Meet Evan Moses | Photographer based out of Los Angeles

We had the good fortune of connecting with Evan Moses and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Evan, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from Glendale, which is the area I’ve lived my whole life. I came from a good family background, where my mom helped both my brother and I with meeting new people, creating a village of people that belong in our inner circle, and going on adventures with us to explore parts of Los Angeles. That emotional support and affection my mom brought to us helped me become someone who is willing to explore creatively and discover artists and humble individuals who appreciate me for who I am. That’s why being apart of the hardcore scene and photographing shows has propelled me towards people who understand that I’m dedicated to preserving a part of history as well as expose people to younger bands.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a photographer who specializes in live music, skateboarding, and local events such as art exhibits and flea markets. The thing that sets me apart is to document not just the performances/highlights, but the interpersonal interactions between sets or the people/audience members/supporters who are apart of the experience. At first, this wasn’t easy, as I would bring my mom to some of the shows to help make sure I do okay to succeed. As time went on, I felt more comfortable going to shows alone. But because I knew enough people, I was able to do okay with a support system from going to hardcore shows and finding common interests. One of the lessons I’ve learned along the way is to ask for a photo pass if a bigger show is coming up for bands I know and have documented before. This one is a tricky one because it depends on how many slots are available, how closer to the date should I ask, or even the simple yes or no can be nerve racking sometimes. This is something I am still working on today as I’m not completely confident sometimes everything is going to workout when planning to photograph a Live Nation type of venue.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to the Zebulon Cafe, which isn’t just a music venue but a restaurant. After shows the venue becomes a DJ dance party that goes on from around 10pm to sometime in the morning. I’ve been meaning to check out when they do something within a casual DJ night. Another place is the Melrose Trading Post. It’s been a while since I last went there but they’re a great spot for casually searching around for cool items or just walking through the size and scope of the flea market. Of Course, gotta mention The Midnight Hour again, as it’s not just a place for metal and hardcore shows. It’s got a nice selection of vinyl, CDs, DVDs, and Cassette tapes. I won’t go on about this place as I’ve mentioned it in detail in the shoutout.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout The Midnight Hour for being the best venue in the San Fernando Valley. They are the perfect middle ground of the Live Nation venues, and the illegal underground spots when it comes to hardcore shows. They’re not just a music venue either. They are a record store in the daytime making it a perfect hybrid business model. I’ve been going to their shows for over two years now and they’ve always been supportive of the local artists, businesses, bands, and booking people who are hard working and dedicated to their passion. Also wanna give a shoutout to SOS Booking, who have been a huge part of where I started going to shows. Their shows are always a blast to document as they put on some of the best shows in the scene. Also wanted to shoutout the Glendale Community College film department, as a lot of the skills I applied into photography wouldn’t be the way I applied it if it wasn’t for the classes and professors. I also want to give a massive shoutout to Anthony Melhalf of Cancer Christ. Before he was in that band, he was a local music photographer who photographed bigger shows. I met him in 2019 and was heavily influenced by his work. To the point where I was directly copying his flash photography look he did.

Website: https://evanmoses1998.wixsite.com/emphotos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emphotos98/

Other: https://www.twitch.tv/em_photos98

Image Credits
Evan Moses