Los Angeles native, Mike Mandels is releasing a new book titled “People In Cars” this May. Mandels took the photos as a 19 year old with a fascination with the people of Los Angeles and how they travel. He saw the automobile as an American icon and as a place many people would spend hours of their day.
“It wasn’t like I was looking at them from a distance — I wanted them to respond to me in some way,I think today there might have been a lot more paranoia about being surveilled or something, but in those days it was maybe a more naïve time. For the most part, people thought it was kind of funny, and responded in a jovial way, and I had a lot of fun doing it.”
By using using a wide lensed camera, he had to get close to his subjects. He was obvious and unashamed to approach people, which resulted in interesting reactions. From people smiling, glaring and even giving the finger.
Looking back at the 75 roles of film for “ People in Cars” he realized the subtle details that he would have not noticed as a teenager. “It was interesting to go back and relook at something that you did 45 years earlier, and realize that you saw things then that you didn’t really appreciate until you were much older,” he says. “That’s kind of cool for me.
“People in Cars” by Mike Mandels is out May 12th.