Estevan Oriol

Written by Sonia Almanza de Gambaro on Friday, 12 June 2009 17:13

      I was first introduced to the genius of Estevan Oriol five years ago during the Nike Cultura installation at former Doors haunt, the Blu House in Venice Beach. I was immediately enraptured by his ability to capture streetlife in a refined and beautiful way - it was startling. It didn't seem to matter if I were looking at a shot of a famous actor, heavily tattooed gangster, or one of his many sensual models. I felt as though I were looking into the ominous shadows of the L.A. streets via a gorgeously shot film - In fact, that wouldn't be a bad idea. With too many "new jacks" on the scene attempting to make films about real street subject matter on video, Oriol could easily disappoint and create his own niche in filmaking. Why do I feel this way? Because his street reputation has been built upon organic involvement and the result in his work is - never contrived. It simply couldn't be.
      The feelings one gets while walking photo to photo at an Oriol exhibit is akin to turning page to page in a Bulgakov novel. You are engrossed, you can't predict what's next, but it is certain to be exhilirating and to leave an impermeable impression. Perhaps Oriol's subjects feel a little bit intoxicated by the romantic idea of being shot by a man who has witnessed and chronicled Hip Hop, and Chicano culture for the past sixteen years? Perhaps it is that he's internationally respected for masterminding the Joker Brand empire along with his partner, the prolific tattoo artist, Mr. Cartoon? Perhaps it is because they know regardless of what their status is, he is going to make them look like one bad m**tha.
      There exists an arresting quality in every Oriol shot that exudes danger through the eyes of Oriol's subjects. Yet, his work is refined and gorgeous in a way that every high-fashion rag should be fighting over. Yes, Oriol could even make a Kate Moss look like one bad m**tha.

SOFISTICATI: Where are you currently based out of?

ORIOL: Downtown Los Angeles

SOFISTICATI: How did you get your start in photography?

ORIOL: My dad and his wife gave me a camera and told me to start shooting because they thought it would be cool to document what I was doing. At the time I was tour managing Cypress Hill and House of Pain. It was in 1992, I began shooting a little afterwards.

SOFISTICATI: Describe your style in your own words?

ORIOL: Rough rugged and raw.

Danny Trejo by Estevan Oriol

SOFISTICATI: You have an innate way of capturing the essence of the streets in your work, how do you utilize this ability when working with famous actors, models or non street people?

ORIOL: I just use the same method no matter what I shoot. I frame everything the same way. I just pick different locations. Women I put in a different environment. Street guys I shoot in their own environment and sometimes the actors or celebrities that I shoot have to be in places like their hotel rooms or on set, wherever they have time. When I shot Robert de Niro and Al Pacino I waited 8 hours on set one day and didn’t get a chance to shoot them. The next day I had to wait 6 hours before I got four and a half minutes to shoot them. You just have to go with the flow.

Robert De Niro & Al Pacino by Estevan Oriol

Robert De Niro & Al Pacino by Estevan Oriol

SOFISTICATI: Out of your body of work, what are some of your personal favourite images?

ORIOL: I like this shot I did of Adrien Brody in a car, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino (for the movie Righteous Kill), I have one of Dennis Hopper smoking a cigar and Danny Trejo. Women shots that I like are of Justine Jaro, Jeri lee and Rachel Sterling.
Adrian Brody by Estevan Oriol

SOFISTICATI: Are these women your muses?

ORIOL: Yeah, I get some inspiration from shooting them.

SOFISTICATI: Where would be your dream destination assignment?

ORIOL: Rio de Janeiro Brazil and Thailand
L.A. Woman by Estevan Oriol

SOFISTICATI: Who would you like to photograph?

ORIOL: I’ve already shot her once but I’d like to shoot her again not on a set, Jessica Alba. For a guy, Christopher Walken.

SOFISTICATI: What inspires your work the most?

ORIOL: What inspires me now are two different things. One my bills, and second, the projects that I shoot for myself. I approach jobs with the same intensity as I do my own projects, but there’s more pressure. You always try to do a good photo but if you work for a magazine you HAVE to get that good photo, there’s no half-stepping. You can do dozens of great photo shoots for a magazine but it only takes one time for them to not trip on you anymore. Even the shoots that I do which are just for me I am always thinking of how I can use it. Like I had all these shots of women that I think are hot and other people think are hot, but I had to figure out what to do with them because I don’t get hired to shoot women right now. So I decided to make a coffee table book called L.A. Woman.

L.A. Woman by Estevan Oriol

SOFISTICATI: Like the Doors record?

ORIOL: Exactly, I also created some other projects to promote the book. I did a set of playing cards where I put the photos of the women on the hearts and the diamonds cards and the photos of streetlife the clubs and spades. Then I made a calendar called L.A. Woman. I didn’t want to waste those pictures, so I got a book deal and am promoting the L.A. Woman book project through the calendar and the cards.

SOFISTICATI: If you had not become a photographer, what would you have been?

ORIOL: I’d probably still be on the road touring or doing something behind the scenes in music. But maybe not considering the way the industry just took a shit.

SOFISTICATI: In addition to photography you are also a director and successful businessman, tell us about the world renowned Joker brand that you have created with Mr. Cartoon.

ORIOL: That was a line that Cartoon had started with another friend back in 95. Then me and B Real (of Cypress Hill) bought it off of him. We have had several partners throughout the years. Now we are linked up with these two Israeli guys in the business. Cartoon and I are partners with them and Lucky is our designer. Right now I feel we are coasting. Id like to step it up because I don’t like to be coasting, right now we are coasting.

SOFISTICATI: Tell us about your work as a director.

ORIOL: I started directing videos in 1997. My first video was for Psycho Realm. I was showing them my 8mm footage of street scenes while trippin on some mushrooms listening to their music. They were liking what they saw and said that they should use my work for their video. Originally they didn’t want to be in the video they just wanted my street footage. But the label wanted the group to be in it so that people would know who they were. So we set up some performance shots and came up with the video for“Psycho City Blocks.” I ended up doing seven videos for the crew. I have also done more videos for the Soul Assasins crew, like Cypress Hill, Sen Dog, and projects of [DJ] Muggs with GZA and Kool G. Rap. My first video after these was for D12. Since then I’ve done several Cadillac jobs and over forty videos.

SOFISTICATI: Who are the people in your life who influence your work?

ORIOL: My friends, the Soul Assasins, my dad and my wife...and just L.A. people really, streetlife.

SOFISTICATI: What are the next projects on the horizon for you?

ORIOL: The L.A. Woman book comes out in November. I also have a tattoo book that I am working on and I am working on a new directorial project. I don’t do videos anymore because the new guys messed up the game so bad. As far as videos go people are getting everything done - shooting, editing, everything for $1500. Nowadays everyone has a camera. [there's] nothing untouched by a camera. It's one thing if something is shot in an artful way but its another thing just to do it and fuck up the game.

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Images courtesy of Estevan Oriol

By Sonia Almanza de Gambaro

Streetlife by Estevan Oriol