Treasure Island Beach ranks among the most iconic of Southern California’s world famous beaches. Located in Laguna Beach, it competes with other classy white sand beaches and is much less crowded than you would expect, considering its turquoise blue water, clean, sand and easy access. This makes it a prime target for beach photography and a favorite for wedding and portrait photographers.

Treasure Island Park, which sits on the cliffs above the beach, is a beautifully landscaped park with benches and overlooks, courtesy of the Montage, a five star resort. The public access park has spectacular views and easy access to the beach below. This would be a perfect location to spend the day and relax, but the sun will wear you out eventually.

Stay active instead and explore the tidepools, the beach, and the cliffs. Treasure Island Park and Treasure Island Beach are exciting to photograph. I am sure your fellow travelers will not mind the stop either.

How to get there

The park is located along the Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. Turn west on Wesley Drive into the underground garage. The garage is small and if you cannot find a spot, you can also park on PCH northbound, across PCH or south on PCH at the larger Aliso Beach parking lot.

GPS position

• 33°30’47.78″N 117°45’19.41″W

How to photograph Treasure Island Park

Montage Cove

The old saying, f/8 and be there, is probably the only advise you need here. It means you cannot go wrong. Just show up, use a generic setting on your camera (f/8), and you will be successful. Use a polarizing filter to enhance the blue water and the green cliffs and keep moving. Explore the beach below and the tidepools. It is worth the effort.

There is a large hole or arch in the rocks below. Use it to frame a beach scene or incorporate it in a wide-angle shot. Find a couple on a bench, overlooking the cove below, for a romantic shot or children playing in the sand below. There are many ways you can maximize your photography experience here, even if you do not wish to incorporate strangers in your photos.

PCH & beach

Pay attention when you climb on the cliffs, they can be slippery. Stash your camera away to keep your hands free and pull it from your bag when you arrive at your destination.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Orange County is busy. I prefer to come here during the off-season. The best time is during winter, when the sunsets are more dramatic and early spring, when the vegetation comes to live.

Mornings are far less crowded than afternoons and sunset time. Morning is best for daylight shots.

Time required

You should plan at least one hour, preferably two.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Zoom lens
• Tripod
• CP filter
• Water
• Shade (hat)
• Sunglasses
• Sun cream
• Quarters for the parking machines
• Picnic cooler

Fees

Parking in the garage, on PCH, and Aliso Beach is $0.25/10min. There is a large grocery store (Albertsons) across PCH, but I advise against parking there, since the parking lot is only for shoppers.

Close Locations

• Victoria Beach
• Newport Beach
• Crystal Cove State Park
• Huntington Beach
• Crystal Cathedral
• Dana Point
• San Juan Capistrano
• Belmont Shore
• Queen Mary
• Shoreline Village, Long Beach

Useful Resources

• A Treasure Island Park Blog Post
• What Yelpers say

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Mission San Juan Capistrano is my favorite California mission. Its title, “The Jewel of the Missions”, fits the photogenic gardens, beautiful colonnades, and courtyards. The Mission is larger than it appears from the outside. Small alleys give way to courtyards and beautiful gardens with native plants. The tasteful restoration of Mission San Juan Capistrano has preserved the old feeling, giving it a presence and authenticity that other missions lack.

When Father Junipero Serra founded San Juan Capistrano Mission in 1776 for the second time, he resurrected the Mission founded and abandoned one year before. The chapel, built in 1782, is the oldest building still in use in California. The Mission is home to large flocks of swallows that return here for the summer. Every March 19, the city of San Juan Capistrano holds a large street fair with a parade in honor of the swallows.

Mission San Juan Capistrano is a terrific photo destination. Tourists rarely overcrowd the mission, despite its convenient location along I-5 in Orange County. You will find new compositions for hours on end with a chance to learn about the history of California’s settlement. Take an extra day for your trip between L.A. and San Diego to see the Mission, town, and coast.

How to get there

Take exit 82 (CA-74/Ortega Highway) from I-5 (southbound and northbound) and head toward San Juan Capistrano. You will arrive in front of the mission after just two blocks. Several parking lots surround the Mission, making it relatively easy to find a spot.

GPS position

• 33°30’7.06″N 117°39’45.53″W

How to photograph Mission San Juan Capistrano

Central Courtyard Fountain

There are many great places within the mission to photograph and there are always some people around. I normally patiently wait for people to exit my frame so that I can take the picture I want, but here I suggest a different approach: simply go somewhere else. Remember that place and come back later for another attempt. Usually, the people that always seem to want to stay in your photograph will have moved elsewhere.

There are three fountains on the mission grounds, each attracting people like magnets. These are the most rewarding foregrounds, but also the most difficult to photograph without tourists. During my third attempt, I found the fountain empty. I used a wide-angle lens without any filters. Since I wanted the fish in the foreground and the North Corridor in the background, I needed a very small aperture to enhance my depth of field. I manually pre-focused my lens in the distance (somewhere between the fountain and the building) and took a few photographs. Trying to keep the horizon straight, leaving some space above the palm tree for a good composition, and observing the fish in the foreground until they swam into a good spot in my picture was difficult. The perfect picture came together in a split second, requiring fast action. Knowing the ins and outs of my camera helped me to time this shot and avoid the tourists at the same time.

Hummingbird

Even more difficult was this hummingbird shot. They are easy to catch while they are sitting still, but very hard to photograph in flight. I botched several shots until I got a good one. Either my camera would not focus fast enough, focus on a leaf that got in the way or the little hummers would just dodge my lens in the last split second. I set my camera to focus tracking to keep the cute birds sharp. Then I selected only the center focus point, since this would prevent the camera from focusing on something else besides the bird, as long as I kept that point on the bird (very hard). I chose a short exposure time (1/400 – 1/320) to avoid camera shake and freeze the motion of the wings and used a mid range aperture. I wanted enough depth to keep the bird sharp, yet keep the background out of focus.

Remain patient and enjoy the natural setting as much as you can to avoid frustration. Catching a hummingbird in flight is very tricky.

Bells of San Juan Capistrano

Photographing architecture is always easier and equally satisfying. You can work on new compositions and learn through practice. I recommend against using tripods whenever you can, since tripods behave like large anchors tying you down. Stay flexible, move around, and experiment.

Elephant Feet

The “elephant feet” above are a good example of flexible photography. I chose a low point of view and kept the tree trunks high in my picture, giving them the appearance of an elephant. The photograph of the fountain with fish would not have been possible on a tripod either. I saw the fish swim toward me, set the camera while raising it to my eye, and shot the picture all within a second or two. That did not leave any time to set up a tripod. Tripods are useful once you found a composition, have settled on it, and try to optimize the parameters, but they are terrible choices for location scouting and deciding on good places to photograph.

Archway

Pay attention to the lighting! I had already shot the colonnade that you can see in the introduction but when I came back, the sun was at a different angle. It started to illuminate the long path and paint bright arches on the wall. I took the picture again and liked it better than my previous shot. The image above is actually the same place, only seen from the opposite side. I liked the archway and the painted walls, but I also like how the shadows tell us what is going on further back into the picture. We automatically deduce that this must be a long colonnade, because of the sun and shadow pattern.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The gardens are magnificent, even in winter, but spring has to be the best time to visit. If you come on March 19, you can celebrate the arrival of the swallows with the entire town. Any time after March 19 and before the summer gets too hot offers the best of everything.

Time required

I recommend spending at least three hours inside the mission, if you manage to keep your fellow travelers at bay long enough. Sending them to discover the antique stores and fine restaurants outside should give you the extra time you need to fully appreciate this unique mission.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Telephoto lens
• Macro lens
• Tripod (for macro shots, otherwise no)
• Polarizing filter

Fees

The entrance fee for adults is $9. Seniors (60+) pay $8 and Children between 4-11 years pay $5.

Commercial Photography and Professional Portrait Photography requires a permit, $1Mio liability insurance, and a steep fee.

Close Locations

• Dana Point
• Laguna Beach
• Newport Beach
• Crystal Cove State Park
• Huntington Beach
• Crystal Cathedral
• Belmont Shore
• Carlsbad
• Mission San Luis Rey
• San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Useful Resources

• Historical Society Page
• Cliff Swallows of SJC
• Wikipedia Entry

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Labeling San Pedro as Long Beach’s ugly neighbor would be unfair to the busy port city that offers more than a few good photo spots. However, San Pedro is not the first choice of tourists, unless they are heading for one of the cruise ship terminals.

I felt the atmosphere change in the car after we crossed over the Vincent Thomas Bridge from Long Beach into San Pedro. Dani unintentionally became tenser when we drove through some of the economically depressed areas in search for good photo spots. She knows I take my scouting seriously, but I could tell she was wondering why I decided to stop here. Her doubts mounted when I dropped the car in a shady side street, with our belongings in the trunk, to investigate the cruise ship terminals and look for a good place to photograph the bridge. Eventually, we discovered some places that are worth the tour through San Pedro.

Point Fermin, a charming coastal bluffs park, seems to struggle with decay, trash, and overuse in this depressed neighborhood. The Korean Friendship Bell overlooks the city from atop a hill with gorgeous views. These and a view other sights make the trip worthwhile, but the apparent lack of tempting restaurants and hotels inform you clearly to leave before sunset.

How to get there

You can take the I-710 and I-110 freeways to San Pedro.

Take I-710 south to Seaside Freeway and Vincent Thomas Bridge. Cross the bridge and take exit 1A to Gaffey Street, toward San Pedro. Follow N. Gaffey Street for about 2.6 miles until you see the Korean Friendship Bell on your right.

Take I-110 south until it turns into N. Gaffey Street. Follow it about 2.6 miles to the Korean Friendship Bell.

GPS position

• 33°42’38.44″N 118°17’36.82″W

How to photograph San Pedro

Vincent Thomas Bridge

You cannot miss the cruise ship terminal as soon as you get off the bridge. A water fountain at the intersection of S. Harbor Boulevard and N. Front Street and the shining cruise ship behind it immediately drew my attention. While I was preoccupied with the possibilities, I did not consider the area much until I returned. Instead, I dropped the car at the commuter parking lot on N. Beacon Street and headed to the fountain.

The fountain shoots water into the sky in short intervals. Lacking an appealing background (cruise ships do not count), I took a few photographs but I was not very delighted with the result. Then I walked past the cruise ship on N. Front Street for a better view of the Vincent Thomas Bridge (above) and a closer view of the containers (in the introduction). If you continue on this path, you will get to the SS Lane Victory, a WWII transport ship now serving as a museum.

Point Fermin Lighthouse

I chose not to wander on deck and into the bowels of an ancient bucket and decided to see what Point Fermin had to offer. The park itself is a bit scruffy, but the lighthouse looked interesting and the views from the cliffs are good. Unfortunately, you cannot photograph inside the lighthouse, a deal breaker for me. The lighthouse that could be at home in an upscale New England beach community looks good from the outside too. I used a wide-angle lens for this shot and corrected the perspective distortion in Photoshop.

You have good views of communities to the north and with a telephoto lens, you can photograph the Los Angeles Harbor (Angel’s Gate) Lighthouse from up here.

Korean Friendship Bell

The views from the Angels Gate Park are also good. The main attraction of this park is the Korean Bell of Friendship. The massive bronze bell is housed in a shrine with typical Asian architecture, pretty but difficult to photograph. After a wind gust caught me, I lost balance and nearly fell of the stairs and flat on my nose. I tried to compose a picture with the ocean in the background, but the light was not good, so I settled on a composition that included the San Pedro Hills in the background, taking advantage of the small opening in the dull sky.

Harbor View

Just one block north of the Bell on S. Gaffey Street is a viewpoint for the Los Angeles Harbor. The size of this transport hub is hard to comprehend and show in pictures. This is the best spot to get an overview of the harbor, but it is dull to photograph this place. From here, I spotted the Cabrillo Beach Park that connects to the Angels Gate Lighthouse (below).

Angels Gate Lighthouse

I entered the park and discovered California’s most depressing beach, facing the Los Angeles Harbor, and an ugly concrete pier that had a decent view of the lighthouse. The grey weather did not afford me a good photograph and sent me off with the same gloomy impression we had when we got here. I am sure there are more things to explore in San Pedro, but California has too many beautiful places to warrant a return visit to San Pedro.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Any day is equally good to see what I saw. I recommend not staying past sunset. I would leave even sooner so that I could see the sunset in Belmont Shore or any other more appealing place.

Time required

Two hours are probably more than you can stand unless you are a hardcore industrial photographer.

Equipment

• Telephoto Lens
• Wide-angle lens
• Haze Filter
• Warming Filter
• CP filter

Fees

Visiting the Korean Bell and Bell Pavilion is free. The lighthouse asks for a small donation. Parking at Cabrillo Beach Park is free for the first 20 minutes; then $1/hour with a maximum of $9/day.

Close Locations

• Shoreline Village
• Queen Mary
• Russian Foxtrot Submarine
• Belmont Shore
• Point Vicente
• Naples Island
• Huntington Beach
• Newport Beach
• Santa Catalina Island
• Crystal Cathedral
• Disneyland
• Downtown Los Angles
• Huntington Library

Useful Resources

• San Pedro attractions (map)

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Shoreline Village is a testament to America’s favorite pastime activities – shopping, snacking, and sailing. The colorful amusement park style shops offer everything you do not need and will buy regardless, things you should not eat but definitely will, and overpriced restaurants that are full no matter the cost. Spending money is easy in the tourist trap that the locals love so much.

The candy colored buildings, seabirds, and views of the natural harbor with the ocean liner Queen Mary make this place a good photo opportunity, as long as you do not leave your loved ones alone with the vacation fund. Look beyond the kitschy façade and you will discover that Shoreline Village has more to offer than ways to spend money. It is a pleasant oasis near a busy harbor. If it were not for the ticking parking meters, I could spend an entire day here relaxing in the warm Southern California sun.

How to get there

Shoreline Village Map

Take I-710 south to Long Beach, then take exit 1C toward the Aquarium. Merge onto W. Shoreline Drive. After 1.8 miles, turn right on Shoreline Village Drive.

GPS position

• 33°45’36.94″N 118°11’21.69″W

How to photograph Shoreline Village

shoreline aquatic park

Start your tour at the Shoreline Aquatic Park on the west side. The main focal point is the Lion’s Lighthouse for Sight, built in 2000. It stands atop a small mound, from which you have good views of Shoreline Village and Parkers Lighthouse (image below) across the water and the skyline and paddlewheel steamer behind the lighthouse. The lighthouse itself is difficult to photograph from the park. It towers too high when you are on the small hill. I took the picture above from the path west (outlined on the map). Other good places to photograph the lighthouse are on the Pier off Pine Avenue (see map) and on the small visitors dock next to Parkers Lighthouse (image below).

I prefer the photograph above, since it incorporates the walkway, leading to the lighthouse, inviting the viewer deeper into the picture. As it gently slopes ahead, it leads us straight to the lighthouse.

Parkers Lighthouse

I incorporated a seagull in the foreground of the Parkers Lighthouse image that I took from the small hill. It conveys a sense of the marine landscape and fits well into the composition.

The required depth of field between the distant building and the close bird is difficult to master. I also used a long focal length to draw the background and foreground closer together, which further complicated the depth of field. Keeping the foreground and the background in focus would result in an extremely small aperture, which would cause diffraction problems. I therefore chose to trade foreground sharpness for a sharper background. That is acceptable, due to the larger relative sizes of foreground subjects and the way our brain perceives images as sharp, even if not all parts are equally sharp.

Different rules apply to the egret that I discovered on the dock near Parkers Lighthouse. Obviously, the bird needs to be sharp and the surrounding environment should not distract too much from the main subject, the bird. I purposely placed it on the right side of the picture, to have it look into the picture rather than out. It is paramount to leave sufficient space in the line of sight of animals or people from the edge of the frame. I focused on the bird itself and kept a medium aperture setting.

egret

Egrets are notoriously difficult to photograph. They occupy a relatively small space in the frame and since the camera tries to average exposure throughout the frame, it overexposes the bird that is often much brighter than the background. Use spot metering and/or exposure compensation to compensate for this effect! Review your histogram and make sure it does not clip on the right! The pixels to the far right are usually the white birds. Direct sunlight compounds this issue, making it very difficult to photograph egrets on sunny days.

Obviously, you cannot count on finding birds in the same spot, but there are a number of them around. If you move quietly, you maximize your chances of spotting them.

Queen Mary

From the narrow outlet that shelters the marina, you have a good view of the ocean liner Queen Mary that now serves as a hotel and tourist attraction, as well as cruise ships that may anchor in Long Beach. You could work an angle on the Long Beach Skyline incorporating the yachts in the foreground or look for egrets and seagulls to spice up your shots.

On a sunny day, the narrow land is always good for a pleasant stroll away from the hectic city life, a picnic or just to relax and spend some of the best hours of your life. You could even forget the parking meter, since the maximum is still affordable. This place is worth it after all.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The weather in Long Beach seems to be sunny, interrupted with a few rare but strong storms in winter. Avoid stormy and windy days, especially those causing high surf. Otherwise, there is no bad time to visit this area. If your time is limited, you can come here during the day and go somewhere else for your sunset shots, seeing that you can create good photos throughout most of the day.

Time required

Two hours near Shoreline Village, thirty minutes in Shoreline Aquatic Park (the location of the tall lighthouse) and 20 minutes on the pier are about the minimum time you should spend here.

Equipment

• Image stabilized lens
• Wide-angle lens

Fees

Parking rates are $2 per 20 minutes, with a maximum of $8. With minimum purchase, you can validate parking for up to 2 hours and $1. During special events, like 4th of July, there may be a flat rate of $10, but you could park in the lot with self service parking machines.

Close Locations

• Queen Mary
• Russian Foxtrot Submarine
• Belmont Shore
• San Pedro
• Point Vicente
• Naples Island
• Huntington Beach
• Newport Beach
• Laguna Beach, Treasure Island
• Santa Catalina Island
• Crystal Cathedral
• Disneyland
• Downtown Los Angles
• Huntington Library

Useful Resources

• Long Beach Marina
• Everything LB: Shoreline Village

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Clinging to the cliffs between lavish Orange County residences and the Coastal Highway, Crystal Cove State Park is a pristine refuge for naturalists and a godsend to photographers. It offers a wide range of outdoor water sports activities, ranging from fishing to diving, surfing, and kite flying. Miles of backcountry trails and several campsites provide a sense of nature and open space that make it easy to forget the proximity to the yachts of Newport Beach and the villas of Laguna Beach.

The weather conditions that attract wealthy Orange County residents to this area make Crystal Cove State Park a year-round pleasant destination. Dramatic Southern California sunsets, rugged cliffs, tidepools, and an unspoiled mountainous backcountry wilderness area will give you a chance to deploy your full creativity on this beautiful landscape and to walk home with fond memories and a full memory (card).

How to get there

Crystal Cove State Park is located along Pacific Coast Highway, south of Newport Beach and north of Laguna Beach. It is impossible to miss.

GPS position

• 33°34’41.37″N 117°50’29.20″W

How to photograph Crystal Cove State Park

seagull

You need good light to create superior pictures of coastal landscapes. Throughout most of the day, poor light creates a flat, washed out landscape. A circular polarizing filter helps the situation a little, bringing some color to your shots, but it cannot substitute for good light. Avoid the CP filter with very short focal lengths, since they can cause unsightly gradients in the sky, especially when you boost contrast.

Trail

Use the day to enjoy yourself, scout good places and take some location snaps that help you identify good locations for the late afternoon. Photograph surfers, kites or children playing in the sand during the day, or go on a backcountry-hiking trip and leave the landscape shots for later.

historic cottage

Scouting is an important part to any successful shoot, but at Crystal Cove State Park, you just need to look around the Historic District for your sunset location. The warm light augments the charm of the 1920’s and 1930’s beach cottages that were built before the usual development restrictions.

The State Park restored 22 of the 46 cottages for public use and will restore the remaining cottages in the near future. The yet-to-be-restored cottages at the north end are the most photogenic. With their crooked fences and rugged charm, they challenge the lavish Orange County esthetic with simple bungalow charisma.

Crystal Cove State Park is home to several spectacular tidepools. You need to consult a tidepool chart for low tides and pick a day where the tide is low during the early morning hours. Otherwise, countless park visitors will scare or carry away any trace of amphibian life. Use a circular polarizing filter to cut the glare from the water and put your camera on the tripod to deal with the low light and the additional losses that your filter causes. I further recommend a cable release.

I used the tidepool as a foreground reflecting pool in the picture in the introduction, thus incorporating it into a larger landscape.

sunset

Crystal Cove is a romantic getaway location for stressed LA lovebirds. It is easy to let the fantastic photo choices sweep you away, but remember to enjoy the landscape and the people who travel with you. Soak up the tranquility that lingers here from a quieter era.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

You can spend an entire day at Crystal Cove. If you cannot afford this much time, I recommend the afternoon, including sunset. Make sure you park at the Los Trancos Entrance parking lot, across the Pacific Coast Highway from the Historic District. The parking areas inside the park close at sunset and the fines for violation are very steep.

This part of California enjoys the best climate year round. I personally prefer the off-season winter months for the cheaper prices, fewer crowds, and dramatic weather conditions. Spring is the best time to visit the park, since the wildflowers will add additional color to your photos.

Time required

I recommend visiting at least half a day. Prioritize if you cannot afford this much time. See the Historic District and the easy access to the Bluffs near Pelican Point.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Telephoto Lens
• Cleaning kit
• Layered clothing
• Water and snacks

Fees

The park charges a steep $15 parking fee. Share a ride with someone, park outside and take a bike or consider going all out and getting the State Park Pass for $125, which will give you access to many other California State Parks.

You need a permit and insurance if you work here with clients (Wedding and Portrait Photography).

Close Locations

• Laguna Beach
• Newport Beach
• Huntington Beach
• Crystal Cathedral
• Dana Point
• San Juan Capistrano Mission
• Belmont Shore
• Queen Mary
• Shoreline Village, Long Beach

Useful Resources

• State Park Website
• Cottage Reservations
• Crystal Cove Info

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2009’s top list was very successful. Many of my readers appreciated the short summary and keeping with this tradition, I hereby present to you my favorite places of 2010. This year was very exciting. I introduced my new iPhone application, a travel companion that makes all my articles available for offline consumption. I have traveled to many new places, collecting photographs and ideas for new location guides, and much more. I have revisited many places and I have discovered new places as well.

Wrapping up another fantastic year of photography, gives me the chance to go back to some of my favorites again.

January

Kelso Dunes at sunset

January is a great time to visit the Kelso Dunes in the Mojave Desert. Desert scenes look fantastic in winter, due to the clouds that add vivid color to the otherwise bleak landscape. The temperatures are also more bearable than in summer.

The gigantic Kelso Dunes are located in the Mojave Desert, one of the least visited parks in California. The dunes are so large, that you can find a remote place without footprints or any other obstruction. The Kelso Dunes are my favorite place for dune photography in California.

February

Japanese Drum Bridge in Huntington Library Garden

If you haven’t been to the Huntington Library and Gardens in Pasadena, you missed one of the most amazing attractions in the Los Angeles area. Several themed gardens and fine exhibits will provide you with countless hours of entertainment and photo fun.

March

Entrance to the Japanese Tea Garden

If you ever wanted to visit the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, you should consider a visit in March. The cherry blossoms will add color to an already vibrantly colorful garden. You have a small window of opportunity, during which the tea garden will shine at its maximum glory.

April

Storm Clouds over Poppy Field

April is the time of the year when I drive long distances to take photographs of flowers. I resist Dani’s challenge to my manhood and decide to become a flower boy. The California Poppy Reserve in Antelope Valley is one of the most spectacular places to see the state flower lighting up entire landscapes. Nature’s impressive display of color brings me here and it is worth it, every  time.

May

Death Valley Racetrack Black and White

I put off a visit to Death Valley’s Racetrack far too long. Park Rangers keep urban legends of a difficult road alive to keep people away, and travelers who “made it” perpetuate the story to bathe in heroism. It’s all rubbish! If you possess a healthy amount of common sense and natural fear, you will be fine. A visit to this remote area is a rewarding experience. The mysterious stones that slide across the desert floor, leave tracks on the dry lake bed that even puzzle scientists.

June

Plane Tails at Night - USS Midway

See the USS Midway, a retired aircraft carrier in the port of San Diego. Visiting this floating fortress is a humbling experience. It is hard to comprehend how any shipyard can build ships of this size.

My inner geek, which is fascinated by all things technical, is responsible for this nomination. If you like technical stuff, if you are inclined to pull out your camera at the sight of a shiny machine, the Midway will blow your mind.

July

Golden Gate from Fort Point

Fort Point is a civil war fort that is located underneath the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The mix of location and history make the fort one of my favorite places in San Francisco, where the temperature is mild, even in summer. At the height of the travel season, you will find more people here than usual, but the views from the fort make it easy to leave people out or include them in your photographs according to your preference.

August

Mono Lake Sunrise

Take a drive through Yosemite’s Tioga Pass to Mono Lake, famous for its Tufa formations. Tufa, limestone formations that form at mineral rich underwater springs, have become visible due to water drainage. With these strange formations exposed above water, photographers will find an alien looking landscape unique in the world.

September

Tule Elk Bull

September is the end of the mating season for the Tule Elk, a perfect time for a visit to the Tule Elk Reserve in Point Reyes National Seashore. During the short hike, you will experience the majestic elk in their natural habitat.

October

Mobius Arch backlit

In October, temperatures usually start to drop in the south-eastern parts of California, making a visit to the Alabama Hills a good idea, especially if you aren’t quite ready to let go of the summer yet.

The Alabama Hills have served as backdrop for many science fiction and western movies.  Today the Hills still captivate visitors with their beauty.

November

Engine Room Steering Wheel

A Southern California landmark is my destination of choice for November. The RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner from the golden age of transatlantic sea travel. It serves as a hotel and tourist attraction in Long Beach.

Discover how people of high society used to travel, visit the bridge and engine room, and go on a ghost tour through the hunted bowels of the ship. This ship is fun to visit and to photograph.

December

Seals

Avila Beach is the perfect destination year round. It is an off the beaten path, spectacularly beautiful beach destination along the Central Coast. The weather is pleasant most of the year but since beachgoers dot the sands of the cove in summer, I prefer winter.

With most of the tourists gone, the sea life reclaims the cove. There is less competition for restaurant seats and the tranquil relaxing atmosphere makes it a perfect getaway in December.

Come back soon to read about new destinations in 2011.

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In California’s most exclusive, affluent, and narcissistic community lays a villa modeled after ancient Roman and Greek villas complete with lavish gardens, reflecting pools, and countless statues. This most exclusive retreat easily outshines other villas in this high priced neighborhood, yet it is a not a playground for the rich and famous, but for everyone with a desire for culture and beauty.

A testament to the greatest ancient empires that ever existed, the Getty Villa sits on a hill, overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the distance. Countless guards protect the valuable collections from hordes of blaring schoolchildren who invade the property on a regular basis and shortly disrupt the silence and tranquility of this wonderful palace.

I could easily have spent the entire day here, meditating and enjoying the most impressive and complete collection of historic artifacts I have ever seen, but I had to travel the long distance back to San Francisco. Take your time and do not miss one of California’s finest places.

How to get there

Take the Santa Monica Freeway I-10 west from L.A., until you get to the Pacific Coast Highway (US-1). Turn north and arrive at the entrance to the Getty Villa after 5.1 miles. Stay in the right lane and pay close attention to the signs. You cannot miss the entrance, or you have to do a difficult circle back.

From Highway 101, you can take the road through Malibu Creek State Park, or even better take PCH from Oxnard south, for a scenic drive.

Keep in mind that traffic will be heavy on all roads leading into the greater L.A. area during a weekday. This includes PCH and 101. Make sure you plan your travel accordingly.

GPS position

• 34° 2’40.03″N 118°33’56.35″W

How to photograph the Getty Villa

Arched Entrance

The extravagant architecture of the villa, the expertly maintained gardens with pools, and the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape are very satisfying photographic subjects that will capture your attention for a while.

If you reserved a ticket for an early time, I recommend starting at the reflecting pool located in the outer peristyle, a roman type garden. You can see this classic shot in the introduction section of this article. Spectators sometimes enhance the feeling of pictures, but this is not the case here. Unfortunately, you cannot bring a tripod, but modern image editing software can align several consecutive images of the same scene, which is useful for removing people digitally.

Colonnade

From the pictures of this article, you can see that I favor a wide-angle lens at a location like this. The optical distortion of a wide-angle lens increases distance between near and far subjects, creating a feeling of infinity. This works especially well with the picture above, where a viewer can hardly see the end.

Make sure you hold the camera level, in order to prevent ugly perspective distortions. Instead, hold your camera high or low if you wish to change the perspective. Extreme wide-angle shots often suffer from this unsightly distortion and require correction.

A zoom lens is also useful during your visit to complement your pictures with images of fine detail and design pattern that you can find on the walls, the ceilings, and the floors. Zooming closer to a repetitive pattern will leave viewers puzzled what is actually shown, if the image is displayed without context.

Statues

The exhibits are not as interesting from a photographic standpoint, but are extremely fascinating to explore. The completeness of the collection is astounding. Make sure you remember to boost your ISO sensitivity and to keep your flash off. Flash is usually not good for artwork, but natural light looks best in almost every case.

Will Rogers State Beach

Nearby Will Rogers State Beach is a perfect place to stop and soak in the beautiful Malibu landscape. The beach was calling to us on our trip to this beautiful place, and while I was still mesmerized by the beautiful colors of this morning, Dani spotted a few dolphins surfing the waves. As we lost ourselves in their graceful movements and carefree play, we said goodbye to this spectacular place in beautiful Southern California.

Dolfin Fin

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

I recommend reserving a ticket forthe first time slot at 10am. This will give you the chance to see the reflecting pool without people and to photograph some of the architectural highlights unobstructed. I prefer the soft light of the winter months, when the angle of the sun is lower, but it is much less important here.

We actually got in before 10am. The exhibits were not open yet, but the outer peristyle (large outdoor garden with reflecting pool) was accessible already.

Time required

You should plan at least two hours for your visit to the Villa. That will allow you to take a series of good photographs and gives you enough time to enjoy the art without rushing.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Zoom Lens
• CP Filter
• Small photo bag (leave the heavy stuff behind)

Fees

Entrance to the Center is free. Parking costs $15. You need to make a reservation online before you can get on the property.

Close Locations

• Getty Center
• Malibu
• Topanga State Park
• Venice Beach and Canals
• Santa Monica
• Marina Del Rey
• The Huntington Library and Gardens
• Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
• Downtown Los Angles
• Walt Disney Concert Hall
• Griffith Observatory
• Mulholland Drive

Useful Resources

• The Getty

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Belmont Shore offers the relaxed Southern California Beach atmosphere you expect when you visit this neck of the world. CSI Miami fans may feel a strange déjà vu here.

Fear not, you neither are in the Matrix nor have you teleported to Florida, you simply stumbled on the secret filming locations for the show. Looking through my sunset pictures, I realized David Caruso’s hair is not to blame for CSI Miami’s characteristic orange tint, but rather the Southern California sun.

You will find palm lined promenades, spectacular sunsets, and a photogenic pier. A perfect picture, if the trash, stray dogs, and dirt would not spoil it otherwise. You can avoid most of those imperfections in your pictures, but you can find better places to hang out for the day.

How to get there

Drive southeast on E. Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach. Follow it to the very end and park your car at the metered lot. Parking is free after 6pm (check the meter), which is perfect if you arrive for sunset shots.

A second, larger parking lot is located near the intersection of E. Ocean Boulevard and Bennett Avenue. This lot is closer to the pier area. You can also park at the pier parking lot at the southern end of S. Termino Avenue, but this lot fills up faster.

GPS position

• 33°45’8.34″N 118° 7’54.77″W

How to photograph Belmont Shore

Belmont Beach Footsteps

Walking along the shore, I saw these footprints in the sand. By using a very short focal length, I was able to get the footprint in the foreground and the city skyline in the background into the same picture. The short focal length makes it easier to keep everything in focus. I manually focused to 2m and used a narrow aperture to accomplish this large depth of field. On the focus ring of this lens, 2m is very close to infinity. This ensures that everything in the distance is very sharp. I rather compromise sharpness in the foreground, where a small amount of blur is the size of a grain of sand than in the background, where it can be as large as a building.

My camera was only a few inches above the ground. I used the live view mode to help me in the composition and to keep my horizon straight.

The footprints draw the viewer into the picture, to the bright sun. After we look at this image for a while, we notice the skyline of Long Beach in the distance, just where the sun sets. Bright locations usually draw our attention and since our eyes naturally wander to the lower right corner, the footprints bring us back into the picture. While the layers slowly unfold and we discover more details, the picture remains interesting for a longer time.

Belmont Shore Lifeguard Tower

Beach photographs often lack a strong subject and a focal point. There is water and sand and sometimes a sunset. You have to work harder to make the subject work. Pick a strong foreground subject and get very low with your camera to add interest or look for other subjects such as this lifeguard tower.

The skyline of Long Beach is about the same distance in this photograph, but it appears much larger, due to the longer focal length. Walking closer to the lifeguard tower and using a shorter focal length would make it smaller.

Belmont Pier by mslaura

The Belmont Pier is a good place to photograph anglers and to get a different perspective on the beach. By itself, it is not very photogenic, but its silhouette looks good against the setting sun and its lights look good 30 minutes after the sunset, when you can still get some colors in the sky.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The time before sunset has the best light. If you are lucky enough to have some clouds in the sky, but an unobstructed view of the horizon where you expect the sun to set, you can bet on a legendary and spectacular Southern California sunset.

Time required

You need at least one hour to get a glimpse of the beach, but you can easily spend a leisurely afternoon photographing and enjoying the sun.

Equipment

• Zoom Lens
• CP Filter
• Wide-angle lens

Fees

Beach access is free.

Close Locations

• Naples Island and Canals
• Huntington Beach
• Newport Beach
• Laguna Beach, Treasure Island
• Crystal Cove State Park
• Shoreline Village
• Queen Mary
• San Pedro
• Mission San Juan Capistrano
• Palos Verdes
• Santa Catalina Island
• Point Vicente
• Crystal Cathedral
• Disneyland
• Huntington Library

Useful Resources

• Belmont Shore . Org

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Fort Tejon is conveniently located along Interstate 5, the main travel artery connecting Los Angeles to Northern California and the Central Valley. Its location is too convenient for its own good. I have flown past the Fort countless times, on my way to and from destinations in the south, always noting that the location would make it a perfect candidate to visit some other time.

On a recent trip south, I decided that it was time to follow in the footsteps of the Indians and scout out the Fort the white men built to suppress them and to protect settlers and fortune seekers.

I discovered a snake infested, arid highland paradise that suffers greatly from the reduction in State Park funding, but can still provide a pleasant diversion from hours of traveling along dull I-5. If you find yourself in one of the notorious traffic jams, or if you are about to hit Santa Clarita arriving from the north, you could easily spend a little time at the Fort, waiting for traffic to die down.

How to get there

Fort Tejon is located in the scenic Grapevine Canyon near Tejon Pass on I-5. When you travel on I-5 between Bakersfield and Santa Clarita, you will clearly see the brown signs announcing the exit. The parking lot is next to the interstate highway.

GPS position

• 34°52’27.03″N 118°53’38.51″W

How to photograph Fort Tejon SHP

Officer's Quarters

Fort Tejon hosts a large variety of special events, re-enactments, Frontier Days, and other shows. You should try to align your visit with these events. The Fort Tejon Historical Association (link in Resource section below) keeps a complete list of events.

These events breathe excitement into the dull collection of houses with a giant flag and make it worthwhile to come here. The Quartermaster’s shop may be open to demonstrations and re-enactors in authentic costumes will give you a sense of early life in the fort.

If you visit on a regular day, as I did, you will wonder why you bothered to stop, much less pay an entrance fee to see two old houses on a dusty dry field. Most of the other buildings are only foundations and the only buildings I could enter were the Barracks, Officers Quarters and the Jail shed.

Revolvers

The Barracks contain an exhibit of artifacts of 19^th century military life. I photographed the revolvers in a showcase. I made myself as big as possible, to prevent glare from the windows and the white walls in the background. Then I used high ISO and did not use flash to avoid glare on the glass.

Using the two cannons as my foreground and the Officer’s Quarters and mountains in the back, I could produce a couple of decent photographs. While standing underneath the flag, I waited for the wind to pick up. When it finally did, it blew the flag in front of the sun. I quickly leapt into position for the photograph at the beginning of the article. Bouncing around on the dry grass and looking up, made me nervous about the rattlers.

Vista del Lago

Nearby Pyramid Lake is a paradise for recreational boating and the Vista del Lago Visitor center offers good views of the lake. Both are located south of Fort Tejon, each with a separate exit from I-5.

The Visitor Center includes a water museum, with countless interesting facts about water and water management in California. The back porch of the museum provides the best viewpoint of the lake below.

Warning

We visited Fort Tejon on a hot day and immediately noticed the Rattlesnake warning signs posted everywhere. Sure enough, we heard a few of them shake their rear ends at us from a bush and wood stack and we saw a young snake.

Consequently, I tiptoed through the grass in my sandals, on the way to get a better angle on the flag pictures with my eyes fixed to the ground.

Naturally, the wise thing to do is to stay out of harm’s way, which most passionate photographers will find extremely difficult.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Spring is the best season to visit Fort Tejon and Pyramid Lake. You will find California Poppies and other wildflowers in the area that will make a stop much more interesting.

During the winter, heavy snowfall sometimes forces the closure of the pass.

Time required

Unless you come for a special event, you can see the Fort in 30 minutes to one hour.

Equipment

• Zoom Lens
• Image Stabilized Lens for indoor shots
• Polarizing Filter
• Picnic

Fees

The park charges a $5 entrance fee per adult while children enter free.

Special events cost $7 and $3 respectively.

Close Locations

• Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
• Sepse Condor Sanctuary – Los Padres Mountains
• Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
• Calico Ghost Town
• Getty Center
• Red Rock Canyon State Park
• Kramer Junction
• Silver City Ghost Town

Useful Resources

• Official Park Website
• Fort Tejon Historical Association

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Only the advent of affordable transatlantic flights put an end to the dominance of the great ocean liners. The Queen Mary, larger and more powerful than the Titanic, crossed the Atlantic Ocean 1,001 times. During one of these crossings during World War II, she carried American Troops establishing a record of the most people ever carried on a vessel that still stands today.

Impressive size, stateliness, and scenery still characterize this impressive ship, even after its conversion into a Long Beach hotel. You can tour the ship and discover the magic of the great ocean liners, of an area where the wealthy traveled in style.

Allegedly haunted, the ship also offers a variety of ghostly encounters and tours that will let your blood freeze in your veins should you believe in such mumbo jumbo. For the rest of us, the ghostly tours are still first rate entertainment and bugbears.

Ship Ahoy skippers! Step aboard one of the last grandiose ocean liners and preserve the memory in your photographs.

How to get there

Simply take the Long Beach Freeway (710) south from Los Angeles, Highway 5, Highway 405, or Highway 10. Take exit 1A toward Queen Mary and follow the signs to Queen Mary, on Queens Highway.

GPS position

• 33°45’11.41″N 118°11’25.90″W

How to photograph the RMS Queen Mary

Queen Mary

You can see the Queen Mary from the pier, but the number of possible compositions is very limited, with no good view of the ship. The Foxtrot class submarine and the hotel additions take away from the grand appearance (see image). A better place to photograph the ship is from the long walking pier of the Marina Green Park on the opposite side of bay.

Using a wide-angle lens, I was able to incorporate the moorage of the ship to draw the viewer into the distance, toward the ship. At first glance the submarine is not visible and does not interfere much with the composition. The space between the stones and the line frames the reflection of the ship, with the image opening up toward the top, which also draws our gaze to the ship.

Swimming Pool

You can pick one of several tours. I opted for the self-guided tour, since that gave me the freedom I needed to explore the areas that interested me. This way, I could outwait any potential disturbances. The general admission includes the guided “Ghosts and Legends” tour. The tour is funny, but kept mostly in the dark. It takes you to the indoor pool (above), boiler room and forward section of the ship where you get to witness a simulated crash with water entering the ship (image below).

Simulated Accident

The lighting is very bad in those places. The pool and the water have some light, allowing you to take a couple of shots, but if photography is your main goal and your time is limited, I recommend skipping this part of the tour. In the boiler room, a simulated steam blowout surprised me, bathing my camera in a wet fog.

Engine Room Steering Wheel

Walking toward the rear of the boat, you can pick up the audio tour. However you have to surrender your ID as collateral. I usually just skip the audio tour in favor of more freedom to explore. The rear lower decks include the propeller box, anchor and engine room. In the rear part, above the engine room, we found this steering wheel hidden behind a panel of instruments. The lighting in this area of the ship requires a very high ISO setting. Avoid flash whenever you can. It produces unsightly reflections off the brass and it produces flat unnatural looks.

Ship Propellor

The propeller box is an attachment to the ship, just above the waterline, to view one of the ships massive propellers. The lights and the blue/green tint of the water produce a surreal look, causing people who enter the room to gasp. I chose to include the waterline and some of the ship above the water, to give a better perspective.

Queen Mary Bridge

The bridge of this powerful vessel is yet another fun area to explore. Countless dials and levers in brass housing, two brass wheels, and the brass audio tubes give this bridge an antique elegance. The beautiful instruments are fun to photograph.

From the starboard (right) docking wing, next to the bridge, you can see downtown Long Beach. Use the small window at the end to frame the distant Villa Riviera or photograph the long row of lifeboats.

Behind the bridge you will be able to catch a glimpse of the officers and captains quarters as well as the wireless room.

Lifeboats

The large ship has many more fascinating areas that you can explore. The Queen’s Saloon on the Promenade Deck offers a glimpse into an unimaginable world of splendor, while the Main Hall (below) could easily be located on a modern cruise liner. Each section of the ship has its own appeal, so make sure you take your time and explore each area. Don’t forget to venture into the hotel area on Deck A. The long corridors are mind boggling and provide another good and often missed photo opportunity.

Main Hall

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Since many attractions of the Queen are indoors, you can come here during any weather. Check the schedule for special events, which may limit access to some areas.

Time required

Two hours are more than enough to photograph most interesting parts of the ship. Add about 45 minutes if you take the Ghosts and Legends tour.

Equipment

• Image stabilized lens
• Wide-angle lens

Fees

Parking fees are $12. If you just came for a quick peek and can manage to leave in less than 30 minutes, you don’t have to pay. Parking for up to 1 hour is $3.

General Admission tickets are $24.95 for adults, $21.95 for seniors and $12.95 for children. This is the most economical way to see the ship. More complete packages and special haunted tours are also available.

Close Locations

• Russian Foxtrot Submarine
• Shoreline Village
• San Pedro
• Palos Verdes
• Point Vicente
• Naples Island and Belmont Shore
• Crystal Cove State Park
• Huntington Beach
• Newport Beach
• Santa Catalina Island
• Crystal Cathedral
• Disneyland
• Downtown Los Angles
• Huntington Library

Useful Resources

• Official Website
• History of the QM

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