Michael Jackson Memorial by Darren Ankenman in Los Angeles, California

These photos were taken downtown as people gathered for the Michael Jackson memorial. I remember that the media cautioned that the area would be jammed up with thousands of people, and the fear was that there wouldn’t be enough security. In the end, there were a lot of people, but the numbers were far lower than expected.

Name: Darren Ankenman

Place you live: Los Angeles, California

Place your photo was taken: Downtown Los Angeles.

Can you sum up LA? I can’t sum up LA in a paragraph, but I recommend reading Play it As it Lays by Joan Didion, Ask the Dust by John Fante, and watching Welcome to L.A. by Alan Rudolph.

Occupation: Photographer

A perfect day in LA?  I like having free days in Los Angeles, biking around, shooting things as I see them, eating, shopping, walking & talking.   Sunday mornings in the darkroom are nice.

If someone was visiting, what must they do? Grab a drink at the Sunset Tower Hotel bar.

A perfect meal in LA? Anything at Salt’s Cure

What is the best thing about your spot? the history

What is the worst? the traffic

Where is your favorite place in the world? Cadaques, Spain, is pretty cool.

Who are your three favorite photographers? Will McBride, William Klein, G.P. Fieret

You can follow Darren on his blog & website.