Los Angeles is internationally known for its traffic. There are so many cars in this city that traffic violation statistics seem a little bit crazy year after year, no matter what authorities do to enforce good behavior behind the wheel.
Elysian Park is supposed to be a family-oriented space in the heart of Los Angeles. In fact, I have seen many birthday celebrations, BBQ gatherings, and even “movies at the park” events there. Unfortunately, vandals and drug addicts are frequent visitors as well.
It’s summer 2017. I went to Redondo Beach to enjoy the day and create some time-lapse photo sequences that will be part of a video that covers the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Something similar to our “Silicon Beach” video.
I always wanted to capture these tunnels but never had the opportunity until recently. The tunnels are located near Elysian Park and are part of the 110 freeway that connects Downtown LA with Pasadena. The entire area is not considered very safe but there are many good spots to capture the traffic, therefore I took the risk three times. Twice during the day and once at night.
South Gate is a suburb located 7 miles southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. I had planned going there to shoot the symbolic bridge for at least two years, always waiting for the perfect waiting conditions that included fast-moving clouds. This bridge serves as a meeting spot for teenagers living in the area and also as a backdrop for photographers like most bridges in LA.
The Baldwin Hills scenic overlook is a cool place for both exercising and taking panoramic photos of LA. The main hiking trail is very steep, a mile long from the park entrance located on Jefferson Blvd. Some people don’t consider this a hiking trail but the way the concrete steps are set up will make your legs feel like they are on fire, therefore you are going to have a nice workout anyways.
After spending a lot of time in Montréal and Las Vegas for the Quebec Deluxe and Lapse Vegasphotography projects, we are back in Los Angeles to continue with our most ambitious adventure, which is building the largest LA timelapse photography archive ever created.
This iconic bridge built in 1932 and considered a monument in Los Angeles is no longer part of the LA landscape. The steel arches and concrete have been suffering “the test of time” and therefore the viaduct has been demolished.
There are usually dozens of 4th of July celebrations organized in Los Angeles every year so I drove to Mount Wilson to capture the fireworks from a panoramic perspective. The wind was slow. There was practically no wind, so the smoke clouds caused by the fireworks look dense in the photographs.
There is so much history in this area of Los Angeles that you wouldn’t believe it! Both Santa Monica and Venice Beach have been used as the set for many TV shows and feature films including “Cobra” (1986), “Pacific Blue” (1996-2000), “Point of No Return” (1993), and “The Net (1995)” just to name a few.
Today is the first day of the demolition of the legendary and iconic Sixth Street Viaduct which connects the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles with the Boyle Heights neighborhood in East LA.
This video includes photo sequences from the Hollywood Boulevard, the Sunset Strip and the Hollywood Hills but we also included the Hollywood Tower, which was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1988. Each one of the areas came with its own set of difficulties.
On a lovely Saturday afternoon, I drove to Mount Wilson with the intention of capturing the sunlight reflecting on the antennas. As I explored the area, I discovered various picturesque locations that offered stunning views of the landscape and sunset.
Turnbull Canyon, situated between the suburbs of Whittier and Hacienda Heights on the east side of Los Angeles County, is a hilly area that offers the best location for capturing stunning sunsets. Irrespective of the time of year, this spot is perfect for creating incredible time-lapse photo sequences that are truly breathtaking.
It has been two and a half years since I embarked on this adventurous and ever-challenging project of documenting Los Angeles using the time-lapse photography technique. From scouting locations, planning, waiting for perfect weather conditions (which are rare in LA) to hiking and driving so many miles throughout the city always looking for a good photography spot, the whole experience has been just amazing.