Meet Priscilla Mars, the Photographer Redefining LA’s Visual Story

Not long after I moved to LA, Priscilla Mars’ work started appearing on my Instagram feed. The Mexican-American photographer and cinematographer has captured some of the city’s most innovative creatives on camera, from Anora director Sean Baker to rising pop artist Maryze to comedian and poet Joshua Turek. She also has a knack for examining her SoCal surroundings from unexpected perspectives: her San Marino series represents flowers as abstract blurs of fantastical color, while her photobook 90210 zooms in on Beverly Hills’ architectural details, from curlicue fences to scraggly trees.

It’s no surprise that Bruce Wagner, the writer known for unpacking notions of the Hollywood dream through his screenplays and novels, described her as “an entity completely unexpected… a dreamgirl voyeur/cartographer.”

Recently, I had the chance to chat with Mars about her body of work. She spoke about discovering her passion at an early age, wandering LA’s streets “like a drifting tourist,” and connecting with other artists through Instagram and the city’s underground music scene.

How did your journey with photography and cinematography begin? What about these art forms continues to captivate you?

Photography is something I’ve always been naturally drawn to. I remember running around with a disposable camera in fifth grade, using a digital video camera in junior high, and developing photos in the darkroom in high school. I started taking photos on film at 13 because my dad loves photography and cameras too. Everywhere I go, I feel like the moment has to be captured and preserved, and I love creating art out of daily life.

My interest in cinematography started as a natural extension of photography when I was studying art at UCLA. Living in such a cinematic city and discovering a world of movies I never had access to growing up in Fresno excited me. I realized the possibilities of combining sound and vision. What continues to captivate me is the endless possibilities—there are so many stories to tell, people to meet, places to document, and ways of seeing.

Much of your photography depicts LA cityscapes. What aspect of the city are you most passionate about revealing through your work?

As one of the most photographed cities in the world, I love the challenge of revealing a side of LA that hasn’t been seen before. It’s a side uncovered only through repeated viewings, deep exploration, and getting to know the city intimately as it evolves.

LA is so spread out that the other side of town can feel like the other side of the world, and no one living here has the same experience. I love exploring and photographing overlooked parts of the city—like the hills above Sunset with no sidewalks, neighborhood parks, and the avenues between office buildings in Century City. My goal is to show the fantastic, surreal elements of the everyday.

Your recent series San Marino comprises brightly colored, surreal close-ups of flowers. How did you create the images, and what inspired them?

It started intuitively—using nature as an escape, I inevitably created my own world. I captured the flowers in a San Marino park as close as I could get with my lens, softening the landscape into shapes and colors. Returning to this same park in the suburbs of LA during the morning, noon, and night over spring, summer, and fall, I wanted to create an immersive picture of the mutating natural landscape. It’s reflective of the bliss I feel when spending time there.

Your photobook 90210 features images of Beverly Hills taken over several years. What inspired you to focus on that neighborhood in particular?

I lived within walking distance of Beverly Hills for a few years and tend to hyperfixate on places I like. I love the concept of psychogeography—paying attention to how certain geographical areas make you feel.

For me, walking and wandering like a drifting tourist with a camera is essential. The energy, light, and shadows in Beverly Hills feel different from other places. I was fascinated by the city’s history, the fame and wealth associated with its zip code, the people it attracts, the palatial architecture, the private streets, the excess, and the cinematic quality of its winding streets and hills. I felt like an interloper in an ivory tower and wanted to create an alternate, mysterious picture of the city.

Bruce Wagner, known for writing LA-centric films like I’m Losing You and Maps to the Stars, wrote the foreword to the book. How did the two of you cross paths?

The classic way—through Instagram and my obsessiveness. I heard about Maps to the Stars while I was taking photographs in Beverly Hills. Then, I started reading his books and felt like I could relate. I used quotes from his books as Instagram photo captions so many times that he finally noticed and reached out via email. We’ve been friends ever since.

You’ve studied photography and cinematography formally at UCLA’s School of Art and AFI’s Cinematography Intensive for Women. What were the most impactful lessons you took away from these programs?

The most important lessons are that community is everything, learning is forever, and independent study is just as crucial. I’m who I am because of the people I surround myself with and the daily act of watching movies and taking photos.

You’re tapped into LA’s underground music scene, regularly collaborating on portraiture and music videos for local artists. How did you connect with other creatives after moving here? Do you have any advice for those looking to build an artistic community?

I love music and supporting musicians. My first music video collaborations were with my boyfriend, Dakota Blue, a prolific artist from LA. Eventually, other artists saw the videos and reached out to me. In my experience, constantly making work you love and sharing it without shyness naturally attracts like-minded people.

Out of all the shots you’ve ever taken, does one stand out as your favorite?

I have new favorite photos every week because I take so many!

Who or what do you dream of shooting someday?

I would love to shoot a neo-noir film.

Last but not least, do you have any future projects we should look out for?

I’m excited about the release of a music video I shot for LA artist Sagittaire. I also want to publish another photobook and create prints of the San Marino series.