In 1984, Brazilian photographer Claudio Edinger documented the rainbow of oddballs who called the countercultural Southern California beach neighborhood home. The photographs he took of the denizens of Venice Beach in their natural habitat: a bodybuilder in the surf, a roller skater soaring over an aging skateboarder, beachgoers showering off after a day in the sun.
“It was a transition period where there were a lot of artists living in studios near the beach, all sort of eccentrics performing on the boardwalk, and many gangs on the Eastern part of town. I would get up and walk the boardwalk, catch the homeless waking up, and meet all sorts of interesting people all day long.” – Claudio said.
He started with photography in the 1970s and hasn’t stopped since then. Since 1983 he has released an amazing number of monographs covering images of the famous Chelsea Hotel (1983), Venice Beach (1985), Brazil’s Carnaval (1996) and São Paulo (2009) amongst others.
Today Claudio works with a large format camera. He uses selective focus and an experimental use of color. With this technique he has focused on architecture, landscapes, cityscapes and portraiture. He has created impressive portraits of Paris, the Amazon region, homeless people sleeping in the streets and recently on Downtown LA. Claudio has received the Leica Medal of Excellence twice amongst many other awards.
Natasha Hankle and John Hayden: She is an ex-Playboy Playmate, and he is an actor. His most notable role was in Valley Girl. John wants to continue in acting, and Natasha would like to go into word processing. They’ve been together since high school.
Tony Braithwaite: A sound engineer, he believes that hanging upside down is the secret to a long life. “It changes the force of gravity on your body; it strengthens your back, fortifies your organs, and helps stop sagging and aging,” he says. “And you see the world in a better perspective.”
Kay Baxter: She was voted the best Woman Body Builder in the World from 1979 through 1983. “I want to remain young forever,” she says. Her motto is, “If you don’t use it you lose it.”
Linda Albertano: Her first night in Venice, she discovered that a former school chum had been strangled on a nearby beach. She calls Venice a “slum by the sea,” but appreciates the reduced rents. A former jam singer, she wrote the music for Sam Shepard’s play The Unseen Hand. She lives in a 13-room home bought with a student loan.
Eliot Rosen: A Sikh, Rosen admits that his parents are not happy with his lifestyle. “They wish I’d drop this Eastern Guru thing and become a nice Jewish boy again. I told them, ‘Don’t hold your breath, folks.’ ” He now prepares raw-food meals for cancer patients, writes for health-oriented magazines and plays the drums for a belly dancer.
Leave a Reply