In this instalment of the Guardian's "best photograph" series, American skateboarder-turned-photographer Jerry Hsu discusses an eerie image of black smoke rising from a street grate in downtown Los Angeles, taken around 2011-2012 shortly after he relocated to the city. He describes the moment as unexpectedly cinematic, as though something demonic might emerge from the cloud, and reflects on how such spontaneous, atmospheric scenes define his approach to street photography and his relationship with LA itself.

Hsu explains that the photograph features in his book How About Never, which juxtaposes dramatic citywide events with smaller, intimate moments, and which he later realised also charts the arc of his marriage, from when he met his wife to their separation earlier this year. He traces his creative instincts back to a 25-year professional skateboarding career, begun at 12 and turned pro at 16, arguing that skateboarding trained him to read urban environments and react instinctively, skills he says translate directly into his photographic practice and his generally shy approach to engaging with the world.