Some shoots are planned down to the tiniest detail, mood boards, location scouting, assistants, the whole works. And then there are the ones that just happen. No plan, no prep, just pure instinct and chaos. This is one of those shoots.
LA doesn’t get hurricanes. At least, it wasn’t supposed to. But Hurricane Hilary hit differently. The rain was relentless, the wind was howling, and Hollywood Boulevard looked like a scene straight out of a disaster movie. Streets were flooded, palm trees were bent sideways, and neon lights reflected off the water like some eerie cyberpunk fever dream. Any normal person would’ve stayed inside. But me and Kenz? We saw an opportunity.
The Setup: A Spur-of-the-Moment Decision
Kenz, my girlfriend and a model, threw on a Dolce & Gabbana suit jacket, a white button-up dress shirt, and pants, pure high fashion meets urban apocalypse. No lighting, no team, just my Nikon Z8. The second we stepped outside, it was clear we were in for something wild.
The Shoot: Chaos, Rain, and One Tough Camera
We hit the streets, dodging puddles that were shin-deep, still enough to soak us to the bone. The rain was like needles, and my camera was getting absolutely hammered. Every shot felt like we were racing against time before the gear gave out.
Kenz absolutely owned it, striding through the flooded streets like she was on the runway. The contrast was insane, this effortlessly cool, high-fashion energy against the madness of the storm. Headlights from passing cars cast wild shadows, raindrops caught in the neon glow, and the city just looked unreal. I shot wide, letting the motion blur and splashes become part of the story. It was raw, unfiltered, exactly how I love to shoot.
The Close Call
At one point, we underestimated a dip in the road and ended up knee-deep in rushing water. Not ideal. That was our sign to wrap it up before we ended up swimming. By the time we sprinted back home, drenched and freezing, my hands were practically numb from gripping my camera so hard.
The Aftermath
We cranked up the heat, made coffee, and started flipping through the shots. And holy sh*t, they were next level. Completely unplanned, completely chaotic, but some of my favorite images I’ve ever shot. The textures of the rain, the reflections, the cinematic lighting, it all just worked.
Would I do it again? Probably. Was it risky? 100%. But sometimes, the best shots come when you throw all logic out the window and just go for it.
Moral of the story? When a hurricane hits LA, grab your camera and make some art.