Thanks for responding to my frequent queries of late.

I have a full day free on an upcoming trip to Beverly Hills. With a rental car. I want to spend the day drivng and taking pictures. I was thinking of heading up Highway 1 along the coast until midday, then turning around and coming back to Beverly Hills (to my hotel). Sound good? Should I head into the mountains? Suggestions welome, I have 24 hours to shoot. I'll have my M6 and both the 35 and 50mm lenses. I will shoot Delta 400 exclusively (OK, I might have some Sensia II). No tripod.

Thanks...

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), November 30, 2001

Answers

Or,...

should I do a walk-a-bout around Beverly Hills for a day?

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), November 30, 2001.

well, it all depends on what you want to shoot... In a day you would have enough time to drive to Santa Barbara via Highway 1... its a more scenic drive there as opposed to going south and Santa Barbara has some excellent architecture... if you want to head south you will have pretty much uninterrupted housing the whole way to San Diego (some spots don't have houses but it is very developed... if you head north this won't be the case). It really depends on what you like.

-- Matthew Geddert (geddert@yahoo.com), November 30, 2001.

I posted while you were asking whether or not to walk around Bev Hill... it really depends. I would want to go for the drive because it is scenic and relaxing (although not as great for photo ops maybe - if you are into street shooting). Bev Hills can get pretty dull rather quickly... but then again i don't like shopping... if you want to see houses you could easily drive around at night some time - most of the houses are well light at night - if you do this i recommend driving up some nearby hill (any will do) all the way to the top for the view of the city and because the houses up there are more impressive than south of sunset.

-- Matthew Geddert (geddert@yahoo.com), November 30, 2001.

Dan,

I've been working in LA on a couple of consulting gigs for the last 6 months, trying to squeeze a few photo opportunities in early mornings, lunchtimes and before/around sunset. I'm not sure what flavour(s) of LA you're trying to sample, but here are a few suggestions. They would require you battling the traffic, and be prepared for the ubiquitous valet parking scam wherever you go (even Samy's Camera has a valet lot!):

Street photography: Beverly Hills & Santa Monica (wealthy trash), Hollywood, around the Mann Chinese Theatre (tourists & ladies of the night), West Hollywood, around Sunset Blvd (here's where the real characters are), Santa Monica Pier & Venice Beach (street entertainers).

LA monuments: Hollywood sign, Observatory, Mulholland Drive overlook (all in Hollywood Hills), Getty Center (don't know the part of town, but on I-405 north of Sunset Blvd).

A few months ago there was an article in the United inflight magazine about unusual LA landmarks, celebrating the city's car culture. Throughout LA there are various neon-lit drive-in restaurants, gas stations, etc which are really cool around sunset. One of them is the oldest Bob's Big Boy restaurant in Toluca Lake/Burbank.

Hope this provides food for thought.

Cheers, Stuart

-- Stuart Dorman (stuart.dorman@us.pwcglobal.com), November 30, 2001.

Get up early and go down to Olvera Street. Go early before the tourists go because it is a very touristy place. Between the Plaza out front of Olvera Street and the Church across the street you will find some great photo ops. Leave when the first tourist bus arrives. Downtown on Broadway about, I think around 3rd or 4th there is a great semi open market. There is also a big Mexican Mercado on First Street going east from downtown that is as close to Mexico in the U.S as you will get. Reminds me why I call LA the third biggest city in Mexico. I love LA. Just can't stand to live there. Cheers!

-- Don (wgpinc@yahoo.com), November 30, 2001.

Dan-

All of the above suggestions would indeed provide photo ops. Remember that Santa Barbara is about an 1½ drive from LA. I would agree that Beverly Hills gets boring pretty fast, no doubt you've seen it a billion times on tv...

The Getty Center is worth a visit in my opinion. It's only about a 15 minute drive from BH (just to the northwest of BH, north on the 405 freeway, exit at Getty Center Drive. I don't imagine you are looking to spend your time looking at exhibits, but the architecture is worth a look. It's very graphic and photogenic and the gardens are pretty cool too. Obviously there are plenty of ops for people photography. The place sits on a mountaintop and if the weather cooperates you will have a commanding view of the LA basin out the to Pacific.

Also, the current photo exhibition is on Manuel Alvarez Bravo:

Getty Center

Anyway, my two cents.

-- jeff voorhees (debontekou@yahoo.com), November 30, 2001.

Bacharach was right 35 years ago, "LA is one big freeway". Pick one or two places and concentrate on them, you'll never do more that that in a day in that rat race. Believe me, I lived there 15 years ago and you spent your day on the freeway getting somewhere then and surface is not any better unless you enjoy getting lost.

You could document Sunset Blvd from say Silverlake to Deadman's curve, it's an interesting ride and constantly changing. And Matthew's right, don't come south, Orange and San Diego Counties are pretty boring along the interstate corridor.

-- Dave Doyle (soilsouth@home.com), November 30, 2001.

I live in the LA area. All of the above suggestions for shooting in LA are good. Do visit the Getty...I believe they are open on certain nights of the week...check their site. Olvera street is good, as is Union Station right across the street...a great 1920s art deco train station.

Venice beach and the Beverly Hills (Rodeo Drive) area good also. If you want to eat at some good, and fast, LA landmarks, try the Pantry at 9th. and Figuora...or Pink's Hot Dogs at Melrose and LaBrea...these areas are also great for street shooting.

I'd stay in LA if it's just for a day. If you go up the coast...which is nice...you're going to spend most of your time driving.

-- Jim Tardio (jimtardio@earthlink.net), November 30, 2001.