March 05, 2011

Griffith Observatory

I didn't think I'd be giving directions when I got into the cab to go to Griffith Observatory, but the driver insisted that my destination was the LA Zoo in Griffith Park because he had no idea what an observatory was.  Long story short, I was grateful for the amazing navigation capabilities of my smart phone and eventually got to my destination.  Besides the rough start, by the end of the evening I felt I had made a smart choice by spending my only night in LA at the observatory.  Great views of the city, a sunset over the ocean, views of the hollywood sign, and a museum visit all in one location.  To say it simply, I was photo happy.  However, there were a few things I wish I had brought along with me, like a tripod and a zoom lens, but I was able to compromise by using ledges for stability and little creativity for lack of a zoom lens.  It is always good to challenge yourself, even if it's not necessarily on purpose.  So, I did what I could with my shortcomings and explored every inch in and around the Griffith Observatory.  

Hollywood sign from afar.  Not having my zoom lens forced me to get creative, but I think that's why this shot works.  A close up of just the Hollywood sign would have been just like every other.  This shows the proximity to the observatory and tells more of a story.


An interactive and stimulating museum inside offered a nice break while waiting for better lighting outside.  

A corridor chronologically displaying every supernova and black hole from the big bang theory to a Pluto-less solar system. 

Magic hour lighting.  Griffith Observatory and the city of Los Angeles.  

When a handrail comes in handy as a makeshift tripod.  An observer watching the lights of the city transitioning from day to night.

Another time when a tripod would have been nice, but a statue's ledge seemed to do just fine.  

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