PHOTO GALLERY: Photographer Gary Leonard to Celebrate 60th Birthday

Regular visitors to Echo Park Patch know how important Gary Leonard’s work is to the site.

Gary's lived in Echo Park for decades and has raised his daughter here.

You can see his latest set of photos for us in the accompanying gallery.  Gary snapped the images on Friday at El ClasicoTattoo Shop on Sunset Boulevard near Echo Park Avenue. 

Tattoo artist Michael "Pogo" Koretz is giving an "Intoxica" tattoo to Ben Nieto. Nieto is a fan of DJ Howie Pyro, whose radio show is called Intoxica. Thus the tattoo.

Leonard's just as comfortable at the opening of the Confluence Plaza as he is at a tattoo shop.

The event is just one example of the vast range of events that Leonard has chronicled over the last 40 years, making folks like KPCC’s  John Rabe dub him perhaps L.A.’s most important photographer.

Gary celebrates his birthday on Friday with a four-hour blow out sale at his downtown gallery, Take My Picture.

You’ll see vintage black and white photographs, memorabilia, signed books.

And if you  pay with cash you can get a $100 print for $20.

If you’ve never been to Gary’s downtown space, it’s worth the trip alone to see the space.

Take My Picture is located at 860 South Broadway 90014.