Roy, “in his twenties”, Los Angeles, California, $50, 1990-1992

Philip-Lorca diCorcia’s “Hustler” photographs depict male sex workers on Santa Monica Boulevard in the early 1990s. Made at dusk in motel rooms, parking lots, and neon-lit streets, the photographs evoke Hollywood film stills, channeling the city’s famous noirish allure. DiCorcia meticulously arranged each location, lighting, and camera position before approaching his subjects. If they agreed to be photographed, they were brought to these prepared settings and paid the fee they would ordinarily have charged for sex. Combining real people with theatrical staging, diCorcia’s images are landmarks of 1990s photography.