Through the eyes of a D.A.

Molly Shore

Long before he became Los Angeles’ top prosecutor, Gil Garcetti was

bitten by the shutterbug.

“As long as I can remember, I’ve been seriously taking

photographs,” said Garcetti, 62, L.A.’s district attorney from

1992-1998.

An avid fine-art photographer who has documented the construction

of Los Angeles’ newest performing arts center, Garcetti will sign

copies of his book, “Iron: Erecting the Walt Disney Concert Hall,”

beginning at 6 tonight at Woodbury University.

A cocktail and buffet reception will be followed at 7 p.m. by a

slide show and lecture by Garcetti, who will be honored with the

Julius Shulman Communication Award. The award is presented annually

in honor of Shulman, a noted architectural photographer and friend of

the university.

Using a 35-millimeter camera and shooting in black and white,

Garcetti’s images capture some of the 14,000 pieces of iron necessary

to support the stainless steel skin of the downtown L.A. concert hall

designed by architect Frank Gehry.

While commuting to work one morning, Garcetti saw an ironworker

high up on an arch beam crawling on all fours.

“I said, ‘Wait a minute, I have to photograph this,’ and that’s

what started the whole adventure,” he said.

A Los Angeles native, Garcetti was elected district attorney in

1992. He won reelection in 1996, but was defeated for a third term in

2000.

He teaches a seminar, “Interaction of the Criminal Justice System,

Race and Politics,” at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of

Government.

Tonight’s event benefits Woodbury’s library associates, a

volunteer organization dedicated to improving library services.