Sean Lemoine documents California's large dangerous rocket enthusiasts

Sean Lemoine is a Los Angeles-based photographer who originally studied crime scene photography at the University of California Riverside. With an eye for investigative photography that forms narrative, Sean’s recent series LDRS is a combination of the two.

“LDRS is an acronym for Large Dangerous Rocket Ships.” Sean explains, “as well as the name for an event offering an environment that welcomes and encourages rocketry enthusiasts of all skill levels.” The event Sean attended in June this year was held at Lucerne Dry Lake in California, a location that regularly holds rocketry events. “I had developed a curiosity concerning the subject and wanted to utilise the five-day event as an educational exercise in short-term focused documentation.”

The result is an incredible series of sun soaked photographs that alter the viewers perception of rockets. It is fascinating to see the rockets set off in daylight, the heat portrayed through clear skies filled with dramatic smoke. The photographer’s eye for colour combinations and focus allows the personalities and details of the LDRS to be communicated with clarity. Sean’s photographs also convey the charm of the enthusiasts, a group of all ages sharing the hobby with preoccupation.