Today we are pleased to share the work of Diane Cockerill. Her work was chosen as one of the 2019 Rfotofolio Selections.

I love the vibe of these, the rain is so tactile, I am behind the glass looking out. So I am dry, but very much in that place.  Very romantic and melancholy vibe. Also, telephone poles can feel almost religous with the cross shapes.  Not necessarily christian, the cross is as old as life itself, used in many ways by countless civilizations.  The cross is part of our collective unconscious, and its used perfectly here. Sally Davies

Would you please tell us a little about yourself?

As a third generation Angeleno, the city of Los Angeles is in my DNA and it’s been a challenge to record all the changes I have seen. I was an art major at UCLA, worked in the advertising field for 30+ years, and now live in an historic art colony near downtown.

Where did you get your photographic training?

I have no formal training aside from a few classes over the years but my father gave me a camera at age 10 and I learned from him as well as my husband, who is also a photographer.

Why do you create ?

I have never considered “why,” just “must.”  I drew, painted and made things from an early age and now it’s photography, full time.

Who has had an influence on your creative process?

Many creative people in my life influenced and encouraged me, but also just taking thousands of images pushes me to evolve and develop an discerning eye.

Please tell us about an image (not your own) that has stayed with you over time. 

Andreas Feininger’s Texaco Station on Route 66. The romance of the open road is so appealing. I have spent some time on Route 66 and his urban landscapes continues to inspire me.

What image of yours would you say taught you an important lesson? 

An image of an early morning window with a bouquet of wildflowers. I took a photograph that I rather liked and walked away. Something told me to go back a few minutes later and the light quality made all the difference. It pays to listen to instinct and take some time to improve on an image.

What makes a good day for you creatively speaking? 

Early (sunrise) Sunday mornings in downtown Los Angeles.  It’s like having my city all to myself and discovering new architectural details on buildings, plus street scenes, pavement and curbs in the beauty of early light.  Breakfast at a diner then home to look and play with the images.  And later, head out at dusk for more exploring.

Please tell us about the work you submitted for the  Rfotofolio Call. 

I live in a 100-year-old brick building in the Santa Fe Art Colony, Los Angeles. On the second floor are old windows with views of the street that come alive when it rains. I camp out with a cup of coffee, a couple of cameras and wait for rain-splattered panes and light patterns through the old, uneven glass that create photographic watercolor paintings.

I vary the time of day to get an array of light and tones. My seven images submitted best reflected light-to-dark with power poles as a vertical element, suggesting a line-up of crosses.

If you could spend a day with any other photographer or artist living or passed who would it be?

Saul Leiter, with Aaron Siskind a close second.

How important is the photographic community to you? 

Very. We inspire one another and I like shooting with friends to see how we each see and interpret the same locations differently.

What equipment have you found essential in the making of your work?

A versatile camera and Photoshop (used sparingly).

Is there something in photography that you would  like to try in the future?

For more of a human element, images with people.

Thank you Diane.