Gray Malin Photos Bring Out Playfulness of Parker Palm Springs

Images tell the story of hotel's getaway appeal

JIM POWERS Hotels & Resorts, Watch & Listen - Hotels & Resorts

 

VIDEO: Gray Malin talks about when the project started and why animals were part of it.

 

 

Zack the Zebra just wouldn't look at the camera.

Photographing animals can bring unexpected challenges for photographer Gray Malin, but in a way that introduces new ways to create the final image.

 

photo by gray malin

Gray Malin on Afternoon Croquet: "I loved this shot of the giraffe with the balloons because it evokes exactly what we all feel when we're about to embark on a an exciting weekend getaway."

 

"He kept eating the grass instead of looking up at the camera, so we improvised and photographed him on the clay Petanque field," says Malin in describing Zack's place in his latest fine-art series, Gray Malin at The Parker. "I couldn't be happier with the shot we achieved together."

The Los Angeles-based photographer, who made his initial mark for inventive aerial beach scenes with Prada Marfa, has posted a series of 14 images, including Zack in the photo "Hide & Seek," featuring a variety of wild animals in playful settings at the Palm Springs hotel on his website. A pair of the images can be seen in the resort's lobby where they will hang for at least through the summer.

 

photo by gray malin

Gray Malin on Drugs. "I couldn't think of a better greeter than your friendly Bellman Monkey, who's there to help you with whatever you need."

 

Malin says his inspiration for the series came not long after his first visit to the Parker Palm Springs. "There's something about the beautiful hotel grounds that sparked this idea for me and I couldn't stop thinking about it, so it's a real thrill to see it come into creation," Malin says.

He hopes the use of animals help bring a "childlike happiness" to those who view them, a feeling that spurred him to want to bring the series alive with his photography.

 

photo by gray malin

Pool Boys: "Personally, I really feel a childlike happiness when I look at these images."

 

"I wanted to live with the essence of the perfect getaway in my every day life, so when I arrive at the Parker with those orange doors, I am so happy, the feeling of escaping for the weekend, I want that feeling every day on the walls in my house," he says.

Visit www.graymalin.com to view and purchase the photos.

 

photo by gray malin

Gray Malin on Skinny Dip: "First off, I love flamingos! They are just so beautiful, but one of them really want to try and fly that day!"

 

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