If you looked through Bradley Meinz’s living room window, you’d see the Hollywood sign. The photographer lives in LA’s Beachwood Canyon, and in February 2020 he was taking daily hikes to the landmark and back. News of a pandemic was beginning to circulate, and the streets were uncharacteristically deserted. It was on one of those hour-long walks that he stumbled across this man, taking a moment for himself in the warming winter sun.
“The red and white sign was up for some kind of movie or photoshoot, to allow production trucks to park,” Meinz says. “Anyone who knows LA knows the sheer density of traffic and bodies, yet there is a void of that here. Instead, there was this lone, shirtless guy, not even on the sidewalk, but ‘parked’ on the street. He’s flouting the rules, but not in a serious way.”
The Hollywood sign is just out of shot, though Meinz doesn’t regret its absence. “You still know which city you’re in, as the hills are visible, and the palm trees, which are such a huge ornament of LA,” he says. “The sign would have caused too much competition – it’s the hero of every photo it’s in.”
Meinz didn’t disturb the rule-breaker, who had his eyes closed. While he intentionally obscured his face with the electrical pole, he was sure to leave in the flip-flops.
