Whats Your Name

Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin

Can you tell us where you are from?

I was born in Brooklyn, New York. Brownsville to be specific. My family arrived in Los Angeles at Union Station in spring of 1980. I grew up in Hollywood, Mid City, and Koreatown.

How would you describe what you do? Your practice, your craft, your cash machine?

I'm a photographer that specializes in documenting spaces and the ways people interact with them. Most of my work is centered on Los Angeles, which I have called home since I was 2 years old. My cash machine is the cumulative hustle, I use every angle I can, from my day job to freelance projects, to keep my photographic practice going.

What does your morning routine look like?

My morning routine involves waking up, saying hello to my daughters, and going for a walk. Then it's coffee and the work begins.

Where do you look for inspiration? A place, a person, a book, an action?

I find inspiration in a lot of different places. Nothing inspires me more than walking around the city and watching people just live. The daily grind can be a beautiful thing. As far as people go, my mother has always been a huge inspiration to me.

What work are you most proud of?

I am most proud of some of my earliest work photographing Los Angeles about 15 years ago. I was just starting to realize photography's potential and I was doing it just for me, documenting the different neighborhoods in the city that I had a connection to. It was also just before gentrification really sped up so a lot of those places are gone.

“What’s the best advice you’ve gotten from someone?

”Stay Focused.””

How do you define success? What are the goalposts you look out for?

Success is a tricky thing. I consider myself successful if I can communicate a somewhat obscure thought to a new audience in an authentic way.

Who is someone that has helped you get to where you are now? How were they impactful?

Almost 15 years ago when my older brother (by 13 years) found out I was interested in photography, he got me a used Contax T2 from a pawn shop. I've probably shot over half of my portfolio with that camera and I still use it to this day. That camera has been instrumental in the development of my photographic style.