Man-Made

Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory located in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, Califorina

Bay Bridge

San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge

LA-Dash

A pretty popular place for all types of photographers to visit in Los Angeles are the bridges crossing over the busy US-110 freeway leading traffic into the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. This day was pretty full of people and tripods, include some iPhones on tripods shooting for Instagram. Pretty serious about mobile photography too, more so then just a couple filters of hi-low! I forgot their names, but they were some pretty cool people. I have never really got the shot that I liked on these bridges. They all seem done plus repeated trips to this spot really bore me. Plus when ever traffic uses the bridges, you feel the vibration in the camera...yuck!!! I needed to get something, so I did... shot my scene and got it all locked down, then waited awhile for a bus to finally come by...never a bus when you need one!

San Diego

Harbor Island Drive Park Khris Griffis and I did a little 26 hour photothon down in San Diego this past Sunday. By 5am we found ourselves driving around Cabrillo like zombies and found this view of the city.

Department of Water and Power

Seems as the Los Angeles Department Water and Power left both there water and lights on again. Could you imagine how pissed their father is going to be! Other then crop, Straight out of Camera.. It's kinda nice not to process. Another great photowalk last night!!!

Mt. Hollywood

Another night of Khris Griffis and I hitting the southland, getting in trouble and capturing images. The other night we finished off with a trip to the famous Hollywood sign. We traveled passed Hollywood Lake and that famous park directly under the sign. ' We parked at the end of the road, got out and begun to shoot way. Well, until the man in the last house turned on his extremely bright light and used his loud speaker to notify us that were trespassing on a public street. Anyways, I was able to get off some exposures before we were rudely interrupted. Welcome to Hollywood.

Grand Avenue

Looking down Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles nested high within the Walt Disney Concert Hall... Probably standing next to an unhappy security guard as well..

Hills of Griffith

While we have many parks in Los Angeles, Griffith Park rules them all. The massive 4,310 acre piece of land is located in the center of the Los Angeles separating the different districts of this huge city. The park brings endless activities from the Los Angeles Zoo to a historical full sized railroad museum; you could even go jam to live music at the amazing Greek Theatre. While the possibilities are endless, the trails are not! Last night Khris Griffis and I took another hike up behind the famous Griffith Observatory to catch some really cool light. While this little trek has almost become a bit of a bore, we decided to twist it up a bit and try out new trail. As you can see, it seemed to work out great!

Griffith Observatory

If you have ever visited or lived in Los Angeles, you probably know the Griffith Observatory. This full functioning observatory is an extremely popular destination for tourist, locals, and photographers. In fact, you would be hard pressed not to find several dozen photographers not capturing its Art Deco architecture or the views of downtown from the south facing slope of Mount Hollywood. Hell..you even have a great view of the Hollywood sign. I've been up to this observatory more times then I have appendages and at all different times of day. So I can clearly say, early morning is the best time to vist. Gates open at 5am, so recommend waking up super early and getting to the base of the hill before gates open then head on up. You'll get to enjoy this L.A. landmark almost to yourself. This capture was the morning after we had a couple days of rain in the southland. That evening held some pretty heavy fog but I took the gamble that morning and the conditions turned out great. There is nothing like a morning after a heavy rain to clear up that air and make everything so contrasty!

La La Land

Hollywood, California

Griffith

Ran up to the Griffith Observatory for sunrise this morning and boy was it hot up there. I can't remember the last time it was so warm so early. Surprising amount of people up roaming around at 5am, but everyone including the Ranger got out of the way. So that was awesome. Time for bed.

Metro-Media Center

Back on top of Mt. Wilson which is home to numerous transmitters serving the Los Angeles area, including: radio, television, and microwave relay facilities. Theres antennas are not the large bank that sit on top of Mt. Wilson but a little further down, facing Anaheim, and the OC. You really get an amazing view of all Southern California from up on top!

Pacific Park

I have been sitting on this one for a while. It was shot during the now distant Trey Ratcliff Photowalk at the Santa Monica Pier. In the pass, I wasn't so sure how I wanted to process. It when through many different version of toning and photomatix but I kept throwing them away. Today I while going though some albums, this bracket set caught my eye again. This time I was going to do something a little different. I brought selected layers in and hand toned them. I think it came out pretty well!

Slacker

San Francisco, CA

ShoreLine Park

Shoreline Park is in the heart of Long Beach and is in the middle of resting Queen Marry and Aquarium of the Pacific. It's a pretty cool place to go take pictures at night! I have been sitting on this image for some time. Kinda forgot to go completely go through all the images after the photowalk that +Khris Griffis and I went on. What's really neat about Long Beach is that their lights always give this golden glow to the sky. Though that can be a bad thing too ;) I did a 16:9 crop on this. Not really a lot of processing…all Lightroom, though this was the weekend before I took my camera in for cleaning. So there was a decent amount of healing done ;)

Animation

This here is the Walt Disney Animation Studios located in the The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.Formerly known as the Walt Disney Feature Animation Building. I have been wanting to shoot this for some time now. Been scouting out the best place to do so. Disney is not to fond of people shooting its buildings, public property or not. I was lucky enough to get a couple of brackets before a man with a very light flashlight started shinning my way. For processing I had a dreamy warm feeling in-mind. Wanted the feel of this creative light beaming from inside make all the normals more magical. It's Disney after all.

Point Vicente Lighthouse

Rancho Palos Verdes is home to the Point Vicente Lighthouse. They have some pretty scary signs telling you to keep away and that this lighthouse sits on federal property…but pffff…

Hollywood

The sign reads: RESTRICTED ENTRY, Mountain Fire District. NO Hiking Allowed to the Hollywood Sign. Violators Subject to Arrest and $109 Fine. I say: Suck it Mountain Fire District.

The Encounter

If you ever flew into Los Angeles, you might have noticed a flying saucer like building parked directly in the middle of the airport!

Bel Air Light

God Light over the Hills of Bel Air and Westwood California. This was taken above a fire road that runs along the ridge of the 405 freeway in Los Angeles. While I originally was up there to shoot the fabulous Getty Center, the heavy overcast sky seem to put a hold on that. When I saw the light starting to appear I bolted to the other side and started shooting my steps for the pano.

Dodger Stadium

Sitting along side of Downtown Los Angeles is Elysian Park. Also know for the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Someone mentioned that this was a pretty important Dodger game. I was just worried about being in this park after nightfall.

Painted Ladies

Who doesn’t love some Victorian houses…and even better some famous painted ladies…This week was full of traveling and shooting with one stop being at Alamo Square Park in San Francisco to join these awesome colored Victorians in one of the coolest cities in the country. This was captured on the quiet morning of July 4 in Almano Square Park which is part of the Western Addition in San Francisco, California . We were starting to have some fog roll in over the city as the morning was quickly approaching, so it had to be a quick setup and shoot. Think it turned out well. I’m looking forward to my next vist with these awesome ladies!!!!

Bixby Bixby

This past July, Khris Griffis and I headed out to Big Sur to catch some of its glorious seaside cliffs and some delicious milky way. Unfortunately we were pretty fogged in the entire time. We were able grab some Bixby Bridge goodness at least before we drove our sleepy asses home that night.

Ventura County