LOS ANGELES - Ah, to be a young, talented artist. This is exactly the life of Monterey Park resident Christopher Hernandez, who is a photo artist and recently held a showing of his works in downtown Los Angeles.

"The art show was fantastic," said Hernandez, who did his first art show in 2009 at Los Angeles City College. "It went good. I had a lot of support there. I was surprised I had a following. That kind of trickled in. These people were taking photos and asking questions."

Hernandez, who is on the Monterey Park Arts and Cultural Commission, has lived in Monterey Park for 10 years and is a 2001 graduate of Alhambra High School and a 2006 graduate of the University of Phoenix. He also just hosted another show tonight at the Spring Arts Tower in downtown Los Angeles.

Hernandez said his work is very distinctive.

"I would describe it as very edgy, very dark," he said. "It's very personal for me. I photograph with a lot of descriptive elements. I photograph with a huge emphasis on infrastructure very well. It intrigues me and I find myself looking for not the obvious."

He added his shooting is varied between traditional colored 35 mm film and digital. In addition, he said he like to shoot urban landscapes or city scapes.

He also said he likes to travel and shoot on the road.

"Preferably, when I have the opportunity to travel," Hernandez said. "I take my camera with me. It's not a vacation. It's work."

He's shot before for the National Geographic Magazine TV channel. He's been to New York, Chicago, Mexico and Maui and added he wants to go back to some of those places because "my talents and skill level have grown and developed and I have a better comfort level, skill level and take my time and composure."

In addition, Hernandez said he would like to go and shoot photography in Europe and South America.

His work is for sale. For more information, please go to his website at www.christopherhernandezphotography.com. You can also email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

(Shel Segal can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .)