Reader Photo: Disappearing downtown

The dramatic parallel of the light against dark and the pop of colors is striking in this image made by Roger Clay. At initial glance, it could be a scene from a movie. This frozen moment of a desolate downtown Los Angeles is unnatural, eerie and yet beautifully crafted.

Clay composed his image using a Fuji XT1. “Lately I have been noticing all the changes being made to downtown, especially on Broadway, and how the brightly colored store fronts are slowly disappearing,” he said. “I am trying to capture them in good light before they are gone for good. ”

Pictures like this happen all around us very quickly. They don’t tell us everything, but allow our own imaginations to wonder. Clay has a way of suspending time. His Instagram feed reflects a style that is moody and stirs a sense of isolation. He tends to focus on a single subject and works with the light in such a effective way that the light could be considered more of the subject than the human element.

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Each week, we’re featuring photos of Southern California and California submitted by readers. Share your photos on our Flickr page or tag your photos with #socalmoments or #californiamoments on Instagram and Twitter. Follow us on Twitter or visit latimes.com/socalmoments for more on this photo series.