Attention photographers: Best places to photograph people in LA?

Question

I'm planning to get some model(s) together soon to set ups some photo shoots. I don't have a studio so most of my
subjects are shot outdoors. I'm looking to find some cool places to do some shooting with a model or two. Fashion oriented or eclectic people photography.
I live in the South Bay area near the Beach Cities i.e Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan Beach.

I need to find some other LA spots to variate the background/ local of these shots. City spots, other beaches, Plazas, Parks whatever.
Any location suggestions will be helpful.

Answer 1

Corona Del Mar- small beaches, cliffs, rocks, plenty of scenic changes...

Crystal Cove State beach- Lots of Garden like areas, usually plenty of room if no groups booked. Mid week is best.

Closer to LA- Ft MacArthur. a WW2 coastal defense station.

Venice Beach- The boardwalk.

Marina Del Rey- Lots of boats for background, maybe you'll find someone to let you use the boat while docked to shoot on. Used to have sea lions about, for backgrounds. Not sure if they are still there.

Go inland a bit, and use old alleys, train tracks, san pedro bridges, etc...

Edit Below...

Antoni... My friend. I shoot models a lot, with the expectations of using as much background and foreground as possible. Make the model a part of the area, the area a part of the model.

Unless your just doing headshots, and portraits.

Answer 2

The South Coast Botanical Garden on Crenshaw south of PCH is close to you and a beautiful place. Downtown LA has some nice places on Grand Ave., and over by the civic center. The downtown area has many places to use. Elysian park by Dodger Stadium has a few nice spots. You're so close to Palos Verdes peninsula, There's got to be a hundred places on the peninsula to shoot.
Go down to the Queen Mary. They're going broke, and I'd bet they'd love to see the ship as background for your shoot.
Good Luck.

Answer 3

If you want to add flavor to your settings, perhaps with the traces of eccentric or electric people you mentioned, you might want to consider Fairfax Avenue just East of Beverly Blvd.

Other locals that have their own distinct personalities: The Fashion District (downtown LA), Silverlake (artsy, goth types), Melrose Avenue (goth, artsy, anti-social types), the Park on Wilshire, just off Western (hookers, the homeless, winos, pushers, gangbangers and cops), Echo Park area (the hip, the artists, the goth and the poor), Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood (gays, cross-dressers, trendy hip, etc.), Lawndale (many biker types), Seal Beach and Leisure World (the old folks) and last Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks (upwardly mobile hip, trendy, artsy, goth, jazz and blues, etc.)

Answer 4

sorry im at odds to everyone else here,

your doing model work? dont confuse the images with backgrounds, use a short depth of field to blur the backgrounds, what is the feature of the images, the models or the background?


personally i would look for monochrome backgrounds that wont distract fron your models (if they are the subject of the images), then i would use F4ish to blur the background.

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Answer 5

downtown LA, santa monica sunsets, venice beach, the link shows pictures of people in these areas. Good luck and have fun with it!

Answer 6

If you make arrangements ahead of time you can go to a big mall and set up to shoot. The publicity will be welcome. Also the public gardens might be used in L.A.
Try asking the Chamber of Commerce for help.
Spartawo...