HOTEL, MOTEL, HOME?... WITH ISAAC D

With Elska I try to publish images that are all about the men you see in them. I do love a fashion editorial spread but I want something more intimate, something more honest. So generally I avoid shooting in hotels because they tend to say nothing about the subject himself.

However, Elska isn't just about the boys but also about the cities. In this way, hotels can be incredibly evocative, like this downtown LA hotel where Isaac D was shot by James Loy. The tatty chair, the plain white sheets, the crusty old carpet... it says nothing about Isaac D but it says a lot about LA and makes you wonder about all the bodies thath have lain on that bed, those who came before Isaac. Think of the Hotel Cortez in the latest series of "American Horror Story"... it's as much a star as is Lady Gaga.

In another sense, perhaps shooting in a hotel brings a neutrality to an image that doesn't distract you overly from the subject. Personally, I am going to still try and shoot in people's homes where possible, but I'm going to be less afraid of hotels as a fallback. Besides, this shoot of Isaac D in this classic California motel would have been totally different if shot in a bland suburban apartment somewhere. Not necessarily bad, just a very different story, and really I adore this story.

Elska Boy: Isaac D

Photographer: James Loy

Location: Los Angeles, California

Elska Magazine: Issue (01) Lviv

#LosAngelesCalifornia