Kevin Connery
Posts: 15,385
Fullerton, California, US
Lots... General Tips
* Check permit requirements; some locations are very strict, while others won’t care.
* Check usage requirements: some locations don’t permit tripods, for example.
* Check current conditions. Overall weather conditions can make sites unusable. Some are only open certain hours, or permit photography only during certain days/hours.
General Locations
Getty Villa (Tricky…)
Santa Monica Pier and surrounding beach
Little Tokyo
Chinatown
Rodeo Drive
Sunset Blvd (at night)
Flower Market in downtown LA (get there EARLY)
Art District in downtown LA (2nd and Santa Fe)
Brand Park in Glendale
Rose Bowl in Pasadena
Alleys and brick courtyards in Old Town Pasadena (See thread)
California Film Commission (Lots of good info and links)
Cinema Scout: free location database
Film LA, a “a one-stop resource for location production permits, notifications, and monitoring"
GK photo
Posts: 24,881
Laguna Beach, California, US
Kevin Connery wrote: Lots...
General Locations
Getty Villa
Santa Monica Pier and surrounding beach
Little Tokyo
Chinatown
Rodeo Drive
Sunset Blvd (at night)
Flower Market in downtown LA (get there EARLY)
Art District in downtown LA (2nd and Santa Fe)
Rose Bowl in Pasadena
Alleys and brick courtyards in Old Town Pasadena
Griffith Park
OâMelveny Park in Granada Hills
Los Angeles Crest National Forest
Runyon Canyon
Descanso Gardens in La Cañada â lots of blooming trees
Huntington Library in San Marino (May need a permit)
LA Arboretum in Arcadia (Need permit)
Southern California Waterfalls thread on MM
Aliso Beach near Laguna
Zuma
Point Dume (Large rock cliff)
Paradise Cove (Need permit)
Laguna Beach
Pirateâs Cove (check the tide schedule, as many parts canât be reached at high tide)
Hermosa Beach (nice rocks in the breakwater wall)
Leo Carillo State Beach
El Matador State Beach near Malibu (Nice rocks, and some caves)
Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County
San Onofre in San Clemente
Corona Del Mar
Sunset Beach, south of Long Beach (no rocks, just sand)
Blackâs Beach in San Diego county (nude beach)
What are the best beach locations in Los Angeles? thread on MM
nude beachs in CA, Los Angeles thread on MM
[url=http://www.modelmayhem.com/p.php?thread_id=28344]SoCal fotogs - good beach?? [/url thread on MM
Redlands Historic District and the University of Redlands
Kimberly Crest mansion in Redlands
Prospect Park in Redlands
Sylvan Park in Redlands
The Old Highway near Barstow. Lots of abandoned buildings.
Andy Pearlman
Posts: 3,411
Los Angeles, California, US
Geez.... I live in LA and didn't know all that. Thanks, but some words of advice to the OP... check them out ahead of time to determine what condition they're in, what times of day to shoot (angle of sun), and whether you need permission and/or permits to shoot. You will need permission and permits on many of the places listed. Permits for most govt agencies, especially the city & county of LA, and state of CA can be obtained from http://filmla.com/. Private property locations may also need permits if the gig is big enough.
Laguna Beach (about 45 minutes south of LA) has some great locations. Both of the beach shoots in my portfolio were done there. The town also looks like an old artist/beach town (if that makes sense) and would make for some great locations.
Good list, though given the nature of what I've heard about LA and its photographer-unfriendly money grubbing, you ought include a price next to each location...
If you want a more wilderness/stream/large rocks area, try going to the mountains north of Pasadena/Alta Dena. Nice streams, huge rocks, a few waterfalls.
Don't forget the Huntington Gardens and Library, at the end of Allen in Pasadena, and the Arboretum off Baldwin in Arcadia. Great and HUGE garden areas.
William Steel wrote: oh yeah, the Getty Villa.... just march up there with a camera and a model and see how fast you get thrown out. dont get the boy killed!
If you don't have a tripod or camera bag, use a p&s camera casually with natural light, and it's just the photog and model, you can do it...just look like all the other tourists...
William Steel wrote: oh yeah, the Getty Villa.... just march up there with a camera and a model and see how fast you get thrown out. dont get the boy killed!
Actually, I must have had good luck (or security didn't take me seriously as a 'tog, LOL), but I spent a whole day shooting at the Getty Villa without any trouble. A couple of the pics in my port were at the Villa.
EDIT: Geoffrey is right, don't bring a tripod (not allowed anyway) and just try to blend in. It helps to have a fun relationship with the model you're working with, so you look like just two friends out and about and not a model and photographer.
SAND DIAL wrote: THANKS to all who have posted locations on this thread.
I found OK parking garage rooftops...open every day i believe, actually its a series of them, at SANTA MONICA COLLEGE.
does anyone know the closest SM Mountain hiking trails, closest to the city of SM?
The West Ridge Trail is very popular off Sunset Blvd. And there's a great trail head in back of the intersection of Amalfi and Capri in Pacific Palisades. Leads past Camp Josepho, the Boy Scout Camp.
All the trailheads in the S.M. mountains all lead up to the Mulholland Crest which parallels the coast. You can walk down to the valley side if you care to.
William Steel wrote: oh yeah, the Getty Villa.... just march up there with a camera and a model and see how fast you get thrown out. dont get the boy killed!
It can be done...But you cannot bring any tripod..or monopod..but U have to be very cool and slick about getting the shots in...downgrade ur camera if u can..take off the battery grip and NO flash of any kind..and u can stay all day...
behind the actual public beach, there are private beaches if you go up the hill and around the bend. I had no problem there, and I just took over any space I needed. Also, El matador in Malibu is amazing. I think there were 10 other photographers there when I was..
SAND DIAL wrote: THANKS to all who have posted locations on this thread.
I found OK parking garage rooftops...open every day i believe, actually its a series of them, at SANTA MONICA COLLEGE.
does anyone know the closest SM Mountain hiking trails, closest to the city of SM?
Google for hiking trails. Lots off Topanga Canyon or out of Will Rogers Park. The place is lousy with fire trails. All lead to the same spine up near Mulholland. L.A. one side, Valley the other.
Elizabeth West wrote: behind the actual public beach, there are private beaches if you go up the hill and around the bend. I had no problem there, and I just took over any space I needed. Also, El matador in Malibu is amazing. I think there were 10 other photographers there when I was..
El Matador theoretically needs a permit. Rangers will boot you if they catch you. Leave the heavy bags and lights at home. Try to look like an amateur.
John Hong Studio wrote: I'm travelling to LA to set up some shoots. What are some of your favorite locations?
thanks! John
Griffith Observatory is good but you need a permit so leave the gear at home. Look like an amateur. Disney Hall is another. Again, leave the gear home.
General Tips
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