On The Periphery | Sinziana Velicescu
On The Periphery
Sinziana Velicescu
When and how did your journey as a photographer begin?
I was 18, and I picked up my mom’s film camera, started photographing overlooked details around the neighborhood. It was out of boredom but it soon became an obsession.
What camera(s) do you prefer to use?
Mamiya 6
What is your greatest source of inspiration?
The world around me, architecture, cities, walls, facades, doors, windows, emptiness, loneliness.
What photographers have influenced your work?
When I was younger I was all about the modern art floor at LACMA (because when you’re 7 that’s the kind of stuff you dig the most!) - Rothko, Albers, Stella, etc. I also love the lighting in Edward Hopper paintings. Photographers - I love Lewis Baltz, William Eggleston, Joel Sternfeld, Eugene Atget.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
Minimal - I’m attracted to lines, shapes, shadows, corners.
What is the most significant project you have worked on? Where did you find inspiration to pursue it?
I just published a book on a project called On the Periphery, that explores the utilitarian effects of architecture in and around Los Angeles.
Are there any photography projects you are currently pursuing or would like to pursue?
I’m currently working on a series about desert architecture that both mimics but disrupts the landscape.
What general process do you undergo to produce your work?
I look on Google maps, decide what neighborhood or area I’d like to go to and proceed to wander around and see what moves me. Sometimes I drive from one place to the other but take the streets and make sure to drive down streets I’ve never been down. I’d love to explore every street in California, obviously impossible in my lifetime but I find that idea intriguing.
