Philip-Lorca diCorcia’s “Hustlers” is a defining body of work in contemporary photography. Shot in Los Angeles between 1990 and 1992, the series captures male prostitutes in meticulously staged scenarios—motel rooms, parking lots, and cafes. Each title meticulously records the subject’s name, age, hometown, and the price paid for the session (e.g., “Ralph Smith, 21 years old, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and $25”). This publication marks the first time the series has been published in its entirety, serving as a melancholic elegy to the Hollywood dream and a defiant response to the “culture wars” and censorship of the early 1990s.
