After some globe-trotting while working for the Washington Post as a photojournalist in the early 1970s, John Humble settled in Los Angeles but his yen to travel did not diminish despite this fixed geographical location. Instead, he traversed the length and breadth of LA and the San Fernando Valley, creating a series of images that explore the postmodern qualities of America's second largest city.

In the late 1970s, inspired by color pioneers like William Eggleston, Humble switched from making black and white prints to color, For Humble, the choice was clear; to fully capture the realities of the city and its environs – what he refers to as "the urban landscape" – color was essential.