Listening to the Pictures: Your individual life could be written out in a journal, but the people you trust your journal with are your family. In my photo, you see part of my family, my grandpa Polo. This photo captured my grandpa re-listening to an audio recording of him and I discussing his past memories, while he let me skim through pages of his journal. When peering into his private life, it connected us to a moment that will last forever in this photograph.
Artists Statement
Along with a passion for photojournalism, candid moments, and portraiture, Delilah uses her lens to capture and communicate raw emotion. Photography offers her a space to take control of her art and express how she sees the world. Through her photographs, Delilah invites her audience to reflect on themes of change and community. She strives to convey the power of connection, hoping to inspire others to embrace new perspectives, challenge their assumptions, and see the world with greater understanding and openness through her work.
Artist Bio
Delilah Mendez is a 15-year-old photographer from LA County. Delilahs photography journey truly began when joining Las Fotos Project, where she has now participated in 5 culmination events over the course of 2 1/2 years. Since August of 2024, she has worked professionally as a photographer, drawing from her early experiences accompanying her mom, an event photographer. With two years of visual commercial arts coursework and taking advanced journalism in high school, she is proficient in Adobe software, allowing her to further refine her creative process.
The Blood of the Blue
The Fernando Valenzuela mural transformed the building into a vibrant tribute framed with flowers, honoring his life and legacy, making it the largest altar in our city. The mural unified our community of Boyle Heights, giving us a sense of history and representation for the immigration community and the rich history we carry forward—something more important now than ever. As people gathered to celebrate Vargas’s (the artist behind the mural) work, the mural became more than just a painting; it turned the building into a living canvas, demonstrating the infinite creativity that thrives within our city. Los Angeles—our city of angels, where the spirit of community and pride runs deep, and the heart beats blue, dodger blue.
This photograph captures a powerful contrast between old and new, reflecting the tensions of gentrification and the lasting impact of immigration on Los Angeles’s First Street.
An aging house stands in contrast to a modern apartment building, symbolizing the transformation of the area and displacement of long-time residents. Observing the change in the cityscape along with the Fernando Valenzuela mural unveiling, the presence of lowriders in the frame and Valenzuela's jersey further unites the image in the cultural identity of the community, celebrating its Mexican American heritage.
Halloween Portraiture
These photographs are taken in Las Fotos Project studio, models where photographed, as the images were later edited, in theme for Halloween.
The change time brings
These images are a personal reflection on the passage of time, inspired by my grandmother’s photograph of my grandfather at Elysian Park (as shown above). As I recreated the scene with the LA skyline and Dodger Stadium in the background, I sought to capture how both the park and the city have evolved, while honoring the memories that remain.
From tradition to tomorow
These young dancers carry the rich legacy of Mexico’s folklorico traditions into the future, with every step honoring the past. As members of the youth, it’s crucial to embrace and preserve the traditions of past generations, ensuring they remain alive and vibrant for future generations to experience and carry forward.
Maternity shoot
Angel City Football Club
Other Works
