Los Angeles is huge, fitting cities like Boston and Manhattan within its limits. It’s diverse, with unique neighborhoods and nearby beaches, deserts, and woods. While it offers variety, it’s not always beautiful—some parts are downright ugly. But famous celebrity photographer Amanda Friedman has embraced LA’s many different faces.
She’s even managed to find her own hidden jewels. Just look at her night landscapes. There, you’ll find LA at its most obscure and brilliant and finally understand the city’s gloom and color. And how about celebrity portraiture? There’s no place like LA when it comes to taking advantage of that opportunity. But it’ll just take a hustle like Friedman’s to be featured in Complex, the New York Times, Interview, and Vanity Fair like her.
In this interview, Friedman talks about how she got her start in photography, speaks about the advantages of shooting in LA, and explains her usual approach to portraiture.
Q1. Having been based in Los Angeles since 1998, how has the city’s diverse landscape and culture influenced your creative vision and choice of projects?
Ans. The light and the landscapes in Southern California are pretty special. No other state can give you desert, mountains, and ocean within a 1-2 hour drive. There is so much to shoot here. The options are endless.
And LA is truly a melting pot of cultures. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to photograph many unique individuals, places, food, and art that make LA such an incredibly diverse place to live.
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Q2. When you’re not behind the camera, what do you love to do?
Ans. Watch movies, go to concerts, play racket sports, hike with my dog.
Q3. What’s the funniest moment you’ve had during a photoshoot?
Ans. Many years ago I photographed Mario Lopez. During a shot on his terrace he decided to dance around and he accidentally twirled off the edge and fell a couple feet into some bushes. I was mortified thinking he was injured but as I approached the edge and looked over Mario was sitting in a bush cracking up with a huge smile on his face.
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Q.4 If you had to describe yourself using just three words, what would they be and why?
Ans. I asked my husband and kid what they thought and both agreed that creative, a perfectionist and funny would best describe me.
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Q.5 What draws you to night photography, and what challenges do you face when shooting in low-light conditions?
Ans. The calm, eerie, stillness. It’s beautiful especially when the fog rolls in. Some challenges include getting tired and trying to stay awake. It’s also really hard to find fog. The weather reports aren’t always accurate so that can be frustrating.
Q.6 Do you have a favorite travel destination that inspires your photography?
Ans. Travel in general inspires my photography. I do love shooting up in the Bay Area, especially for my night landscapes as the trees and fog are so stunning.
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Q.7 With the rise of AI and new tech in photography, how do you see your work evolving in the future?
Ans. I’m currently not a fan of AI photography. Images always look fake. Hopefully the industry will continue to support original art and photography made by human beings and not computer programs.
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Q8. Do you have plans to explore new photography styles or techniques?
Lately I’ve been playing around with using a colored prism in front of my lens to refract and scatter light on landscapes. The results were really cool and I’d love to shoot a larger project built around this technique.
Q9. Is there a dream celebrity you’d love to photograph but haven’t yet?
I’m an obsessive music fan. I would love to shoot Doechii or Lady Gaga. I love their artistry. I’ve heard Lady Gaga is an incredible collaborator to work with. I also recently saw BTS of Jack Black getting shot by Mary Ellen Matthews for his stint on SNL and his posing was so funny.
He seems game for anything and it would be super fun to get on set with him. In fact now that I think about it, any SNL cast member past or present would be amazing to shoot.
Q10. Can you share a particularly memorable or unexpected moment from a celebrity shoot that has stuck with you?
Photographing the retired pimp “The Archbishop Don Magic Juan” early in my career for XXL Magazine. When I arrived at his apartment he greeted me and my crew with champagne on ice in giant bedazzled chalices.
He also had a massive custom wardrobe of capes, hats, leather suits and alligator shoes all in green and gold as his motto was “green is for the money, gold is for the honey.” Then he also sent me Christmas cards every year after the shoot. He was a character!
Q11. What’s your go-to way to relax after a long day of shooting?
Putting my feet up and taking a bath.
Q12. What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
I like baseball. Specifically the Detroit Tigers!
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Q13. Do you see yourself staying in Los Angeles long-term, or do you dream of moving somewhere new?
I love LA and California in general. It’s too early to say if I’ll move somewhere else but the Bay area, Big Sur and Hawaii have always been in the back of my mind when it comes time to retire.
Q14. Where do you see the photography industry heading in the next five years?
Tough question. I see more and more brands turning to content creators for their advertising and marketing. Sadly the editorial market has dwindled significantly over the past 15 years and will continue to decline even further in my opinion.
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Q15. What guidance would you offer to aspiring photographers aiming to establish themselves in the competitive fields of celebrity and travel photography?
Build up your social media presence, as that is where brands and magazines are looking now for new talent. Market yourself often and shoot personal projects as much as you can.
Amanda Friedman stands as a resounding reminder that art, in all its manifestations, should never be beholden to trends. Her love for film photography, natural light, and all matters genuinely drives home the point that there is something crucial about sticking to one’s style.
Amanda puts her heart and soul into every click, whether she is capturing celebrities or simply night scenes tranquil beyond words. We want you to take inspiration from her journey, keep learning, remain inquisitive, and create with all your heart.
Be sure to check out all of Amanda’s work on her website!
