Next Up : Your LA Story

Labeled Los Angeles keeps growing, and I think this next step is the most exciting of all. 

I started Labeled as a streetwear brand designed to share some of the photographic work I’ve made around the city. I thought it would be an easy project, and it did come together pretty quickly, but the real work came when I was digging around my large archives and rediscovering what I had…and what we as Angelenos have lost. I was looking through thousands of raw images, remembering standing in front of each location, and for the first time ever - I got curious about the stories behind those unique buildings and storefronts. I realize that might seem weird, to never really think about those stories when I was out there photographing, but I had no time for daydreaming back then. I needed to photograph fast and move on to the next one. Capturing as many places as I could was my obsession. Now, 10 years and over 2,300 locations after the start of The Los Angeles Series, I finally have time to wonder. And with Labeled, I had a reason to write. 

THE LOS ANGELES SERIES by Ashley Noelle

It was kind of scary at first. Writing is waayyy more personal than just sharing a photograph and letting it do all the talking, you know? As I wrote and tried to figure things out, my wonder turned to worry when I thought, How would people respond to hearing about these places from little ol’ me? I’ve lived here since 1994, but Los Angeles is beloved by millions of people the world over, if I got things wrong, or wasn’t cool enough… that could be bad. Really bad. Even though I got stage fright, several times, that pull to write had a tighter grip on me than my fear, and finally I just went for it. To break the ice, I did a simple post about my Modern Mona Lisa, then I made a short motion piece about the corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights. With that one I was testing out the idea of speaking and hearing my voice. It was ok, but not my favorite, so I decided to focus more on writing.

Then I did an essay on Morgan Camera Shop, a classic Sunset and Vine fixture for decades. I had photographed the building several times over the years and was a first hand witness to its slow demise, so I had my own experience to write about, but, as luck would have it, I met a guy who had actually worked there. I decided to email him and ask to do a phone interview. He agreed, and I instantly felt like a real life reporter. LOL. The call was very interesting. He told me about working in the basement film lab, and how he was there near the end of things and it was kind of sad. I did other research online and learned that one of the Morgan brothers was connected to Leica, and he brought 35mm cameras to Hollywood. Pretty cool, right? 

Next, I did something on Tower Records. I made a short motion piece and wrote an essay. To my great relief, the response was good. Very good. That’s when something else happened. I decided to write a book…about my own life. Talk about getting personal, oh boy! Writing those essays for Labeled was like a warm up for the real journey ahead, and right away it was very clear - writing short essays is one thing, writing a book spanning decades is something else entirely. I had no idea what I was doing, but like all my other creative endeavors, I jumped right in and learned as I did the work. Before I knew it, the book was finished, and to my big surprise - I had found my voice. Something I never even knew was missing. My writing experience was filled with unexpected personal growth and a unique sense of freedom. It also left me with a new tool to use as an artist… Words. 

When I went back to working on Labeled and started to write about locations again, I was confused by the hard time I was having catching a flow. The locations were great, and I liked being curious about them, but I was beginning to understand something else…I don’t want to be a historian of the famous and familiar parts of Los Angeles. I follow a few of those types of accounts on social media and they are spearheaded by true personalities with real information to share. I’m a fan, and not at all interested in trying to be like them, but I knew there was something I needed to do, I just had to figure out what. That’s when, in a brief flash of a thought, I realized the obvious. I am not the only one with something to say, or a view to share. I literally said that out loud, and in a flood of inspiration, I developed Your LA Story.

A place where the general public can share their personal stories and photographs about life in the city. I imagined someone with photographs of their grandparents corner market and a story about how they started out. Or maybe someone found their mom's 1970s roller skates and photos of them in action on Venice Boardwalk. Or random photos of Los Angeles with views that remind us just how much the city has changed.  You get it, right? How cool would that be? I think it sounds super cool. 

With Labeled Los Angeles, I knew I was stepping out there with my own work, but with the addition of Your LA Story, the table grew large enough for everyone to join me. 

I really like that. 

And this is where things get exciting for me. Throughout my career as a photographer, motion maker, brand developer, music producer, designer... I have always been able to see the best in people and their dreams, and then help them bring those visions to life. With Your LA Story, I'm gonna be able to do that for those who want to be the storytellers. Some contributors will be featured, with a page dedicated to their story and photographs, others will be a part of a sort of community board. All will have direct links to the contributors so people can connect and support each other independently. It's early days, and I know this will keep growing and developing, but I have a good feeling about all of this. In time, I hope Labeled Los Angeles and Your LA Story become a place recognized for its wide range of storytelling, ultimately creating a unique and truly authentic view of the City of Los Angeles.

If you think you might have a story to tell, or some cool photographs or footage you want to share, please be in touch! I’ve made it super easy to submit Your LA Story, or just drop me a note if you like.

SUBMIT YOUR STORY HERE

I can’t wait to hear from you!