PHOTOGRAPHY BY Stephen Vanasco (formerly known as Van Styles) FOR VISUALSKATEBOARDS.COM

Documentation :: L.A. Protesting Possible War with Iran

Posted on January 10 2020

Well we definitely are off to a provocative start to 2020. While this is not normally the type of photo set that normally gets posted on the blog here ( more or less to my ability to be able to cover protests ) I felt compelled to share some images I got to make last weekend.

Since having a studio space in downtown L.A. it has definitely proven productive to be centralized for photos. While working on some pictures last weekend I was distracted by the humming of multiple helicopters hovering. Curious as to what was going on I looked on twitter to see what was happening. It turned out some people were gathering at Pershing Square to march and to be heard. With the idea of the U.S.A. possibly entering a war with Iran people came out to express their concern for such a conflict. 

Given that the initial location they were starting out wast just a few blocks away I grabbed my camera, threw some extra rolls of film in my bag and hit the streets. Catching up with the march just as it got on its way I followed it through up until the immigration building in downtown. 

The vibe was peaceful but with profound intent. There was a message being said and if you were in the area of downtown I am sure you heard it. To see a collective of all different types of people coming out to share a common message was not only great but inspiring. People feeling passionate enough about a matter to get up and get out had a contagious energy to witness in person. 

Regardless of your outlook on the situation one thing I think we can all agree upon about this nation is the proven fact of importance of the freedom of speech. That right to go out in public and to be able to say what is on your mind is something we are all blessed with and should never take for granted. 

While I definitely don't consider myself a photojournalist by any means it was exciting making photos of this event to share. Hopefully some of the energy translates through the pictures. Scroll below for the full set and see you all next week.