Los Angeles Photogathering this weekend!

I would like to propose a 1 day photography excursion. I'll gladly organize this summer event.

If you are interested please reply to this thread and we will start from there.

Suggestions off the top of my head are:

PCH Beach Tour
Nature Hike (e.g. Bear Mountain Hike, Death Valley, or any of the many SoCal trails)
Explore Downtown Los Angeles in combination with Hollywood Blvd walk
Botanical Garden Run

If you are not in SoCal, but are interested, feel free to chime in.

- Eric

Eric, that's great. Thanks for suggesting something like this. We call these get-togethers "Photogatherings." And we certainly don't have as many as we used to!

I'm about 5 hours from SoCal so I could make it potentially. I would probably need a place to crash for the night though.

Let's see what kind of response you get!

Rick

Quote:

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Originally Posted by walterick

I'm about 5 hours from SoCal so I could make it potentially.

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That would be great! Hope we get a good response.

My wife and I are due for a trip to Los Angeles. Her family is there, and and our favorite Argentina restaurant is in West Hollywood so we would be encouraged to go.

Loren

Any photogathering always starts with dinner. Is your Argentinian place down to our standards? :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by racingpinarello

My wife and I are due for a trip to Los Angeles. Her family is there, and and our favorite Argentina restaurant is in West Hollywood so we would be encouraged to go.

Loren

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Great! Love your site by the way.

Rick, West Hollywood restaurants generally have high standards. I've never been to a West Hollywood eatery that wasn't picture perfect :D

I would be interested in going, depending on the timing. I haven't made a trip to LA in a long time and it's not far from San Jose. I'd be interested in downtown. I haven't explored downtown LA since I was in college. I'd like to visit the old market next to the Million Dollar Theater, and the Bradbury building.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Photo-John

I would be interested in going, depending on the timing. I haven't made a trip to LA in a long time and it's not far from San Jose. I'd be interested in downtown. I haven't explored downtown LA since I was in college. I'd like to visit the old market next to the Million Dollar Theater, and the Bradbury building.

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Awesome! Hope the timing works out for everyone interested.

Downtown Los Angeles has tons to offer from old to new architecture and a diversity of cultures. Back in college years, I use to drive through Broadway just to stare at the old theaters. It's sad to see some of them in their present condition. I was shopping for jewelry with my wife once and I looked around only to realize I was in a grand theater turned jewelry swap meet.

If we go this route, I'll call the preserved theaters to see if they will allow a group tour inside.

Oh well then. Pizza and beer it is again.

A trip like this would kill a few birds for me:
1) I have never been to downtown LA
2) If I ever go to downtown LA, I want to be shown around
3) I would like to meet Manacsa
4) I have not met Loren's wife yet
5) If Photo John comes, maybe I can convince him in person to shave :D

Like PJ though it depends on the date.

Count me in!!

Rick, you can stay at my place, PJ, you could too if you don't feel like dishing out the dough for a hotel... For that matter, I can make room for a couple more if anyone else needs a place to crash. :)

If we are up for it, we could all get together for a BBQ on night #1 and then do LA the next day, ending with a dinner up there.

As for timing, I can make time whenever, but anytime between july 21 and Aug 25 works best for me. What works for everyone else?

The following are the weekends 1 month from now. Use it as reference and refer to the weekend based on the number if possible. I capped it right before labor day weekend because....it just seemed right.

I'll be browsing L.A. Weekly in case there is a corresponding event that may be of interest....but will not play a heavy factor.

Code:

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<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
  <col width="64" span="2" />
  <col width="66" />
  <col width="64" />
  <tr height="17">
    <td height="17" width="64"><div align="center" class="style13">Weekend</div></td>
    <td width="64"><div align="center" class="style13">Friday</div></td>
    <td width="66"><div align="center" class="style13">Saturday</div></td>
    <td width="64"><div align="center" class="style13">Sunday</div></td>
  </tr>
  <tr height="17">
    <td height="17" align="right"><div align="center" class="style13">1</div></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">7/14/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">7/15/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">7/16/2006</span></td>
  </tr>
  <tr height="17">
    <td height="17" align="right"><div align="center" class="style15"><strong>2</strong></div></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">7/21/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">7/22/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">7/23/2006</span></td>
  </tr>
  <tr height="17">
    <td height="17" align="right"><div align="center" class="style15"><strong>3</strong></div></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">7/28/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">7/29/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">7/30/2006</span></td>
  </tr>
  <tr height="17">
    <td height="17" align="right"><div align="center" class="style15"><strong>4</strong></div></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/4/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/5/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/6/2006</span></td>
  </tr>
  <tr height="17">
    <td height="17" align="right"><div align="center" class="style15"><strong>5</strong></div></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/11/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/12/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/13/2006</span></td>
  </tr>
  <tr height="17">
    <td height="17" align="right"><div align="center" class="style15"><strong>6</strong></div></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/18/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/19/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/20/2006</span></td>
  </tr>
  <tr height="17">
    <td height="17" align="right"><div align="center" class="style15"><strong>7</strong></div></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/25/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/26/2006</span></td>
    <td align="right"><span class="style15">8/27/2006</span></td>
  </tr>
</table>

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I can not do weekends 2 and 5. Weekend 2 is mom's birthday and 5 is camping in Santa Barbara! The wife didn't mention anything else :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by walterick

3) I would like to meet Manacsa

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"Well, isn't that special." said like the Church Lady by Dana Carvey from SNL.

http://www.danacarvey.net/media/snl_cl_special.wav

:p :D :p :D

To be in the presence of a PR moderator would be glorious...

:p :D :p :D

Damn, I hope this works out!

Weekends 2 thru 6 all work for me.

Rick,

My place is dope.... http://www.carlitosgardel.com/ The parilla is amazing...

Mid July - August is probably the best month... in September we're off to Bali...

Karen is from LA too so she has a lot of history to share also.

Loren

I hope it pans out.... It would be great to have a SoCal gathering...

Loren

Weekends 1, 4, & 5 are definitely out for me - classes. 6 and 7 look the most likely right now. 2&3 I could probably make work...

Thanks Brian :cool: I would love to crash your place. How far from downtown LA are you?

I think the bbq idea sounds great. We did something like that at the Colorado gathering. That way you can get to show off your grilling skills in person :)

Oh, dear. Loren that place looks a little too nice for this scraggly bunch of photographers. If you think they would let us through the door, we could do our LA dinner there the second night. Would camera bags and backpacks be a problem?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by racingpinarello

Rick,

My place is dope.... http://www.carlitosgardel.com/ The parilla is amazing...

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Their menu looks damned fine and I have yet to add Argentenian food to my ethnic food list so I'm game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by walterick

Thanks Brian :cool: I would love to crash your place. How far from downtown LA are you?

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Sweet! I always look forward to a good get together and BBQ.

I'm roughly an hour south of downtown. I don't anticipate traffic on a saturday morning so no more than an hour and 15 minutes.

You have any dog or cat allergies? I have both so be advised.

Wow, a socal gathering! What a great idea, Manasca.

Depending on the date and time, I'd love to join in. What would be neat is if we could kinda hit three major spots along the day, like downtown L.A., Santa Monica, Venice Beach (just as an example).

Rick, my house is right off the I-10 freeway about an hour east before you hit L.A. You're more than welcome to stay over even if I'm unable to attend.

Hypothetically, if we were to do the Downtown Los Angeles idea, I would imagine an itinerary like this:

9AM (or 10 because of hang over) Meet somewhere at the rim of Downtown. (Staples Center, home of the Lakers/Clippers) I know this parking structure where you can shoot the downtown cityscape from the top floor.

Next, hit the Broadway Corridor:
http://www.experiencela.com/MA_BroadwayCorridor.htm

Next, hit Chinatown or Olvera Street:
Chinatown
Olvera Street

We will eat there since it will be around noon by then.

After lunch, we can jump back into Downtown:
more of downtown Los Angeles
Bunker Hill

Later in the afternoon we can hit Hollywood blvd. We can hang there until the sun goes down for day and night photography.

Then have dinner at Carlitos Gardel.

*************************

Alternate ending:

After Lunch we still spend more time in downtown....
then go straight to the Santa Monica Pier....
Go to Carlitos Gardel for dinner...
Go to Hollywood/Sunset Blvd for night shooting and act like paparazzi!!!

How does that sound?....hypothetically of course. :D

It's a very easy going restaurant. I'm sure they'll let us bring in backpacks and cameras. If it's a go I can make the arrangements for Saturday.

Loren

Manasca, I like the broadway/hollywood area idea. Lots to see down there.

It might also be beneficial to get an earlier start since the sun is already up pretty high at 8 am, although I am sure some people wouldn't mind the extra sleep time. :p But hey, that's what Starbucks is for!!

I also really think that we should at least include Venice Beach or Santa Monica in the mix as well. Perhaps toward sunset? Little Venice is also really nice at that time of day.

Never really having "done" LA the only thing I would really want to do is the Hollywood thing, and the street with all the stars on it. I think I've been to Venice Beach, or one of those piers. But that sounds like a nice place to watch the sunset! I'll let you locals figure the whole thing out.

So far about 6 individuals have shown interest...
Downtown, Hollywood, and the beach are target locations...
Dinner at Carlito's to top it off....

To make things easier...we can also meet in downtown Los Angeles and find a place to park your car all day (e.g. metro station). For those who want to do the entire day, just jump in my car so we reduce caravaning.

Hope more will respond.....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by walterick

Never really having "done" LA the only thing I would really want to do is the Hollywood thing, and the street with all the stars on it. I think I've been to Venice Beach, or one of those piers. But that sounds like a nice place to watch the sunset! I'll let you locals figure the whole thing out.

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Then I would want to make sure we are in Hollywood before sundown.

Hmmmm...let me see:

Downtown
Lunch in Downtown
Hit Hollywood
Hit Beach before 8PM sundown

then we would have a really late dinner at Carlito's like at 9PM...hmmmm....

Maybe we can eat lunch at Carlito's instead then do Hollywood......

then hit the beach later in the afternoon....

and eat dinner over there....

That might be better.....

One of the things that I've learned doing photogatherings is you can't please everyone. You'll have to make a plan that is reaonable without wearing people out, and makes at least some of the people happy some of the time :) I have no doubt it will all work out.

I agree... I would rather do fewer locations and do them right instead of spending time on the 405. :)

Let's pick a date soon because we're going to stay in a hotel by the convention center. We're both excited.

Loren

I just emailed Penny and Gene to see if they could make it. I can't remember who else lives in SoCal...

I think we have most everyone who's going to sign up. I think it's about time we started looking seriously at picking a date. If I remember from the replies, there are only a couple of weekends that work for everyone. We should start firming up plans so people can write it in!

I agree...I would like to pencil in a date soon..... I'm dying to go back to Carlito's and to actually photograph LA

Loren...

After charting the availabilty that have been mentioned, I'm hoping we could do August 19th.

Loren, is that too close to your Bali plans?

Sorry for the inactivity people. I thought others would respond eventually.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by racingpinarello

Rick,

My place is dope.... http://www.carlitosgardel.com/ The parilla is amazing...

Mid July - August is probably the best month... in September we're off to Bali...

Karen is from LA too so she has a lot of history to share also.

Loren

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August 19th works for me!

August 19th works for us.... !!!

That was easy.... must be a California thing!! :)

The 19th works for me as well.. Everyone plan for a barbecue at my place on the 18th!

Alright! The travelers are coming :)

I sent you guys an email but sounds like you woudn't have gotten it. Glad you checked in!

Rick

Quote:

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Originally Posted by prbowhay

And, the BBQ at Brian's on the 18th sounds GREAT!

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Woohoo!! Another dinner with the Bowhays!! Last one of those we had was at a restaurant in Lee Vining, after our last photos in Yosemite.

I'm very excited to see all of you again and I'm equally excited to meet everyone else that'll be attending!

Counting the days...

Hello All,

I went to Santa Monica Beach on Saturday and I imagined bringing the photogathering there. I think we will save the beach for our photogathering next year in the so-called PCH tour. For our purposes (photography), I think we would have to hop from beach to beach or pier to pier to enjoy the theme. Adding one beach to our itinerary may not work out plus we are intent in eating dinner back in the city. It's too much driving. As someone said, we don't want to be stuck in traffic. Damn it Jim, I'm a photographer not a passenger!! - Bones McCoy style

We will still do as much Downtown as possible and end it in Hollywood Blvd before eating at Carlito's.

- Eric

I left a message with the event coordinator at the Los Angeles Conservancy. They have a Broadway walking tour that starts at 10AM and last about 2.5 hours. According to the description, there is an opportunity to enter one of the old theaters. I'm going to ask about restrictions on photography and the pace of the tour.

Does anyone have concerns about walking tours that I can address with her?

Or

There is also a $10 fee. If you would rather avoid adding expenses to this gathering feel free to PM me and we can do the tour purely on our own. Printable Guide

Here is their site:

Tours