Santa Monica Pier is a favorite spot amongst both tourists and locals to Southern California. The colors of the beach, the food stands, the Pacific Pier amusement park make for a uniquely quirky mix that can only be found there. French photographer Helene Havard, who visits the area often, set out to capture the vibrancy of this area. By working with her signature, Wes Anderson-like colors, she heightens the dreamy quality of these laidback scenes.
“Santa Monica Pier is a place I find magical, especially at sunset. I used to come here, as I live in French Polynesia and go very often to Cali either for pleasure or to fly to different countries,” Havard tells My Modern Met. “Each time I come to LA, I like this place for the retro feeling it has. Everything seems from another time. It feels a little bit surreal according to my taste.”
In Havard’s pastel-toned images, Santa Monica Pier looks like a place where it’s always Sunday afternoon. People line up for hot dogs and burgers, ride the world-famous ferris wheel, walk on the sand, and simply bask under the warm California sun. While these places have long been used as film locations, Havard further elevates the cinematic potential of this place with simple creative choices, like narrative framing and a unique palette.
Scroll down to check out Havard’s tribute to Santa Monica Pier, and follow her on Instagram to stay up to date with her latest photographic adventures.
French photographer Helene Havard, who visits the Santa Monica Pier often, set out to capture the vibrancy of this area.
By working with her signature, Wes Anderson-like style, she heightens the dreamy quality of these laidback scenes.
“Santa Monica Pier is a place I find magical, especially at sunset,” she tells My Modern Met.
“Each time I come to LA, I like this place for the retro feeling it has. Everything seems from another time. It feels a little bit surreal according to my taste.”
In Havard’s pastel-toned images, Santa Monica Pier looks like a place where it’s always Sunday afternoon.
