Welcome to the full collection of photography taken by Alex James during the Black Lives Matter protests in Los Angeles and other surrounding areas including Van Nuys, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Hermosa Beach, Compton and Silver Lake/Echo Park.
The Story
"When Corona Virus broke out, it started to feel a little unsafe in Los Angeles. A few things began to concern me; the lines around the block at gun shops, the frenzy of panic buying at grocery stores and the increasing issues with homelessness in LA and close to where I lived made me feel like moving back to the UK for a while would be a good idea.
Just before flights were halted, I took my recently purchased camera with me and spent the next 2 months in a seaside town called Cromer in the UK. I watched hours of youtube videos, did some online courses but mainly practiced using trial and error, discovering techniques and finding a style that I really liked.
Towards the end of May, I flew back to Los Angeles. Soon after I saw on the news that protests had begun and there was crowds gathering by The Grove. I had never been to a protest before but felt an overwhelming urge to go. I felt that I needed to capture as much of what was happening as possible and be a part of the movement in the most effective way I knew how.
I met a lot of incredible people at the protests from all walks of life. I heard people talk about their pain and suffering, I saw moments of such powerful love and compassion. It really opened my eyes and helped me develop an understanding of American history and culture unlike anything I had before.
I feel extremely honored and privileged to have been a part of these protests. I invite you to look through this gallery to see the protests in LA through my lens."
Love,
Alex aka Major Feels