“Familiar” by Brad Moore
I like a lot the work of photographer Brad Moore. Less is more in photography, and the elimination of unnecessary elements in the frame is a skill that Brad Moore perfects in his work to create very compelling images. Brad has self-published this series using the online on-demand publishing service from Blurb, in case you have interest.
These photographs were shot in modest, well-worn, suburban cities in central and inland Southern California. Built in the ’50s and ’60s, these cities provided a new home and future to a post-war population. While Southern California’s coastal cities flourish, cities in these inland counties struggle. Future prosperity and civic health seem to come primarily from growing ethnic populations, which are reviving and recreating these cities for their communities.
I grew up in North Orange County and attended school in inland Riverside County. After 25 years I returned, and was fascinated by their simultaneous decline and growth. I see these areas differently from places I have never been. Knowing what was, and now what is, influences my approach. I’ve avoided traditional, documentary-style photography; instead I have photographed select buildings and shrubbery in primarily static, symmetrical compositions, reflecting change, irony and evolution.- Brad Moore
