Naked Hollywood: Weegee in Los Angeles

Back in the mid ’40s, tabloid photographer Weegee moved to Los Angeles from New York to pursue a path of photography that did not require him to capture gruesome crime scene photography he had become synonymous with. Subsequent to his move, he then trained his camera to focus on the glamorous side of Los Angeles where celebrities, starlets and diehard fans were his main subject. Prior to that, Weegee felt a lack of freedom and control over his work which was ultimately alleviated by his new-found photographic interest. Documenting Weegees’ photographic works through the upcoming Naked Hollywood: Weegee in Los Angeles is Richard Meyer, an associate professor of Art History and Fine Arts at the University of Southern California. Meyer has compiled 200 austere monochromatic photographs that not only shows Weegee’s post-tabloid gigs but also dabbles into his works as an author, filmmaker and photo-essayist. The Rizzoli-published book will release on November 15, 2011.