LA DIARIES

LA Diaries is a photo journal and collection of personal essays by Jaime Valdovino, part love letter and part meditation on memory, grief, and place. Through poetic reflections and film photography, the book traces Jaime’s relationship to Los Angeles over a decade of living, wandering, and evolving within it.

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Process:
I collaborated with Jaime on narrowing down photo selections and organizing them into a visual narrative that reflects the emotional tone of the writing.

Color became a quiet through line. I noticed a recurring red throughout Jaime’s photography, which informed the book’s palette: a vibrant red linen cover with nearly blind debossed type in red foil, a softer red interior endpaper, and deep red body text for the essays.

For the layout, I took cues from the lyrical and intimate tone of the writing. The essays are broken up across two-page spreads in small text blocks that mirror the rhythm of Jaime’s voice.