PRS

Way back in the early days, when I first moved to Los Angeles, the photo community was a lot smaller than it is today.  There were just a handful of photo labs — Photo Impact, A&I, Tom’s Chroma Lab, Silver Lab, and a few others.  There were only two real camera stores: Samy’s and Pan Pacific Camera.  And when it came to renting gear, there was only one real game in town: PRS (Photography Rental Service), owned by the amazing Irena.  PRS started out on Melrose and Seward, then moved to Highland, and eventually landed on La Brea Avenue.

Not only did I rent gear from them constantly, but I also bought some of my first serious equipment there — including my first set of Dynalite strobes!  I loved those lights right up until the very end.  PRS had everything you could possibly need, and the staff always helped you figure out what you actually needed when you weren’t sure yourself.

What I miss most about PRS is the community — running into other photographers you knew, trading stories, swapping advice, and just having those real conversations you don’t get as much today.  The crew who worked there knew their stuff and were always there to help.  For a little while, they even had a small daylight studio at their original Melrose location, and I shot a few sessions there. It was simple, raw, and perfect.  Man, I miss those days big time.