Artist Takeover: Isaac Escobar
https://vimeo.com/204088605Isaac Escobar is a 29 year old photographer from Los Angeles, CA who has been shooting for only 13 months and has already gained quite a following on his Instagram account for his breathtaking cityscapes of Los Angeles. We decided to ask him some questions about his process and influences. Escobar is the latest of many artists to be invited to take over a week-long recurring 15-second spot to showcase their work to the public. You can catch his takeover on the SVLA1 Screen at the Courtyard Marriott through February 26th.
How did you get into photography?It all basically started with me exploring the city. I would go out when I had some spare time and just look for stuff I found interesting and would snap it with my phone. I began to find more and more interesting locations and decided that I might need more than a phone to capture some of these places. At the same time I began to notice other people who shared the same passion as me. Meeting some of them helped me a lot and now I can say they are good friends!The more I got into photography, I began to notice that a lot of the locations weren’t as easily accessible as I thought. So it came to me that I had to start learning and learning fast. I began to understand my camera as I went along finding new locations and meeting new people.
Tell us about your average day or night when you go out shooting.
A normal day of me going out to shoot usually consists of me and a couple buddies meeting up and figuring out what we are going to do. I have noticed that with a plan, everything happens correctly. Other times, I just take random strolls to the city where it just feels good to be out taking photos not knowing what to expect.
Are there any challenges you encounter when out shooting?
Due to some locations being off limits you have to do a bit extra work to get to them but it’s always worth it in the end. I’ve been kicked out of places and its not fun, nor do I suggest people try it, but sometimes it’s where the better angle is.I also try to network and shoot with as many people as I can. It’s always fun to share your passion with others who have the same interest as you do. Reaching out has helped me meet a lot of people who either inspired me or are still inspirational to me and it’s amazing !
What is it about Los Angeles as a subject that you are so drawn to?Los Angeles is a great place for photography! We have it all from the big city lights to beautiful beaches ! Also it’s where I call home, so trying to showcase where I’m from to others the best way I can drives me to do what I do best.I’m very drawn to urban photography so LA fits perfectly for me.
Whose work are you most influenced by?There's a long list of photographers who I can say have helped me out and have worked to be inspirational to me. I'm proud to say that some of them are now real good friends of mine, John( @john.logic) Paolo ( @paolo.fortades) & Josue ( @minimumwage ) just to mention a few.Tell us about your preset pack!I’ve teamed up with a hub that is helping me distribute a preset pack to help others learn how to edit their images. When I started I always wanted to make my photographs look different because anyone can point and shoot but making an image your own isn’t that easy. I would purchase apps with filters and that helped me find a certain look to my images. I often get asked how I edit and decided to let people in on some of my little secretes. I really hope it helps others reach a goal or understand what goes into my post processing for their future reference!
You can find more of Isaac's work here.