The Photo Lab LA on Crenshaw Blvd.

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By Blake Carter

South Los Angeles artists do not have to travel to Hollywood, downtown, or the Westside to find a high-end photo studio as local resident Alexandra Norman has brought an all-inclusive production studio to the Crenshaw District.

“I help Black creatives build their businesses and I help Black creatives to cross network to keep our Black dollars recycling,” she said.

The Photo Lab LA , which is on Crenshaw Boulevard, just south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, has a Cyclorama infinity wall, and the rental package includes two strobe lights. Photographers are able to bring in their own equipment. Rental rate is $60 an hour, which is less expensive than most studios.

This venue is ideal for photographers, videographers, and filmmakers. Many artists who use this studio shoot models, products, commercials, and documentaries. Norman also has a studio in downtown, and she brought this studio to the Crenshaw district so that local artists do not have to travel, and can shoot at a studio for an affordable rate.

“My goal is to help people create,” she said. “I’m a creative, and I started off designing clothes. It was extremely hard to find people who wanted to help you, give you connections, or not try to juice your pockets. So this is more about making sure that we have the connections that we need to grow, and make sure that we’re doing it together.”

Norman is so ingrained in her community that she chose a location that she could walk to.

“I’m from over here, and being a Black creative, I don’t see too much collaborations happening,” she said. “There were no other studios over here. Now there are a few others that are starting to come up and there is more creativity. It’s imperative that we make sure that we don’t have to travel everywhere else than where we get our inspiration from.”

There is also a rental package for people who are looking to have their photos taken.

The Photo Lab LA is located at 4108 Crenshaw Boulevard. For more information, visit www.thephotolabla.com and follow them on Instagram.