the session.

Collaborating with Kylee is a most positive experience, for she accepts input without hesitation and also brings her own ideas. For this image, we wanted to recreate a popular image from our past and she obliged me perfectly. This time around a wide angle lens was placed on the Hasselblad, accentuating the cracks in the lake bed.

While she requested a dozen images to be scanned, almost 80 were scanned due to my excitement. Tomorrow more will be edited and sent her way. It is my deep honor to document her art, and I look forward to our next time in California!

Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 501 CM/60 mm C lens combination. 

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Cami and the Dry Lake, El Mirage, Los Angeles, California, 2019

Over the past two weeks, and two weeks before my summer in Lebanon, five incredible women allowed me to document their immeasurable talents. This Friday, the film will be taken to Dodge-Chrome, Inc. for processing.

What amazes me most about these young women is their kindness. Each accepted the distance involved in such a trip to the El Mirage area, and the time each session demanded. All did so without asking for anything in return, and all are considered by me as sisters to the young women in my portfolio. 

It is an honor to be considered your friend, and photographer.

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Note: This image was made with a Fuji X-T3.

Magdalena, Dry Lake Bed, Lucerne Valley, Los Angeles, California, September 15, 2012

Two years ago I met Magdalena through a website for models and photographers, and since then we have collaborated four times. She has the uncanny ability to transform from session to session and most amazingly during a session.

My preference for darker clothing happens to be her preference, and she tries to present variety always. When asked to be photographed she never denies the request, and in her own way accepts most willingly. Two years ago we worked three times together over a span of a week. This year I photographed her in September during my Los Angeles trip and hope to document her moving spirit in less than two weeks during my upcoming trip to Santa Barbara.

While my schedule will be busy, I will make time to photograph Magdalena. Her place in my work is understood, and she has already accepted my invitation.

Our collaboration in September was most difficult for her, for she was feeling a bit under the weather leading up to the day of the photography. We arrived at her home in a suburb of Los Angeles, and parked on the street. While waiting we walked over to one of her neighbors to look over some clothing, since she was having a yard sale.

Bailey looked at some dresses and then walked over to check a pile of shoes in a box. I checked out a few shirts but found nothing. All the while the resident of the house walked in and out to check on her sauce, the sweet scent of which teased our hungry senses while we waited.

Magdalena walked towards us quickly and apologized for the wait, a sure sign of her respect for both us and our work. She has always been this way, quite sincere and genuine. We gathered ourselves and headed out to the dry lake bed almost two and a half hours away in Los Angeles traffic.

We could tell she was feeling a little ill and asked her about it. She told us that she would be fine and then asked our permission to fall asleep in the car. We drove to the area while she slept, waking up when we arrived at a local fast food restaurant in order to get some much needed food into her stomach. She was more than appreciative, ate the salad and felt much better as we drove the remaining half an hour to the site.

In contrast to El Mirage, the dry lake bed at Lucerne Valley was quite accessible, and split down the middle by a nicely paved road. We drove up and down this road for a little bit in order to find the perfect spot, with few houses in the background. We did so, got out and set up the cameras. A few minutes later Magdalena was ready with her first outfit, and so the photography began.

We worked for the next ninety minutes, now and then fetching a piece of our equipment as it flew over the road to the other side. The wind was wonderful and we managed to expose a dozen rolls before calling it quits for the day. Considering how this young woman was feeling, the session was more than a success. In the middle of the desert, under the sun and with the heat, she gave us what few could have.

I am honored to know Magdalena and look forward to a collaboration in two weeks.

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Halim Ina Photography