The Story Behind My Most Known Photograph – Los Angeles, 2011

The definitive talk about my famous shot

Here it is. Again. Her again. Sure… my most famous photo.

Every time I see it we compare ourselves. Her, indomitable, hard to die. The postcard of my only experience, so far, in the United States. Sunny California. An October of almost 6 years ago.

The moment. A large window for breakfasts and afternoon cappuccinos. Visual contact. Tension. Me with my hat. Internal world, external world and blablabla.

We discuss what this photo represents. After years I have lost the desire, because I think I have done something else in the meantime. But it is my fault. The condemnation of the catchphrase. A catchphrase also hanging on the living room wall.

Love & hate. Love and hate. My wife, for sure, is all in favor of hating it: she says I propose it too often. She says that is enough. I think she is right. And I also hate it a little, this photo.

Photographing shop windows is a trend. Street Photography is a trend. Detestable. I'm fed up. I'm fed up: with shop windows and with Street Photography. With the eternal disquisitions on what is and what is not a street photo. On what is worthy and what is not.

It's night outside. And here I am writing about a photo taken 6 years ago. 6 fucking, long years. Of thousands of photos and other challenges. Of awareness acquired and lost. Of shots taken, thrown away, dispersed. Of existential upheavals. Of ontologies flaunted, and completely called into question.

TEXT ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FOTOREPORTANDO

In 2011, during a professional trip to Los Angeles (invited among 32 photographers for a competition and contextual exhibition in a art gallery on Fashion District), I took a photograph that would go on to become one of my most recognized images. It is a picture that embodies my approach to street photography: spontaneous, layered, and rich with visual complexity. Shot in black and white, the image captures a young woman sitting inside a starbucks, her gaze meeting the camera through the glass. The scene is infused with multiple reflections, layering urban life onto her contemplative expression.

This image is a perfect example of how street photography operates at the intersection of reality and illusion. The glass creates a dynamic interplay between the people inside and the city outside. My silhouette, a self-portrait too, the distorted lettering of a store sign, and the urban environment all merge into one frame, constructing a visual puzzle that invites the viewer to spend time deciphering the different elements.

The Moment and the Meaning

I remember walking through the streets of L.A., instinctively drawn to places where everyday life unfolded naturally. The light was sharp, creating strong contrasts, and the reflections on the starbuks’s window immediately caught my attention. When I saw the young woman resting her head on her hand, lost in thought, I knew there was something special. She became the anchor of the composition, while the other elements added layers of meaning. Perfect the shirt she dresses and it was an immediate call to photograph her.

Her expression, coupled with the chaotic yet structured reflections, speaks of isolation in the midst of a bustling city. The car reflected on her face becomes almost like a mask, adding a surreal element to the shot. This ambiguity is what I strive for in my work: images that are not just documentary but also poetic, leaving space for interpretation.

It Happened Again

This photograph is mine. In the past, they attributed the photograph to Henri Cartier-Bresson (the master was already dead at that time), to my friend Rinzi Roco Ruiz, and someone thought it was a photo made by Tatsuo Suzuki.

I'm sorry to disappoint them, but this photo was made by a certain Alex Coghe in October 2011 when I was busy in Los Angeles, California, for the competition/exhibition You Are Here. It is part of a mini project that I proposed in the gallery Think Tank in the Fashion District, DTLA.

Now, I know that when it comes to #streetphotography, many have so many certainties: maybe even that Alex Coghe can't make a photo like that, but I did it. And this is also the reason why there is another big part of humanity in street photography that considers my work pretty good. To the point that, as well as selling many books and prints, I have students coming to my workshops from all over the world. Do you know what their problem is with me? There are two of them, actually. I think with my head (politically too) and I don't just do street photography. Yes, it seems an absurd but if you make also portrait or you do editorial work, you are not really a street photographer for some guys.

For some, this is a mystery. Yet, while they were still playing with poop, in 2011, I took this picture.

The photo recently went viral on Substack. A photograph 14 years old.

It was wrongly attributed to Henri Cartier-Bresson in a blog where the author was talking about the French master. Recently, on Substack, a dude even accused me of making the photograph in Photoshop: another wrong idea from those who don't understand photography and maybe feel a little envious.

I often use this photograph because it is perfect for explaining to someone not familiar with street photography what street photography is. There is the world outside and inside, the urban aspect, there is me included inside the frame in a self-portrait, and there is a big question mark because of the expression of the woman. All of that is STREET PHOTOGRAPHY to me.

A Timeless Approach

This photograph reflects my deep belief in the power of black and white. By eliminating color, I strip the image down to its essential elements: light, form, and emotion. It forces the viewer to engage with the structure and content rather than be distracted by hues. It also aligns with my philosophy that in renunciation, there is greater freedom.

Over the years, this image has been published, exhibited, and discussed widely. Yet, every time I look at it, I see something new. That is the magic of a good street photograph: it evolves, much like the city itself.

The photograph is genuine. It shows my raw approach, maybe right now I think is also naive in some aspects. I am sorry but I made a lot of photos that I think are better than this. And yet it shows the evidence how a photographer like Lee Friedlander is an influence and a great reference for my work.

Conclusion

This shot from Los Angeles remains a defining piece of my body of work. It represents not just a moment in time but a philosophy of seeing. As a photographer, my goal is to capture images that go beyond the surface, that tell a story while inviting new interpretations. This is why street photography, at its best, is not just about documentation but about art.

If this photograph became viral in 2025 after all these years, and inspired me to talk about that again, it means that a certain value has.

What do you see in this image? I’d love to hear your thoughts.