Los Angeles abounds with atmospheric and picturesque spots from palm tree-lined beaches and theme parks to large shopping centers and crowded streets, which serve as a fantastic background for photos. If you want to get the most out of your trip to LA, I recommend studying this list of the great places for photography in Los Angeles.
No matter whether you are going to spend your honeymoon or vacation in the city, or visit it just for a couple of hours, with this guide at hand, you can take memorable pictures in the most popular locations.
Address: 5905 Wilshire Blvd
The museum entices connoisseurs with numerous samples of modern art, while those on the hunt for the best places to take pictures in LA will surely fall in love with its outdoor art installation called Urban Light. This is a huge assemblage sculpture that you can use for a couple photo session as well as individual portraits.
If you want to take long-exposure photos with amazing colors, you need to bring a tripod to the spot and shoot in the evening when all lights are on. This light installation fascinates with numerous light posts of varied sizes, which look especially beautiful at night. However, taking images at this time can be challenging due to crowds of tourists visiting the place.
Address: 1313 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim
Disneyland is a much-visited location, so you are really lucky to take images there without dozens of strangers in the background. In fact, doing this is possible if you schedule your photoshoot in the period from November to March. I recommend using a wide-angle lens like Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM to fit as many castles and other landscape objects in the frame as possible. Typically, this is a go-to place for birthday, graduation, and family shooting.
Address: 221 S Grand Ave
Visiting this mirrored room becomes an earth-shattering experience for many people due to the deep concept behind it. There are millions of colored lights filling the space in the most intricate manner, which inevitably causes a wow reaction. This is like an eternal unbridled universe that lives in accordance with its own rules.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the most atmospheric LA photo spots and if you decide to shoot there, you need to raise the ISO as high as possible to get a good shutter speed for handholding shooting. Besides, make sure you don’t underexpose.
A wedding photo of a couple being surrounded by a myriad of blinking lights is bound to become the centerpiece of an album. However, you need to book a visiting time in advance.
Address: 9641 Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills
If you are nostalgic about the glamour and lifestyle of the 1950s and 1960s and want to capture this mood in photos, the Beverly Hills Hotel is among the best places to take pictures in LA. Of course, such a photo session requires thorough preparation, which means getting vintage clothes, props, and accessories. With every element being matched up, it will be easier for you to display the splendid luxury of the city of that period.
Address: 6060 Wilshire Blvd
Have you ever wondered where cars from various movies and TV shows are kept? If yes, you will be flabbergasted when you step inside this museum. In addition to manifold vehicles inside, it immediately attracts attention with an incredible façade in the style of modern art. If you photograph at night, your images acquire a beautiful red tint due to the illumination of the façade.
This place works best for fine art and high fashion photos with some industrial touches. I recommend taking individual pictures there not to hide a terrific background but experiments are welcomed.
Address: 200 Santa Monica Pier
Frankly speaking, there are lots of great places for photography in Los Angeles, but few of them offer such a diversity of views and scenes in one location. The pier is a wonderful spot for a love story photo session. A couple can hold hands and move slowly to the north so that a photographer can capture as much of the pier and surrounding beauty as possible.
You can also pose on a ride to the pier or stand against the city lights for truly atmospheric images. Since the place is very popular and gets crowded in minutes, you have to come here early in the morning not just to marvel at the unprecedented peacefulness but also to take some shots.
Address: 2800 E Observatory Rd
The observatory is constructed at the highest spot and being there you can see all of Los Angeles. Getting to the spot is possible from any entrance to Griffith Park. The place is buzzing at weekends, so you can either visit it during working days for some solitude or put up with crowds of tourists walking around.
The façade resembles a Greek house colored white. To my mind, this is one of the most atmospheric LA photo spots to realize wedding photography ideas. Once you run out of ideas, you can simply go to Griffith Park and wander around, posing against different backdrops.
Address: Beach pavillion in LA
If you want to feel the boisterous spirit of the city, you should head to the boardwalk. It is popular for its busy shops, street performers, and interesting personalities. You will be fascinated with all forms of street art, a cool beach, and a skate park with lots of visitors. This isn’t a single site that allures people so much but rather a combination of stories and characters that make people love the place.
If you plan to organize the first date photoshoot or experiment with different wedding photography styles, you won’t find more suitable places to take pictures Los Angeles.
Address: 200 Linnie Canal Venice
Those seeking desolation and tranquility will be totally satisfied once they see the Venice Canals. Made by people, they allow locals and guests of the city to perform a virtual trip from California to Italy in a matter of seconds. These canals are hidden in the neighborhoods of Venice Beach, so only zealous travelers can find them. While there, you can use bridges to cross the canals.
The canals make a perfect background for highlighting the bond between family members or newlyweds in couple photos.
Address: 111 S Grand Ave
If you are on the lookout for photoshoot locations Los Angeles that immediately stand out with a modern architectural design, you should drive to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Being located in an urban setting, it pleases the eyes with its sculptural design and an observation deck where you can see the most distant corners of the building.
If you have chosen engagement photo ideas to bring to life there, you should visit the place at the end of the day just before sunset. Thus, you will be able to take images in gentle natural sunlight, during sunset, and even in subtle darkness with the lights on the building being turned on.
Address: 304 S Broadway
The place has a long history and will satisfy those people, who want to combine industrial architecture with a bit of drama in their photos. The most popular spots are intricate stairs and an elevator so pose there for arresting images.
Address: 5200 Las Vegas Blvd S
The place combines all the attributes of the City of Angeles, namely, bright lights and high palm trees. You can go here to take lively and atmospheric portrait shots, as well as funny wedding pictures if a couple doesn’t mind behaving mischievously. Many bachelorette parties end up with short photo sessions near this sign while brides believe it’s a good tradition to be photographed with their besties here.
No matter whether you are going to take photos here in the daytime or at night, you will surely get fantastic pictures.
Address: 633 W 5th St #840
Skyspace is a unique location where you can see the whole city at a glance, so no wonder it is among the best places for photography in Los Angeles. Getting there is not so easy because the flow of tourists doesn’t stop at any time of the year. But if you are already there, get the most out of this place. You can take a photo as you ride the skyslide, pose against a hectic city, look pensively in the distance, etc.
For truly awe-inspiring images, I recommend visiting an open panoramic terrace at sunset. You can use a drone for photography to take shots from the most staggering angles.
Address: 943 N Broadway
Chinatown has appeared in many popular movies and visiting it is a dream for lots of tourists. The area is replete with colorful buildings, murals, statues, gates, and lanterns, which will add special charm to any photo. You can either organize a film-style photo session or just relax and have a good time there. A photographer will document your experience.
Address: 1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice
Abbot Kinney is one of the great places for photography in Los Angeles especially if you want your inner hipster to come out. There are lots of restaurants, cafes, boutiques, and imposing wall murals that serve as a distinctive background for Instagram images.
Finding a place that synchronizes with your inner state is a no-brainer task considering the variety of options. It is important to keep some distance between a model and a background so that every element is clearly visible.
Address: 1917-1921 E 7th St
If you happen to visit the Artist and Craftsman Supply Store, it would be a pity if you drop the ball and don’t take some photos against a huge reproduction of the Composition paintings by the Dutch artist. It is actually a giant assembly of colorful blocks separated by thick black lines. All shapes have right angles which adds balance to the composition. So, you will receive images that are nice to look at.
Address: 8549 Higuera St., Culver City
One of the best places to take pictures in LA, especially if you are interested in portraiture, is the Red Love Wall. It has a recognizable urban look with handwritten words on it that add a bit of casualness.
Address: 5905 Wilshire Blvd
This place may be unavailable for visiting, so you’d better learn the details in advance by checking out the official website. “Penetrable” is an architecturally-scaled structure that you need to observe while being inside. It is made of standard industrial materials. Most elements are yellow plastic hoses that are attached to a steel grid and directed downwards.
You can play with angles to get off-kilter photos. When taking shots from the side, it is possible to juxtapose the dimensions of a structure and a person in it. If you specialize in portrait shooting, you will receive a very bright image with yellow color prevailing.
Address: Carmelita Ave. + N Hillcrest Rd.
When searching for LA photo spots, you are sure to see places with high palm trees at the top of the lists. Such locations are the heart of the region with its caressing sun, bright colors, and endemic flora. I recommend going to Santa Monica Palms, where you can walk around, while a photographer takes images. Or, you can rent skateboards and take group photos with friends.
As for offbeat ideas, you need to frame the trees so that they stand out in pictures while distracting objects are naturally pruned.
Address: Park Row Dr
To experience the serenity and please your eyes with mind-blowing views, you should go to Elysian Park. There you will find a secret swing attached to a large tree and if you dare, you can even have a ride. The place is solitary most of the time, so you can stay there as long as you want. However, don’t start your adventure in the evening not to get lost.
Address: 2679-2687 N Beachwood Dr
It is a shame to visit LA and don’t take a photo in Hollywood! You need to find a proper angle without paving the path through bushes. The best option is a front view. Most people take images against the sign, so you can just find a trodden lane. If you think it is too banal, go to Lake Hollywood Park and photograph there.
To make your photos from Lost Angeles look professional, you can use presets from this collection. They are suitable for improving skin tones, making eyes brighter, correcting the face oval, and more. There are filters that affect lights and shadows, so even pictures taken in dim light will look fantastic.
