suggestions on shooting projects

[DeepSpring]

Similiar to the bi-weekly photo assignment. Anyone have any good themes to try and look for while I'm out? Help open up my eye a bit.

thanks

 

[Iron Flatline]

Well, you're in LA, so I know our home turf quite well. What are you into? Let that be a guide for me, so I can point you in some directions.

 

[DeepSpring]

mainly street photography street portrait type of stuff.

I'm actually over the hill in the valley

 

[Iron Flatline]

Well, fun is just going into Hollywood or Melrose to get some shots of people and places. There are interesting buildings, shops, people and tourists. Most shops won't let you shoot, and most people are pretty camera-grumpy as well, so it teaches you to deal with them. "If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere!" Another place is Venice Beach. Surprisingly lame are 3rd Street in SM, and Pasadena's Colorado Blvd. Downtown, on the other hand, can be actually dangerous if you're a Valley kid without a lot of street experience. (No disrespect intended.)

One thing you can do is get on Sepulveda, and just drive South on it from the Valley. There are so many cool places, you could fill a week of shooting. One of my all-time favorite weird locations is the Sepulveda Dam. Another place is the Veterans Cemetary between Sunset Blvd and Santa Monica Bld. You pay $8 (or something like that) for a permit, and promise not to shoot people's names, and not to use the images in negative context, but it is a great place to shoot. You go through Culver City (pretty) past the airport on to Inglewood and El Segundo. You can go all the way to the South Bay and Palos Verdes, past the Harbor, and at some point you end up in Long Beach.

The Getty is pretty cool. They let you shoot, and there are some interesting gardens. I also like the Farmer's Market on Fairfax (and the rest of Fairfax) as well as the Sunday market in Hollywood, on Ivar near Vine. It's between Hollywood Blvd. and Sunset.

I've also had lot's of fun shooting the Sunset Strip on a Thursday night when all the bands are playing the Roxy, the Whiskey, the Rainbow Room, or down by the Troubadour. They're not going to let you shoot inside, but the sidewalk is free game. Just tell 'em you're a rock'n'roll blogger and give 'em your website, all those people want to be famous and will strike any pose you ask. Don't be shy.

Do a project: shoot people worshipping. Every religion known (and some just developing) worships in LA.

Check listings for odd swap meets, car shows, fairs, dog competitions, marching bands, God knows.... it's one of the greatest cities in the World in the history of mankind, there's a LOT to shoot. Just get away from the computer you're sitting in front of.

Can you tell I love LA?

 

[Iron Flatline]

Here's my LA Album from my blog, not great, I'm sure you can do better:

Flatline's LA Album from the Western Flatline

 

[DeepSpring]

Oh man sepulveda damn. I see you have a few pics of it up there. My buddies and I ride our bikes down there every now and then. Going down that thing on a bike with your eyes closed is pretty damn fun lol. No disrespect aboutthe valley kid thing lol, lots of valley kids are pretty stupid, but luckily I am not one of them and I know my street smarts pretty well.

The music blogger thing is a pretty good idea. I'm around there often to see my friends bands play, I might as well bring my camera. You named some great places. Problem is I never bothered to drive since I like my bike so much lol so i gotta take the subway and buses over, oh well. Thanks really appreciate that

 

[markc]

Similiar to the bi-weekly photo assignment. Anyone have any good themes to try and look for while I'm out? Help open up my eye a bit.

thanks

This is assuming that you probably only have a zoom lens and are a little new to photography. Sorry if that's not the case.

This is more of an exercise that helps you develop and eye for how the camera sees than anything location or subject specific, but if you are having trouble coming up with ideas, it might spark something.

If you have the typical kit zoom that covers from wide to telephoto, spend a day shooting at the full wide side of the lens, spend another shooting at full telephoto, and a third at "normal" for that camera (50mm if 35mm film, ~30mm if 1.6 Canon, ~35mm if 1.5 Nikon).

Spend another shooting at f22, then another at the widest aperture you have amongst your lenses.

It doesn't matter if you think a different setting would look better, shoot it at the day's setting. At the end of the week, when you compare all the images, it can really drive home the differences in the choices you have available.

 

[DeepSpring]

Thats a good idea I like that. Right now I only have the kit lens but I ordered a used Sigma 70- 210 which should be here soon too. I'll do the same thing with both of them