Taking Pictures

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"I've been visiting model homes and taking photographs—literally. I enter a home and wait for a clear moment. I take the photograph right out of its frame and slip in a replacement. This cameraless photography. It investigates model homes that are not simply lumber and drywall, but fully realized, finely calibrated projections of our desires."

This a very traditional form of photography, almost painfully old-fashioned. The task is locate, capture, and bring back singular images. They should be dramatic, engaging, and representative of their subject. After all, model homes are not simply sales tools, but fully realized, finely calibrated projections of our desires. They represent the marketeers' keenest determinations about our collective dreams. When an artist runs across dreams made manifest, they should pay attention and report back to the rest of us, even if it requires trickery and theft.

The photographs shown here have been selected from images taken from 238 model homes in nineteen cities across four southern California counties. Home prices range—in real estate parlance—from the mid-$200,000s to $1.3 million. Locations tend to be on the fast-growing outer edges of the LA Basin where raw land is being carved into thousands of parcels—Adelanto, Beaumont, Bloomington, Chino, Fontana, Hemet, Irvine, Lake Elsinore, Mira Loma, Moreno Valley, Norco, Palmdale, Perris, Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Mirage, San Jacinto, Simi Valley, Upland, Victorville.

Photo Description

Loft/Optional Bedroom 5
Fontana, California
August 4, 2005
Belmont Collection at Sierra Lakes
KB Home; Plan 2788
4 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 2,788 Square Feet
$498,990

Bedroom 2
Beaumont, California
July 8, 2005
Oakmont
Pardee Homes; Plan 3C
3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 2,491 Square Feet
$402,900

Family Room
Fontana, California
August 4, 2005
Belmont Collection at Sierra Lakes
KB Home; Plan 1853
3 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 1,853 Square Feet
$439,990

Bedroom 3
Hemet, California
July 25, 2005
Autumn Ridge
KB Home; Plan Four
3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 3,012 Square Feet
$417,165

Bedroom 3
Norco, California
June 15, 2003
Wild Horse Estates
Curtis Communities; Plan Two
4 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 2,480 Square Feet
$414,900

Bedroom 3/Optional Bonus Room
Upland, California
September 7, 2005
Chantrelle at the Colonies
DR Horton; Residence Two
4 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath; 2,869 Square Feet
$662,992

Bedroom 3
Irvine, California
August 29, 2005
Portisol
California Pacific Homes; Residence Three
3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 2,123 Square Feet
$857,000

Bedroom 2
Palmdale, California
July 30, 2005
Ivywood
Beazer Homes; “Wisteria”
4 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 2,607 Square Feet
$427,990

Bedroom 4
Adelanto, California
July 30, 2005
Monte Verde
Tandis Homes; Plan One
4 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 1,624 Square Feet
$258,900

Bedroom 2
Upland, California
September 7, 2005
Chantrelle at the Colonies
DR Horton; Residence Two
4 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath; 2,869 Square Feet
$662,992

Hallway to Master Bedroom
Victorville, California
July 30, 2005
Luna at Talon Ranch
New West Homes; Residence Four
4 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath; 3,361 Square Feet
$402,040

Bedroom 2
Chino, California
August 9, 2005
Iris
Shea Homes; Residence Two
3 Bedroom, 3 Bath; 2,848 Square Feet
$611,900

Living Room
Bloomington, California
June 22, 2003
Cedar Ranch
Young Homes of California; Plan 318
4 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 1,825 Square Feet
$232,000

Bedroom 3
Bloomington, California
June 22, 2003
Cedar Ranch
Young Homes of California; Plan 314x
4 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 2,101 Square Feet
$245,000

Bedroom 2
Rancho Cucamonga, California
April 10, 2003
Del Mar Luxury Apartment Community
Lewis Apartment Communities; Key West Model
2 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 1,016 Square Feet
$1,480 rent per month

Master Bedroom
Mira Loma, California
July 1, 2003
Homecoming at Eastvale
Lewis Apartment Communities; “Acadia”
2 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 1,092 Square Feet
$1,380 monthly rent

Bedroom 3
Chino, California
August 9, 2005
Garden Glen
Lennar; Residence Two
4 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 3,430 Square Feet
$727,990

Bedroom 2
Victorville, California
October 2, 2003
Summerwind at Brentwood
Woodside Homes; Residence Two
3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 1,786 Square Feet
$184,990

Den
Upland, California
July 7, 2005
The Old Neighborhood; Carrigan Lane
Taylor Woodrow; Residence One
3 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 2,076 Square Feet
$567,366

Bedroom 3
Irvine, California
July 10, 2005
Rosemoor at Woodbury
Lennar; Residence One
3 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 2,418 Square Feet
$960,000

Bedroom 4
Victorville, California
July 30, 2005
Luna at Talon Ranch
New West Homes; Residence Four
4 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath; 3,361 Square Feet
$402,040

Bedroom 2
Moreno Valley, California
July 8, 2005
Autumn Glen
Young Homes; Plan 501
3 Bedroom, 3 Bath; 2,502 Square Feet
Sold Out—Price Unknown

Master Bedroom
Irvine, California
July 10, 2005
Mille Fleurs
Standard Pacific Homes; Plan Two “Annabelle”
5 Bedroom, 5 Bath; 3,319 Square Feet
$1,208,000

Optional Retreat
Jurupa Valley, California
July 14, 2005
Steeplechase North
John Laing Homes; Plan 2085 “The Brighton”
3 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 2,085 Square Feet
$465,000

Dining/Living Room
Upland, California
September 7, 2005
Chantrelle at the Colonies
DR Horton; Residence Two
4 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath; 2,869 Square Feet
$662,992

Living Room
Hemet, California
July 25, 2005
Autumn Ridge
KB Home; Plan One
3 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 2,255 Square Feet
$380,077

Dining Room
Palmdale, California
July 30, 2005
The Palms at Anaverde
Forecast Homes; Residence Two
3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 2,600 Square Feet
$451,281

Optional Loft
Irvine, California
July 10, 2005
Cortile
California Pacific Homes; Residence Four
3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 1,497 Square Feet
$630,000

Bedroom 3
Beaumont, California
July 8, 2005
Oakmont
Pardee Homes; Plan 4B
3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath; 2,760 Square Feet
$425,000

Living Room
Upland, California
September 7, 2005
Chantrelle at the Colonies
DR Horton; Residence Four
5 Bedroom, 4.5 Bath; 3,227 Square Feet
$703,990

Optional Den/Super Family Room
Norco, California
June 15, 2003
Hidden Hills Estates
Beazer Homes; Plan Two
4 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath; 3,705 Square Feet
$585,995

Bedroom 5
Chino, California
August 9, 2005
Garden Glen
Lennar; Residence Three
6 Bedroom, 4 Bath; 3,785 Square Feet
$740,990

Bedroom 3
Moreno Valley, California
August 15, 2005
Iris
Pacific Communities; Plan One
3 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 2,109 Square Feet
$344,990

Optional Bedroom 5
Moreno Valley, California
August 15, 2005
Iris
Pacific Communities; Plan Two
4 Bedroom, 3 Bath; 2,674 Square Feet
$378,900

Master Bedroom
Rancho Cucamonga, California
April 10, 2003
Del Mar
Luxury Apartment Community
Lewis Apartment Communities; Key West Model
2 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 1,016 Square Feet
$1,480 rent per month

Dining Room
Upland, California
July 7, 2005
Ellington at the Colonies
Centex Homes; Plan Two
4 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 3,079 Square Feet
$667,990

Master Bedroom Retreat
Fontana, California
August 4, 2005
Masters Collection at Sierra Lakes
KB Home; Plan 2032
3 Bedroom, 2 Bath; 2,032 Square Feet
$466,990

Photo

Belmont Collection at Sierra Lakes Fontana, California
baby pinching belly fat Beaumont, California
super kid Fontana, California
Autumn Ridge Hemet, California
Wild Horse Estates Norco, California
Chantrelle at the Colonies Upland, California
California Pacific Homes; Residence Three Irvine, California
Beazer Homes; “Wisteria” Palmdale, California
Tandis Homes; Plan One Adelanto, California
Chantrelle at the Colonies Upland, California
Luna at Talon Ranch Upland, California
Shea Homes; Residence Two Chino, California
Young Homes of California; Plan 318 Bloomington, California
chicano Young Homes of California; Plan 314x Bloomington, California
Del Mar Luxury Apartment Community Rancho Cucamonga, California
Homecoming at Eastvale Lewis Apartment Communities; “Acadia” Mira Loma, California
Garden Glen Chino, California
Summerwind at Brentwood Victorville, California
dog The Old Neighborhood; Carrigan Lane Upland, California
dog surfing Rosemoor at Woodbury Irvine, California
Luna at Talon Ranch Victorville, California
Autumn Glen Young Homes; Plan 501 Moreno Valley, California
Mille Fleurs Master Bedroom Irvine, California
woman in sunhat horse drawn carriage Steeplechase North Jurupa Valley, California
Chantrelle at the Colonies Upland, California
family photo Hemet, California
woman in sun hat looking over fence  Palmdale, California
guy with drawn on devil mustache in venice italy Cortile Irvine, California
man catching frisbee Oakmont Beaumont, California
young man jumping in the lake
young man on wing of world war two wwii era aircraft airplane
boy throwing model plane
yacht listing deeply
boy with toy yacht
attractive female model
man in bowler hat with glasses and mustache
man in hat smoking cigar

Photo Summary

Photographs appropriated from model homes across Southern California. (Read: stolen.)