Steel toe boots are stowed in Gary Leonard's Honda FIT. They're necessary articles of the outfit to keep safe while photographing around a construction site, he said.
July 1, 2022 All photographs courtesy of G. Leonard |
He has maintained a visual record of L.A. since the early 1980s and has been a part of high-profile construction assignments including the Disney Concert Hall (2003) and the Wilshire Grand Center (2017).
When the Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement Project was announced, it became Gary's personal project. He has been following the work since its groundbreaking in early 2015 and visits the site on a regular basis sometimes several days and nights each week. Aerials were photographed by helicopter prior to 2020 and then by drone.
The human factor has not bypassed Gary's attention to the built environment, and his archive includes the men and women who constructed the bridge.
Demolition 2016
February 2016 |
Safety First
At the start of each shift the crew stretches out.
November 2017 |
February 2020 |
October 2020 |
February 2022 |
Years 2018 - 2019
February 2018 |
February 2018 |
A member of the Ironworkers Union May 2018 |
July 2018 |
July 2018 |
Nitrogen is injected into the concrete, and the cooling process leaves a layer of fog spreading 75 feet. August 2018 |
August 2018 |
September 2019 |
September 2019 |
October 2019 |
Years 2020 - 2021
January 2020 |
February 2020 |
May 2020 |
June 2020 |
June 2021 |
August 2021 |
August 2021 |
September 2021 |
September 2021 |
This worker has a Boyle Heights sticker on his hard hat. October 2021 |
December 2021 |
Year 2022
June 2022 |
June 2022 |
January 2022 |
February 2022 |
June 2022 |
December 2021 |
December 2021 |
January 2022 |