That's SoCal

the best coast on film

By Ellie Pritts

September 30^th, 2019

Itinerant no more?

I've moved over 15 times in the last 10 years, well over 30 times in my adult life so far.

For what it's worth, I don't consider this something to brag about.

I've experimented with living in cities all over North America, moving on to the next when I outgrew them or the people there. However now as I enter my third year in Los Angeles, I can say I've officially lived here longer than anywhere else outside of my childhood home of Chicago. For me this is something really special. And for that reason, I've decided to put together a little tribute, a retrospective if you will, to my life this far in southern California 🌴

"You can't live in LA without a car"

Fact: I do not have a driver's license. I have never had one.

Yes I know how to drive, I ended up scrambling to take lessons in my mid-20's to secure a dream job I had with Canon. I just never got around to taking the driving test...

The only other adults I know like myself are also from big cities like Chicago or NYC, which I guess brings me some sort of comfort since I know it's not just me. But out here in California, in LA in particular, I'm a downright freak of nature. Because I walk almost everywhere.

pedestrian at best

One of my favorite things about walking everywhere in LA is the opportunity I have to get up close and personal with the many neighborhoods here. I pack my camera and snap away as I go mile by mile throughout mostly Hollywood (where I live) and the adjacent neighborhoods.

Walking around LA got me back into shooting film, back into shooting things on the fly. The results vary. I don't put a ton of thought into it. Some of the film I soaked in various film soup concoctions. Some of the time my cameras were broken. Or the film was expired. But I keep shooting religiously and mostly just hoarding all of these photographs for myself. You'll rarely see any of these photos on my Instagram, for example. I've deemed almost every photo you see here not "good enough" for that.

thinking like a historian

Sometimes I stop to take a photo and wonder why, why bother capturing this mundane scene I pass each time I go to the grocery store? What is inherently interesting here? And then I think of how this same humdrum street and parked cars will seem so different 50 years from now. Everything from the billboards, the buses, the clothes people are wearing will seem so dated. The photo will be a relic, of interest to historians or maybe just a cute photo gracing the bathroom wall of some hip 2020's themed future bar... either way it could be appreciated. It could seem interesting then, if not now. So some photos I take for history's sake.

city of stars

The first thing to strike me about living in LA was the camaraderie and spirit of collaboration I felt amongst my creative peers. I was getting roped into production design, cinematography, editing, set stills and being an extra all within a relatively short time after getting here.

After toying with the idea of directing for a long time, I more or less stumbled into my directorial debut here within less than a year. Recently I had my first solo exhibition as a photographer and it was a big success, a touching testament to the community I've been able to cultivate here over the last 3 years. And through it all I've also somehow ended up doing more and more projects as a cellist, even after being "retired" for 10+ years.

LA has given me exciting opportunities for every single facet of my creative self. I am never not challenged here. There is always something to work on, there are always new people to work with. And the people I've worked with here are some of the most amazingly talented and hard working people I have ever met.

let's walk about it

I can't overstate how much I've grown to love my long walks around LA. Yes, I will be getting a license finally but I'm in no rush to buy a car.

Walking these streets gives me intimate glimpses into the lives and communities which thrive throughout the sprawling city of Los Angeles. This city is unlike any other I've been to or lived in, and by some standards might not be considered a true city at all due to it's spread out nature. Many neighborhoods here feel like their own cities and I love that. I've really been able to appreciate how much LA has to offer culturally just from walking all over the place the way I do.

unparalleled natural beauty

It feels like I have become more or less synonymous with Joshua Tree these days, and I don't mind that one bit. Perhaps my favorite thing of all about living in LA is the proximity to such abundant natural beauty, such as my beloved Joshua Tree National Park pictured below...

a brief word about lomochrome purple

I pre ordered a pack of Lomochrome Purple earlier this year and I finally received it not too long ago. Of course, I went crazy out in the desert with it. I absolutely love how it turned out. It's only my first roll of it so I want to experiment with using it in different settings, but this roll was a success. I was pleasantly surprised by how much variety there was here color wise. As you'll see, some frames are super yellow while others are more vibrant purple.

inspired surroundings

My explorations of the beautiful areas around LA have led to endless creative inspiration. They provided the backdrop for my last music video and my last photography series. Every time I come out here I leave with a dozen new ideas and a fresh state of mind to tackle them with.

Even when I'm out shooting something on assignment, I'll bring my film camera along to capture some more candid moments. I often find I love those shots even more than the ones I meticulously planned.

from the desert to the sea

Obviously deserts are my jam, but I've also fallen in love with the beaches and forest areas surrounding LA. Below are some photos I've taken in all 3 environments. The last photo in this set is from a time I quite literally stumbled upon a pack of sea lions while exploring the area around Point Dume. It was one of the more magical moments I've had here.

even the ugly is pretty

Not everything around here is beautiful in a traditional sense. There are pockets of industry here and there that can be an eyesore on an otherwise beautiful beach. But I find there is something pleasing aesthetically about even just the juxtaposition of it. Several of the photos below are from around Dockweiler Beach, where there's a big water reclamation plant looming over the beach, smoke stacks and all.

2020

I know I'll be in LA for at least another year, and I already expect 2020 to go by in a flash. I'm dedicated to savoring and appreciating as much possible with my time in this wonderful place, particularly with the pace of my life here. It's important to me to stay present and never forget how truly lucky I am to be able to call Los Angeles home ♥️