Aussie in/around LA for 5 days mid Aug - location tips much appreciated!

[deldridg]

Hello folks,

Can't help thinking I'm almost a legitimate poster as I sit here in Sydney awaiting the arrival of my shiny new Chamonix 045F-1. Anyway - I will be flying into LA on Wed 7 Aug, picking up a car and will have until Sunday morning to get out and about and point my new gear at some of your incredible US offerings.

At some point I will be meeting up with the illustrious Hugo of Chamonix fame and the rest of the time plan to be out and about enjoying and attempting to capture some worthy frames around the region. I have considered Yosemite, or even heading east towards Arizona - perhaps the Grand Canyon??

Anyway - I will probably be shooting Portra 160/Velvia 100 in the mornings/a'noons and B&W the rest of the day. It will be partly a learning mission along with getting over jet-lag ready for 3 intense weeks of business in Canada (and missing my wife/kids of course). So chilling and enjoying are key.

So if anyone has any location suggestions, including any large format galleries to visit - or even if anyone would like to meet up for a few clicks (and a beer of course), that would be wonderful.

Cheers and many thanks for your help,
David
PS. I will have my 4x5, a 150 and 210 lens (and may have the use of a Schneider 80 XL...). I've also just picked up a mint Sinar (Zoom 2) 612 back.

[**Amendment: with jet-lag I'll probably have to keep a little closer to LA than suggested above - perhaps within a few hundred miles??]

[TGR Laguna]

Well, if Yosemite ends up the objective, get there by heading up highway 14 to 395. After passing Red Rock Canyon, the Sierras will be on the left and the White Mountains on the right. At Lone Pine, turn right to Mount Whitney and the Alabama Hills, or left to Telescope Peak and the west entry to Death Valley. Up further, in Big Pine, a right turn takes you to the Bristle Cone Pine Forest. The next town, Bishop, is home to the Mountain Light Gallery featuring the work of the late Galen Rowell (maybe not large format, but worth seeing). The next town, Mammoth Lakes, serves as the entry point to both the Ansel Adams wilderness and the John Muir wilderness. Further up the highway is Lee Vining overlooking Mono Lake and the eastern entry to Yosemite through Tioga pass. All this and you're not yet to the foot of Half Dome. Not much to see, really....only five days??

[deldridg]

Hi TGR,

wow - sounds like I'll have to put any thoughts of jet-lag on hold. Maybe book an earlier flight over (like a month???) or hire a Ferrari (and not bother too much about speed limits...).

That sounds truly amazing - I'll start researching these locations!

Cheers and thank you,
David

[ScottPhotoCo]

Hello David! There is a lot of varying subjects in and around LA. Nature, buildings, faux celebrities and everything in between. Feel free to PM me any time and I can direct you to some options. If work allows I may be able to meet up for a bit as well. You can never know too many LF'ers.

Tim
www.ScottPhoto.co

[Steve Sherman]

Agree, you can never know enough analog LFers!!

Been to all the places that TGR spoke of, nearly each location, especially Lone Pine deserves 5 days by themselves. CLoser to LA is the Oceano Dunes, mostly ATV accessible but there is protected area that is easily accessible if you are interested send me a PM and I'll share the directions.

Enjoy the States!!

[John Kasaian]

Do you prefer people, urban, coastal or the wilderness for subjects? All are in easy striking distance of LA. The Death Valley though, will be very unpleasant in August and Yosemite Valley will likely be grid-locked although the high country is always delightful.
If you'll have a car, consider driving up Highway 1 to Big Sur(Weston's country) and take 101 back, hitting the Spanish Missions and wineries along the way.
OR
Zig over the 395 and explore the East side of the Sierra. I think making a loop through Yosemite would take up too much of your five days to really be enjoyable. If you want Yosemite, consider taking the fastest route (99) get there and have at it. If you have time left (and I'd bet you won't) consider 395 on your return.

Whatever you do, stay flexible with your plans---fires are particularly brutal this year so I'd suggest having a Plan " B" & "C" & "D"

[desertrat]

Well, if Yosemite ends up the objective, get there by heading up highway 14 to 395. After passing Red Rock Canyon, the Sierras will be on the left and the White Mountains on the right. At Lone Pine, turn right to Mount Whitney and the Alabama Hills, or left to Telescope Peak and the west entry to Death Valley. Up further, in Big Pine, a right turn takes you to the Bristle Cone Pine Forest. The next town, Bishop, is home to the Mountain Light Gallery featuring the work of the late Galen Rowell (maybe not large format, but worth seeing). The next town, Mammoth Lakes, serves as the entry point to both the Ansel Adams wilderness and the John Muir wilderness. Further up the highway is Lee Vining overlooking Mono Lake and the eastern entry to Yosemite through Tioga pass. All this and you're not yet to the foot of Half Dome. Not much to see, really....only five days??

For 18 years I lived less than 20 miles south of Red Rock Canyon. It is a scenic place and should be good for a few shots. It was used as a background in numerous old west themed movies and a few science fiction movies. There is a turnoff from Highway 14 at Red Cliffs and a picnic area. Just past that turnoff is another turnoff to the left leading to a state park campground. But this time of the year a short visit in the early morning would probably be best.

[ROL]

...Mountain Light Gallery featuring the work of the late Galen Rowell (maybe not large format, but worth seeing).

There's a subgallery which sometimes shows large format, but Rowell and his work were decidedly not LF. He referred to LF'ers as old hoary bearded types. Still worth a stop if you can get past that unflattering (if true ) bias.

[DrTang]

not much of the stuff suggested is within a 100 miles of LA... well most isn't

Yosemite is a long drive - probably a two day'er... so that would be 4 out of 5 days on the road

you can head to the beach and there is Leo Carrillo or Will Rogers

Salton sea is just a bit further inland


shoot portraits at venice beach maybe

[bob carnie]

I second Venice Beach. Great area of town close to Hollywood, for people like myself not from the area , I found this location to be very interesting.