Photographing Los Angeles

traumahawk

traumahawk

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Ashley
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I hope to be able to join our media departments trip to Los Angeles next year, the schedule is fixed (which is fine by me) and takes in the Universal Studio tours as well as some tourist features such as Santa Monica Pier, so I'm not after locations to visit, but I would like to know of anything I need to know:

are there any problems with taking photos in America (I'm thinking legal issues of private property or people walking around)?

Is crime a big issue (my only knowledge of USA comes from its TV so it looks like there is a mugger or murderer on every street corner!)

Although this is a work related trip I am not going as staff as I will be paying for it myself and using my own camera, what insurance implications are there (obviously I will check with my insurers)

Anything special I should take? I will take my 10-20 and 18-200 lens' and as it is always meant to be sunny in LA I will take a polariser filter and of course a travel power adaptor as well as lots of batteries and CF cards... anything else you think I should take?

I welcome any suggestions you might have
 
As long as you don't stray into the wrong areas you will be fine. Bare in mind that June is probably the worst time to go due to the June gloom. Where there seems to be a lot of mist especially along the coast.

My favourite place was Venice beach, lots of colourful characters to photograph.
 
surfg1mp said:
As long as you don't stray into the wrong areas you will be fine. Bare in mind that June is probably the worst time to go due to the June gloom. Where there seems to be a lot of mist especially along the coast.

My favourite place was Venice beach, lots of colourful characters to photograph.
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I have heard about the LA smog but we'll be going in February so hopefully it will be clearer (& cooler)
 
Here are the details from the website, though some things might change (most likely the LA Times & Film Academy will be changed for Warner Bros studio tour)

Guided tour of Hollywood Boulevard (Walk of Fame, Kodak Theatre, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood sign view & Hollywood & Highland) Visit to Santa Monica
LA Times Tour New York Film Academy 2-hour Interactive Session
Full day at Universal Studios Theme Park (including Back-Lot tour)
Venice Beach

If anyone has visited these and has some info on what to expect or helpful hints please let me know
 
Really jealous you will love it. Been to a few of them places, the Hollywood sign was a little disappointing due to the smog, but still great to see such an iconic sight. didn't do any of the studio tours so can't advise, but as I said before Venice beach and Hollywood boulevard are great for people photos.
 
Had a scary moment on venice beach.. tried to take a photo of OH with the muscle beach sign behind him (no one else in the shot) and got a passerby giving me a right mouthful for taking photos there, very aggessive.. lots of stalls along have signs for no photos, kept my camera in my bag there after that anyway!

A couple of security guards collared me taking photos of buildings near our hotel.. We visited the day after MJ died so it was pretty manic but I hated LA, thank god it was only 2 days of our trip there ;)
 
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Done LA couple of years ago loved it.

Seeing as you are on a guided tour of the boulevard I do not know what time you will be there, we got there early in the morning around 7 ish and it was deserted so could stand where I wanted to to get the pics, we did call back round at 10pm one evening and it was heaving, soo many people.

The Hollywood sign is a slight disappointment as the only real place to see it is up on a hill and it was smoggy as hell the day we where there so the pictures where not their best. Long lens needed if you are going up the hill.
If that is where you are seeing it from as you drive up the street to the hill look at the houses up to the left they are built on a hill side and they just stick out from it and look so precarious.

Universal studios is brilliant, great place to take pics, all I took with me was my camera with my 17-55 on the front it it was great, they have lockers that you can leave you gear in to go on the rides. again we went early to get on all the good rides as it gets really really busy.

Failing all else have a great time and hope the weather stays a little cooler so the smog does not get too bad.

spike
 
surfg1mp said:
Great pics spike, I'd say your average joe would struggle to get those viewpoints. From where we viewed the Hollywood sign, it must have been a mile away and hazy as hell .....:bang:
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Thanks for that, yes it is quite away away, this was took with my 100-400 at the 400mm end, it was hazy as hell like you said but to be honest I was really surprised when I converted it to B&W as it became a lot clearer, do not ask me how as I have no idea it just did so messed with the levels and this was the result.

The hoover dam shot was taken from the new bridge in front of it well worth the walk in the 45 degree heat.
 
I've never had any problems shooting in CA.
Make sure you go shoot Angel's Flight.
 
No problems in LA or anywhere else in the states and I have been to some of the lesser traveled parts. the last few weeks I spent traveling arround the middle bits (Atlanta to Chicago via Nashville, Memphis, Tulsa, and St Louis, then back down the other side via Indianapolis, Cincinatti, the smoky mountains to Myrtle beach back to Atlanta) we did take an unexpected detour to Disney World, all with a 1Dmk4 and 24-70 over my shoulder themes parks and all.

The main thing is to be aware of your surroundings, if it looks dodgy put the camera in your bag/away. I would get a smaller bag so your not carrying everything everywhere as well. I was out late at night one trip shooting the canals in venice and down in torrence through all those places you get told not to go. The only problem is LA is huge so unless you have a car getting out and about is going to be difficult.

The Backlot tour is part of the theme park but it is actually a working studio os you will probably see things going on, desperate housewives was fillming one trip we made and one of the pirates of the caribean on another so we had to be quiet at those points, I just realised we didn't do a the backlot tour in Florida this time, gutted.
 
I live in LA for a while in Venice beach,which is a great place for photos,like all big city,their are places where its best not to go, Downtown you have to be very careful of,plus the strip at nighttime.

But in its way it can be fun at times,i was walking from Venice beach,to the local supermarket,their was this guy just adhead of me he looked in a really bad mood,he came up to me and asked for some money for the phone,i said yes and asked him what was wrong,he said he gone down to Venice beach for the day,got out of the car to make a phone call,and the girl he was with just drove of with his car,i said did you call the cops,said he couldnt all the gun & drugs were in the boot :D
 
I have been to la the last two summers and have had no issues taking photos. I've done the Holywood sign twice, there is a location that is setup for photos, some rocks that people can stand on if you want an easy composition with the sign behind the person. You can also take some pictures from Griffith observatory, however it's quite a distance, so you would be looking a longer lens. I don't have access to my computer at the moment but the images I took had GPS encoding so should give an idea of the view if you enter them on google maps. I will try and get the location tomorrow for you.

I have also been on the universal backlot tour and if its just the standard one you go on, then you sit in the tram and you will be limited to drive by shooting of the sets, props etc... You can pay extra for a VIP tour that allows you to drive around the lot, you could then stop and get some decent shots as you can take your time.
 
Great thread! Just came across it scouring the forums for US shot ideas :D
 
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