Living in La La Land

A Los Angeles photographer develops the vibrant city of his dreams

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May 18, 2015

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(Anthony Samaniego)Samaniego first picked up a camera seven years ago. Working as a sales analyst for an entertainment giant, he was bored and searching for a new perspective on life. "Photography felt good," he says. "It put my mind in a different place…different reality."

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(Anthony Samaniego)But "reality" hardly describes the wildly colorful images Samaniego creates. The powerful pinks, deep purples, and glowing teals evoke dreamscapes, rather than the typically arid view of L.A."I find [color's] psychology fascinating," he says.

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(Anthony Samaniego)

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(Anthony Samaniego)To achieve such surprising vibrancy, Samaniego exposes the negatives to light multiple times, allowing some highlights to remain out of focus and appear as bright dots — called bokeh dots, or "circles of confusion." The choice to keep such imperfections imbues even otherwise tranquil shots with a sense of chaos.Though Los Angeles' concrete views hold a special place in his artistic lens, Samaniego is also drawn to more serene vistas just outside the city limits. Here, too, there's a faint frenetic energy just scratching at the surface. Below, take a tour of Samaniego's luscious Los Angeles.