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GREAT LOCATIONS (SoCal)
Since 99% of my shoots are done on location, I'm always on the hunt for great locations. Whether they be an abandoned hospital, old motel, artsy building, posh club, there are so many great locations around southern CA. So why not start a thread for photographers to share some of the cool locations they've found, to serve as aid for others who are having trouble finding the right location to fit with the art direction. So lets list our 5 favorite SoCal locations that we have shot (or would like to shoot)... 1. Benitos Taco Shop on Santa Monica and Highland (Los Angeles) 2. Wilshire Blvd in Koreatown (Los Angeles) - there are so many great old buildings to serve as gorgeous backdrops. 3. Rocky Hills Hideaway (Corona) - It's an old abandoned mental institute. I seriously think it's haunted. A vagrant pulled a knife on me while I was shooting there....must shoot location for thrill seekers! 4. San Timateo Canyon (Inland Empire) 5. Redlands Historic District (Redlands) Such a cool old town, I swear that almost every street it's own dynamic set. Aug 29 07 10:38 pm Link This is great! I love Capo Beach (San Clemente). Aug 30 07 02:54 am Link Great idea ... I'm always looking for places where security guards & police will leave us alone  They always want a release form I've had good luck off Rte 60 in Moreno Valley area. The luggage/"lonely road" in my port shot was taken just off Jack Rabbit Trail & Gillman Springs Rd. Anyone know of a photogenic, abandoned gas station ?? Aug 30 07 07:04 am Link Timothy Wayne wrote: There's one on Highland Ave in LA, just south of Santa Monica Blvd. It doesn't look spooky though...it's well maintained. I think it's actually a rental location, but you could always do a guerrila style shoot. I've never seen anyone there. Aug 30 07 12:33 pm Link If you want a nice open grassy field, on the 101North in Agoura, get off on Cheesebourgh and head to chesebrough canyon park. At the entrance is a wide open grassy field. If you perfer the old west, 101N off at Kanan, then left on Cornel and down about a mile is Paramount ranch. Great, free old west site. Vasquez Rocks up I14 about 20 min from Newhall is a famous spot for movies, commercials and some photo shoots. you'll recognize the rocks. There are also some pretty cute, private coves near Countyline beach up PCH. I don't remember the name but had a great engagement shoot there. What about a list of abandoned buildings that have open access? I like that one someone mentioned out in Corona or whereever... that mental instuition. I'd love to get inside one of those at some point. Aug 30 07 01:47 pm Link Casey Curry Photography wrote: You mean this one? Aug 30 07 04:31 pm Link Mesa Ridge Mountainway, AKA The Backbone Trail. Corral Canyon road up the hill from the PCH just north of Pepperdine University. Turn up the hill at the 76 station. Go to the end of the line. Great Geology! Huge nearly vertical slabs of aggregate sandstone!  Aug 30 07 04:59 pm Link The north end of Topanga Canyon Rd, on the east side. Can't remember what it is called but it is hard to miss, for great rock formations. el matador beach for sand+waves+cool rocks all around the east side of downtown for grit. wooden nickel ranch in riverside for eucalyptus forest terrible motels for great bedspreads!!! Aug 30 07 05:18 pm Link Cabazon on your way to Palm Springs. Always think of Pee Wee Herman when I see those Dinosaurs  Aug 30 07 05:24 pm Link The quintessential summer hang out. What Frank does to relax away from the cell phone and internet - Jalama beach http://web.mac.com/as280/iWeb/FotoAsp/Jalama07.html http://www.santabarbara.com/activities/ … ama_beach/ Aug 30 07 05:51 pm Link If anyones near valencia, theres a place called the falls in boquet canyon, its right by the resivoir, theres about 3 good waterfalls to shoot at, its a lil walk, and most of the shots in my port are from there. Aug 30 07 05:52 pm Link I've been wanting to shoot over in Vasquez Rocks. I'd be a nerd and redo the Captain Kirk running away from the lizard thing shot though. Aug 30 07 05:53 pm Link I love shooting at Forest Falls in the San Bernardino Mtns. Take a look at my port. Aug 30 07 05:54 pm Link thehitter wrote: I believe you're talking about "Stoney Point" Aug 30 07 05:55 pm Link Casey Curry Photography wrote: If this is the place I shot at several times a couple of years ago/ (full of graffiti/etc...) then it's been demolished and new homes have been put up there... Aug 30 07 05:57 pm Link where is San Timateo Canyon (Inland Empire) ????? Aug 30 07 05:59 pm Link Casey Curry Photography wrote: WOW... well remind me to include that place on my list of spots TO AVOID... Aug 30 07 06:00 pm Link What a great idea for a thread. Crystal Cove near Laguna Beach is really great and people dont really bother you during the week. A litttle town off PCH between LA, and about an hour south of Santa Barbra called Summerland, is very nice. Aug 30 07 06:00 pm Link Select Models wrote: great ...less competition now!!!! LOL Aug 30 07 06:00 pm Link Cresent Bay on PCH Aug 30 07 06:02 pm Link Corriganville which is on the east side of Simi Valley off the 118. They shot a ton of westerns there in the 30's... Great rock formations. Aug 30 07 06:49 pm Link *2E* wrote: I think that is it. I was there about 2 or 3 years ago. You've heard the crazy old stories about that place right? Aug 30 07 06:54 pm Link *2E* wrote: It runs from Redlands to Beaumont. Some really cool spots there. Aug 30 07 06:55 pm Link Great thread. I guess since the OP listed some of his sites others were more willing to share. I spent MANY MANY MANY hours driving around shitty areas looking for locations. So when someone comes to the forum and simply ask for a list, I tend to ignore it. Since others have posted some, I'll post some common ones in Downtown Los Angeles. 1. Art district 2nd & Santa FE (Its probably a 2-4 block area with just Awesome locations.) Also on 2nd street are some of the best Graffeti murals u will ever see. On weekends u will always find people shooting around this area. 2. Bridges with Downtown Backdrop. All the bridges are South East of Alameda. bridges on 1st, 2nd, 4th. st, and a few more. I think my favorites were 1st and 4th. Just watch out for the bums and the piles of shit they leave. 3. Los Angeles Downtown Library. Google the address, but there are a lot of cool areas to shoot around here. Parking sucks tho. 4. Chino Hills State park. Another one to google, but nice thing is you can drive in pretty far to get to some cool locations. But its DEAD out there right now since there has be ZERO rain. Aug 30 07 07:23 pm Link For desert scenery, off Hwy 86 on your way to Borrego Springs, there are some amazing striated hills that look awesome in the early morning or evening. It's about an hour south of Coachella, so timing can be tough. Also, Kimberly Crest Mansion in Redlands offers a beautiful setting (no tripods allowed, though). Aug 30 07 09:31 pm Link Adam_A wrote: Kimberly Crest is Awesome! SO beautiful. There's a cool natural park next door to it as well called Prospect Park. Just a note. If you go to the Kimberly Crest grounds when it's closed (which is often is) an alarm will come on over the loudspeaker announcing that the grounds are closed and the police are on their way. This is soooo not true, I've stayed there for quite some time with that thing going off over and over, so you should be safe (as long as it's still light out). Aug 31 07 03:12 am Link Sounds fun, I love location shoots the thrill of something new. So let's see, a drainage ditch in Oxnard, ventura rd and Wagon wheel, says no trespassing, but I've gone skating there and only been told to leave. There is the old wagon wheel motel it's boarded up and fenced in so it's probably a tresspassing ticket if you go. Train tracks at 5th st. in Oxnard kinda sketchy but not bad. Ventura, lot's of parks there is one at the top of Victoria ave and telegraph, the Ventura Pier, lot's of spots around there, rail road tracks on thompson and California (be careful trains do come through) Channel Islands harbor in oxnard is neat too lot's of stuff. As long as you aren't shooting Lingerie or nudes most places in Oxnard and Ventura won't bring you any trouble from the police. Further south, Leo Carillo beach is all I know. I don't know any spots in Santa Barbara or further north. Aug 31 07 03:46 am Link I've been pretty happy with Fairmont park in Riverside. Lots of different looks there, a lake, a very cool old boat house, some tropical areas, lilly pads, and a bike trail that I've not shot at, yet, but it looks very woodsy (good for some alt/goth shots) I just shot in Balboa Park down in San Diego last weekend. Awesome architecture to work with, and just a beautiful park in general with a different look every time you turn a corner Aug 31 07 01:06 pm Link Hahahaha i'm too old for the tresspassing stuff. That and i'm afraid I wont be able to talk my way out of it anymore because i've been busted / asked to leave more times then I care to remember. Thank god for my cough cough "school ID" lol. I would always have my "class assingment binder" with me and would show it to the cops when they showed up. Most would ask me to leave and escort me out. I have about 10 check my id and write down my info. and I had 2 ready to write me up for tresspassing but the models always start to cry and stuff lol hahah. I swear that saved me twice! Side note one time the cop tried to pick up on the model lol But just remembered another spot. LA Arboretum over in Arcadia (next to the santa anita mall.) If you've never been there might be a good idea to go before the shoot and scout the area cuz its pretty big. Also no "professional" shoots there unless you pay. Which means no lights, reflectors and tons of crew. But if its just u, a model and maybe an MUA u can get away with it.. just dont make it too obvious cuz there are alot of "volunteers" and they will ask u to leave. Sep 01 07 04:14 am Link Casey Curry Photography wrote: Any samples from do you have any photos from that place in corona, the mental hospital? Sep 01 07 04:22 am Link For me it's Joshua Tree NP. Long drive but private. Especially in the summer when it's so hot. I've found 3 rock caves out there that lets us get out of the heat. Next would be Salton sea IF you can stand the dead fish smell and thousands of flies near the water on the SD shore. Both locations are featured in my profile. +18. Sep 01 07 04:28 am Link chexmix wrote: I've shot nudes at the LA Arboretum. tee hee Sep 02 07 05:57 am Link the old highway - Along hwy 15 north of Barstow. around Yermo The old highway runs mostly parallel to the current highway 15 from the Ft. Irwin offramp, to way the hell to the north - (towards the defunct waterpark) Some really scary junky and abandoned places along the road - Little, trashed, one room homesteader homes. The old agricultural inspection station is just south of the existing one and has some great locations and vistas - These are mostly places that died after the highway bypassed them - but, Again, be cautious - I have shot there many times along the road - but Barstow is really sketchy and some of these abandoned shacks may have sketchy occupants. And Yermo Rd. as you go north is great for that "Lonely Highway" look - while still being close to the freeway. Course, it's about 120+ degrees there right now - so, it's a spring/winter shoot zone VintageV Sep 02 07 11:53 am Link Casey Curry Photography wrote: Thanks! Sep 16 07 01:25 pm Link Casey Curry Photography wrote: No Casey...I haven't ... Sep 16 07 01:27 pm Link Timothy Wayne wrote: club ed is very photogenic. it was built as a movie set. i don't know if they fence it when not in use. but, i imagine heading up into palmdale will provide a wealth of other abandoned locations if this one is not available. Sep 16 07 01:54 pm Link i like shooting out in Barstow too... fortunately, i have a desert truck to get out to remote spots... only hard part is the heat out there in summer... Sep 16 07 02:39 pm Link Any chance of you telling me how to get to the insane asylum? (did I just type that?) Here is my load, use it wisely. http://homepage.mac.com/starforeman/PhotoAlbum10.html Sep 16 07 02:50 pm Link The "scary dairy" in Camarillo on the campus of CSU Channel Islands. Watch out for rats. http://www.fattony99.com/ScaryDairy.html Sep 16 07 07:23 pm Link way cool locations Dec 22 08 08:11 pm Link |
