Photographer: Patrick Romero

Name: Patrick Romero
Age: 38
Location: Los Angeles, CA

When did you first become interested in photography? As a teenager. A girl I had a crush on was into photography. I never got the girl, but she was one of the first people to get me interested in something outside the usual teenage boy interests in sports, girls, and war. My parents bought me a Canon AE-1 and I started taking these little pictures of my friends acting up, getting wasted, etc. I put it aside for more self-destructive pursuits until I started working in the film industry, which rekindled my love of images. I bought an old Rolliflex and started over. 

What type of photography do you usually do? Mainly portraiture, with a little landscape and still life scattered about. 

How would you describe your photographic style? I've had people describe it as enigmatic and/or uncanny. Probably somewhat formal. I'm not a practitioner of the snapshot aesthetic. 

Are you currently working on any projects? I'm loosely working on something I started last year. I shoot medium format film which, financially, is akin to having a mild drug addiction. So money determines how much I can shoot. 

What's been your favorite project so far? Putting together my artists' book, "28 Famous Views of Los Angeles". 

Have you ever worked with any celebrities, websites, brands, or magazines our readers might be familiar with? I recently did my first print editorial job for an Italian magazine called PIG. I shot a portrait for them of Eddie Cruz, who owns the Undefeated sneaker boutiques. 

What do you hope to do with your photography in the future? Like every fine art photographer, I would love to do more editorial jobs. I tend to do my own thing so editorial is a good way of getting me out of the house artistically.

Follow Patrick on Tumblr to check out more of his photographs.