Gerd Ludwig: Sleeping Cars

There are more than seven million registered vehicles in Los Angeles County, California/USA. Images of traffic jams are omnipresent. But where do all those cars go to rest? These photographs examine where LA cars are spending their nights.

In middle-class neighborhoods people often have 1-2 car garages but rather use them for storage. So cars are left on the streets to park overnight, often getting covered during holidays, or when their owners are out of town.

The series shows cars that have a presence. They command their space. They are mostly loners and shy away from being too close to others. Many sleep in covers, wearing them like nightgowns, though some sleep in the nude. Some take daytime naps, a few lucky ones sleep in pairs.