Colors of Los Angeles: Dawn to Dusk

Text and all photos by HOWARD BERGER

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 19) - Having spent the bulk of my summers here for the past 20 years, I've come to appreciate an aspect of southern California that is either different than Toronto, or perceived to be different through my eyes: the color.

I have long been convinced the sky is a deeper blue; the grass and plants a deeper green, and the foliage more vivid than anything back home. During the past five weeks - with my favorite, new toy: a Nikon Coolpix camera - I have traveled around the Los Angeles area taking photos. If your interest doesn't extend beyond hockey, you probably won't get much from the ensuing images. If you appreciate color; nature; varied scenery and the well-known tourist attractions of this area (sporting venues included), I think you'll enjoy this selection from more than 1,500 photos snapped since mid-July.

Email me (howardlberger@gmail.com) with your comments.

SUNRISE

Many days here in Los Angeles begin with a marine layer: a thick fog that rolls in off the Pacific Ocean during the cool night hours. By 10:30 a.m., the rising, daytime heat begins to burn off the layer; it is no longer in evidence at noon. When the temperature is particularly warm, the marine layer either does not form, or affects only ocean-side communities. Here in the San Fernando Valley - 25 miles northwest of downtown L.A. - the summer heat is always more oppressive and roughly one-third of mornings begin with fog.

CLEAR CALIFORNIA MORNINGS BEGIN WITH A BLUISH-PURPLE GLOW ON THE HORIZON.






PLANTS ARE OFTEN COATED WITH MORNING DEW, OR WATER FROM TIMED SPRINKLERS.






SUNRISE IS ALWAYS A SIGHT TO BEHOLD, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE.






MORNING SHADOWS SIGNIFY THE START TO ANOTHER DAY.

OCCASIONALLY, A HUMID AIR-MASS FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO STRETCHES INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND CLOUD PATTERNS STREAK ACROSS THE SKY AT DAY-BREAK.

DAYTIME COLORS

Here is where the deep blues, greens and floral patterns typify a Los Angeles afternoon.



EVERY DAY IS ULTIMATELY CRISP AND CLOUD-LESS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.


















JUST ABOUT EVERY COLOR IMAGINABLE CAN BE FOUND IN PLANTS AND BUSHES HERE.

MANY FRONT-LAWN ARRANGEMENTS ARE DESIGNED PROFESSIONALLY... THOUGH FLOWER-BEDS SURROUNDING A TEN-FOOT STEEL HORSE ARE RATHER UNIQUE.

A MOTH RESTS UPON A GARDEN DAFFODIL.



PALM TREES OF ALL SIZES AND SHAPES STRETCH INTO THE CALIFORNIA SKY.






WATER REFLECTIONS (ABOVE) IN THE CALABASAS LAKE COMMUNITY ARE SPECTACULAR.



THE WOODLAND HILLS MARRIOTT (ABOVE) IS A POPULAR LOCATION FOR TOURISTS.



SIMI VALLEY

Situated north of the San Fernando Valley - in the southwest quadrant of Ventura County - is the rather exclusive feeder community of Simi Valley. Nestled in the Santa Susana Mountain range, this area of greater Los Angeles (about 35 miles northwest of downtown) offers some of the most spectacular scenery in all of California. It is best known today as home of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, where the former United States president and governor of California was buried upon his death in 2004. Interstate-118 - the Ronald Reagan Freeway - borders Simi Valley to the south.

LARGELY UNDEVELOPED, SIMI VALLEY IS A NATURAL WONDER... ALMOST A DESERT COMMUNITY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, AS THE SIMI HILLS AND SANTA SUSANA MOUNTAIN SLOPES ARE PARCHED DUE TO LACK OF RAIN. ROCK FORMATIONS (AS ABOVE) CAN BE AWESOME.

THESE HILLS - DESERT-BROWN IN THE SUMMER - SPROUT ABUNDANT GREENERY AFTER THE RAINY MONTHS OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. SUDDENLY, THE MOUNTAIN RANGES SURROUNDING LOS ANGELES TAKE ON THE APPEARANCE OF THOSE IN THE BRITISH ISLES.

AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, RESIDENTIAL LOTS (ABOVE) IN THE SIMI VALLEY ARE RATHER EXPENSIVE.



HIGHWAY BEARING NAME OF THE 40th UNITED STATES PRESIDENT FEEDS THE SIMI VALLEY.



SPORTS VENUES

Without a National Football League team since the Raiders moved back to Oakland in 1995, Los Angeles is normally a baseball town in the summer and a basketball town in winter. The Dodgers are a staple of this community, but have turned off many local supporters this year with a sub-par record and the acrimonious break-up of owner Frank McCourt and his wife; it has become a humiliating soap opera, tainting the franchise legend. Winter months are dominated by the NBA Los Angeles Lakers, who share the Staples Center downtown with the basketball Clippers and the NHL Los Angeles Kings. Hockey runs hot and cold in this region, depending on how well the Kings are doing. With a promising, young club at the moment, the Kings routinely sell out the Staples Center. As in most large American cities, college sports are also quite popular - in this area, primarily basketball at UCLA and football at USC.

THOUGH IT HASN'T BEEN USED FOR ANYTHING OF VITAL IMPORTANCE SINCE 1999, THE FORUM STILL SITS AT THE CORNER OF MANCHESTER AND PRARIE IN SUBURBAN INGLEWOOD, TWO MILES EAST OF LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. FINANCED AND BUILT BY CANADIAN JACK KENT COOKE - ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE LOS ANGELES KINGS - THE FORUM OPENED IN DECEMBER 1967 AND WAS HOME TO THE KINGS AND NBA LAKERS THROUGH THE END OF THE 1998-99 SEASON. ITS ROMANESQUE COLUMNS STILL LOOK IMMACULATE AND THE GROUNDS OUTSIDE THE ARENA ARE NICELY MAINTAINED, AS EVIDENCED BELOW.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

THE EXECUTIVE ENTRANCE TO DODGER STADIUM (ABOVE) IS AMONG THE MOST BEAUTIFUL IN ALL OF SPORT, WITH TALL PALM TREES ON EITHER SIDE. THE STADIUM TURNS 50 NEXT SUMMER, THOUGH IT STILL LOOKS FAIRLY MAGNIFICENT FROM THE RIGHT-FIELD SEATS (BELOW).






VIEW FROM THE TOP DECK OF DODGER STADIUM.



RIGHT-FIELD STANDS AT DODGER STADIUM PRIOR TO NIGHT GAME AGAINST HOUSTON, AUG. 13.



DODGERS RIGHT-HANDER HIROKI KURODA IN MID-PITCH AGAINST COLORADO, JULY 27.



LEFTY CLAYTON KERSHAW OF THE DODGERS MAY BE THE BEST YOUNG PITCHER IN BASEBALL. HE STRUCK OUT NINE IN BEATING LOWLY HOUSTON FOR HIS 14th VICTORY OF THE SEASON. KERSHAW LETS FLY (ABOVE) FROM THE DODGER STADIUM MOUND, THEN LOOKS FOR SIGNALS AT THE PLATE LATER IN THE GAME (BELOW).






DODGERS THIRD-BASE COACH (AND FORMER MONTREAL EXPOS SLUGGER) TIM WALLACH TOSSES FOUL BALL INTO THE STANDS DURING HOUSTON GAME.



FAMILIAR EAST END OF THE MAMMOTH LOS ANGELES COLISEUM (ITS OLYMPIC CAULDRON STILL RISING IN THE MIDDLE) WAS FEATURED IN THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 1932 AND 1984 SUMMER GAMES. TODAY, THE 94,000-SEAT BEHEMOTH IN EXPOSITION PARK, JUST SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN, IS PRIMARILY HOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL TEAM. THE 88-YEAR-OLD STADIUM HOSTED THE INAUGURAL NFL-AFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (OR SUPER BOWL I) IN JANUARY 1967 BETWEEN GREEN BAY AND KANSAS CITY. IT WAS ALSO THE SITE OF SUPER BOWL VII AFTER THE 1972 SEASON - MIAMI DEFEATING WASHINGTON TO COMPLETE THE ONLY PERFECT SEASON IN NFL HISTORY. THE LOS ANGELES RAMS PLAYED AT THE COLISEUM FROM 1946 TO 1979, BEFORE RELOCATING IN ANAHEIM AND, ULTIMATELY, ST. LOUIS. THE OAKLAND RAIDERS MOVED SOUTH FOR THE 1982 NFL SEASON AND BECAME THE LOS ANGELES RAIDERS. THE CLUB PLAYED AT THE COLISEUM THROUGH 1994 AND THEN MOVED BACK TO THE BAY AREA.



PRESS BOX (ABOVE) ON SOUTH SIDE OF THE LOS ANGELES COLISEUM.



MANY OF YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THE FACADE OF THE ROSE BOWL (ABOVE) IN HISTORIC PASADENA, A CITY OF 137,000 AT THE BASE OF THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS, 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF LOS ANGELES. THE CITY AND STADIUM HAVE LONG BEEN FAMOUS FOR HOSTING THE ANNUAL TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE AND THE ROSE BOWL FOOTBALL GAME - OLDEST OF THE COLLEGE BOWL ENCOUNTERS IN THE NEW YEAR. OPENED IN 1922, THE ROSE BOWL HAS HOSTED SIX SUPER BOWL GAMES (1977 OAKLAND OVER MINNESOTA; 1980 PITTSBURGH OVER LOS ANGELES RAMS; 1983 WASHINGTON OVER MIAMI; 1987 NEW YORK GIANTS OVER DENVER AND 1993 DALLAS OVER BUFFALO). IT WAS ALSO SITE OF THE 1994 WORLD CUP SOCCER FINAL BETWEEN BRAZIL AND ITALY. PRIME TENANT TODAY IS THE UCLA FOOTBALL TEAM. THE STADIUM ATTENDANCE RECORD IS 106,869 FOR THE JAN. 1, 1973 ROSE BOWL GAME BETWEEN USC AND OHIO STATE.



WHEN IT OPENED IN 1993, THE HONDA CENTER IN ANAHEIM (THEN KNOWN AS THE ARROWHEAD POND) WAS THE MOST OPULENT ARENA IN THE NHL. IT STILL HOLDS UP NICELY TODAY AS HOME OF THE ANAHEIM DUCKS AND IS STRIKING FROM THE OUTSIDE (ABOVE AND BELOW). THE DUCKS, MANAGED BY BRIAN BURKE, DEFEATED OTTAWA AT HONDA CENTER IN 2007 TO WIN THEIR LONE STANLEY CUP.



LOS ANGELES ANGELS



ACROSS HIGHWAY-57 FROM THE HONDA CENTER IS ANGEL STADIUM OF ANAHEIM (MAIN ENTRANCE ABOVE), HOME OF THE AMERICAN LEAGUE BASEBALL LOS ANGELES ANGELS. IT HAS UNDERGONE NUMEROUS TRANSFORMATIONS SINCE OPENING AS ANAHEIM STADIUM IN 1966 - MOST NOTABLY AN ENLARGEMENT THAT CLOSED IN THE FACILITY FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NFL LOS ANGELES RAMS IN 1979. STADIUM CAPACITY ROSE FROM 43,250 TO 69,008. WHEN THE RAMS DEPARTED FOR ST. LOUIS AFTER THE 1997 SEASON, THE BALLPARK WAS RE-OPENED IN THE OUTFIELD - ITS CAPACITY LOWERED TO 45,389. IT WAS KNOWN AS EDISON FIELD OF ANAHEIM BEFORE ADOPTING ITS CURRENT NAME.



BEYOND THE RIGHT-FIELD STANDS AT ANGEL STADIUM SITS THE ORIGINAL A-SHAPED SCOREBOARD (ABOVE) THAT RESIDED BEHIND LEFT FIELD FROM 1966 TO THE NFL ENLARGEMENT OF 1979.



THE HONDA CENTER... FROM THIRD-BASE UPPER DECK AT ANGEL STADIUM.



TEXAS RANGERS LEFTY C.J. WILSON LETS FLY AGAINST THE ANGELS, AUG. 17, IN ANAHEIM.



THE ANGELS HAD GOOD REASON TO POST THE 2010 STATS OF EX-BLUE JAY VERNON WELLS ON THE RIGHT-CENTER FIELD SCOREBOARD (ABOVE): AS OF AUG. 17, HE WAS HITTING ONLY .202 WITH HIS NEW TEAM. WELLS AWAITS PITCH (BELOW) IN FRONT OF RANGERS CATCHER YORVIT TORREALBA AND UMPIRE FELDIN CULBRETH.





BEACHES
For decades, the essence of southern California has been the miles of coastal sand along the Pacific Ocean. The beach names are legendary: Redondo, Manhattan, Venice, Santa Monica, Zuma, Malibu. At this time of year they are packed with sun bathers and surfers.

ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN AUGUST, ZUMA BEACH (ALONG THE MALIBU COAST-LINE) IS A SWIRL OF ACTIVITY, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE SURF IS RAGING.

THE WAVES AT ZUMA BEACH ARE SPECTACULAR IN LATE AFTERNOON.



EVEN LOCALS ARE AMAZED BY THE BEACH SURF.

THIS PARTICULAR LOCAL HAS SEEN IT ALL BEFORE. SEAGULLS SWOOP IN ONCE THE BEACH GOERS DISPERSE, HUNTING FOR "LEFTOVERS."

STANDING ON VENICE BEACH (ABOVE) AND LOOKING SOUTH IS A PRIME LOCATION TO WATCH AIRLINERS RISING OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN FROM NEARBY LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. PLANES HEADING EAST START THEIR JOURNEY BY CLIMBING TO 4,000 FEET ABOVE THE SEA BEFORE TURNING LEFT TO FLY BACK DIRECTLY OVER THE AIRPORT. THE SKIES ABOVE LOS ANGELES ARE A DAILY HUB OF ACTIVITY, AS THE REGION IS SERVED BY FIVE LARGE AIRPORTS (L-A-X, AS THE INTERNATIONAL FACILITY IS MOST COMMONLY REFERRED TO; JOHN WAYNE/ORANGE COUNTY; BOB HOPE/HOLLYWOOD-BURBANK; LONG BEACH AND ONTARIO). A NUMBER OF COMMUTER FACILITIES (VAN NUYS, SANTA MONICA, CAMARILLO, ETC.) SERVE LIGHT AIRCRAFT.

A JAPAN AIRLINES AIRBUS-330 CLIMBS OUT OF L-A-X ABOVE THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.

LIGHT AIRCRAFT; POLICE, TRAFFIC AND FIRE HELICOPTERS ARE A COMMON SITE IN L.A. SKIES.






ANIMAL HOSPITALS ON THE MALIBU COAST ARE POISED TO SERVE HUMANS IN A PINCH (ABOVE).



EVEN ON A CLOUDY MORNING (ABOVE), A STROLL ALONG MALIBU BEACH IS REFRESHING.

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY (OR P-C-H) WINDS ITS WAY ALONG THE OCEAN, PROVIDING ENDLESS MILES OF MAGNIFICENT SCENERY (BELOW). THE COASTAL DRIVE BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO AND LOS ANGELES SHOULD BE EXPERIENCED BY ANY AVID SIGHT-SEER.

PERCHED ON AN ENORMOUS GRASSY KNOLL NEAR THE MALIBU COAST IS THE MAIN CAMPUS OF PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY (ABOVE), A PRIVATE LEARNING CENTER AFFILIATED WITH THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. THE 830-ACRE CAMPUS OVERLOOKING THE PACIFIC CAN BE SEEN FOR MILES - ITS IMMACULATELY-GROOMED LAWN STANDING OUT IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS.



HIKING
An immensely popular activity in the valleys north of Los Angeles is hiking, though it can be somewhat intimidating to visitors from the east. From early morning to late afternoon, hikers and joggers populate trails all through the region, understanding they are treading on the home turf of animals that reside in such terrain. Though coyotes are primarily nocturnal, it is not uncommon to see them hunting for food less than 100 yards from the hiking trails. Most such animals are wary of humans and keep their distance, though attacks do occur on occasion, normally resulting from a surprise encounter. Snakes of all varieties also inhabit the hills and mountain slopes north of L.A.

SUCH HIKING TRAILS AS THIS ONE IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS ARE CONTROLLED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND QUITE BUSY ON WARM, SUMMER AFTERNOONS. THE SCENERY IS BREATHTAKING, AND BEST ENJOYED BY VISITORS NOT OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT COYOTES (IT TAKES TIME).

THESE HILLS ARE MOSTLY DEVOID OF FLOWERS... EVERYTHING IS EITHER BLUE, GREEN OR BROWN.



HOLLYWOOD AND BEVERLY HILLS

No trip to Los Angeles is complete without a visit to the motion picture capital of the world and its swanky surrounding area.

AMONG THE POPULAR EXITS OFF INTERSTATE-101 IS HIGHLAND AVENUE, WHICH LEADS ALMOST DIRECTLY INTO THE FAMED HOLLYWOOD BOWL. THERE ARE FEW EXPERIENCES MORE AWE-INSPIRING THAN A SUMMER-NIGHT CONCERT UNDER THE STARS AT THE BOWL, WHERE THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS MUSIC ACTS HAVE PERFORMED (INCLUDING THE BEATLES). THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA HAS MULTIPLE DATES DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. PERHAPS THE MOST MEMORABLE CONCERT I'VE ATTENDED WAS IN JULY 2006, WHEN DAVID CROSBY, STEPHEN STILLS, GRAHAM NASH AND NEIL YOUNG REUNITED FOR A SOLD-OUT GIG AT THE BOWL.

NO SIGHT OR ATTRACTION IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA IS MORE EAGERLY ANTICIPATED BY FIRST-TIME VISITORS THAN THE WORLD-FAMOUS "HOLLYWOOD" SIGN. PERCHED HIGH ABOVE THE CITY IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS, THE WHITE LETTERS (45 FEET TALL AND 350 FEET LONG) CAN BE SEEN FOR MILES IN ANY DIRECTION SOUTH OF HOLLYWOOD, PARTICULARLY ON A CLEAR WINTER DAY. CONSTRUCTED IN 1923 TO PROMOTE A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, THE DISPLAY INITIALLY READ "HOLLYWOODLAND". THE "LAND" PART WAS LATER REMOVED AND THE ENTIRE DISPLAY WAS RE-BUILT WITH NEW LETTERING IN 1978.

ANOTHER LANDMARK IN THIS CITY IS THE CAPITOL RECORDS BUILDING (ABOVE) AT THE FAMOUS INTERSECTION OF HOLLYWOOD AND VINE. THE 13-STOREY TOWER OPENED IN APRIL 1956 AND WAS DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE A STACK OF VINYL RECORD-ALBUMS ON A TURN-TABLE. IT WAS IMMORTALIZED IN A CARTOON EPISODE OF THE FLINTSTONES.

NO VISIT TO HOLLYWOOD IS COMPLETE WITHOUT TOURING THE "WALK OF FAME" ALONG 15 BLOCKS OF HOLLYWOOD BLVD. AND THREE BLOCKS OF VINE ST. MORE THAN 2,400 BRASS STARS ARE EMBEDDED IN MARBLE PAVEMENT (ABOVE) COMMEMORATING ACHIEVEMENT IN ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SCIENCE. BOB HOPE MAY BE THE MOST FAMOUS ENTERTAINER IN THE HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD. TEARY-EYED FANS OF THE LATE SINGING SENSATION MICHAEL JACKSON HAVE THEIR PHOTOS TAKEN ALONGSIDE HIS STAR. NO FAN OF THE HONEYMOONERS WILL EVER FORGET THE SIDE-SPLITTING COMEDY OF ART CARNEY, WHO PLAYED SEWER-WORKER ED NORTON. AND, THE CREW OF APOLLO 11 IS IMMORTALIZED FOR ITS INAUGURAL MOON-WALK EXPEDITION IN JULY 1969.

THE KODAK THEATRE (ABOVE) AT 6801 HOLLYWOOD BLVD. OPENED IN NOVEMBER 2001 AND HAS BEEN HOME - SINCE MARCH 2002 - OF THE ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS CEREMONY.

DIRECTLY ACROSS HOLLYWOOD BLVD. FROM THE KODAK THEATRE IS THE ABC TELEVISION STUDIO IN WHICH THE WEEK-NIGHT COMEDY/TALK-SHOW JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! IS TAPED. THAT MAY SOUND LIKE A DOUBLE-ENTENDRE BUT THE "LIVE" SHOW IS ACTUALLY RECORDED AT 7 P.M. LOS ANGELES TIME EACH NIGHT, TWO HOURS BEFORE IT GOES TO AIR IN THE EAST (MIDNIGHT). KIMMEL, THE 43-YEAR-OLD BROOKLYN-BORN COMEDIAN, BEGAN HIS SHOW FOLLOWING THE BROADCAST OF SUPER BOWL XXXVII (TAMPA BAY OVER OAKLAND) ON JAN. 26, 2003. HE IS ALSO WELL-KNOWN FOR HIS LONG-TIME COURTSHIP OF COMEDIENNE SARAH SILVERMAN.



THE GIANT PARAMOUNT PICTURES LOT IN HOLLYWOOD (ABOVE) WHERE COUNTLESS MOVIES HAVE BEEN SHOT AND PRODUCED OVER THE YEARS.



ANOTHER HOLLYWOOD ENTERTAINMENT LANDMARK IS THE CBS TELEVISION CITY BUILDING (ABOVE), ON FAIRFAX AVE. - BEST KNOWN FOR HOSTING THE PRICE IS RIGHT GAME-SHOW. OF GREATER SIGNIFICANCE, EPISODES OF THE LEGENDARY SITCOM ALL IN THE FAMILY WERE TAPED HERE IN THE 1970s.

THE OFFICIAL SIGN OF BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA (ABOVE) - NEIGHBORING CITY TO HOLLYWOOD, AND HOME TO NUMEROUS MOTION PICTURE STARS. THE 2010 CENSUS INDICATED BEVERLY HILLS HAD A POPULATION OF 34,109... 34,106 OF WHOM WERE LIKELY MULTI-MILLIONAIRES.

FAMED CLOCK-TOWER (ABOVE) OF THE LOS ANGELES FARMERS MARKET - A BUSTLING OUTDOOR EATERY AND FOOD MART IN THE FAIRFAX SECTION OF WEST HOLLYWOOD.

TRAFFIC AND HIGHWAYS

If you have even a slight aversion to driving or spending copious hours in an automobile, stay away from this city. Los Angeles is comprised of a dizzying network of freeways - the busiest of which crawl, bumper-to-bumper, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. most weekdays. As an example, a 62-mile trek late in the afternoon of Aug. 17 - from Calabasas in the San Fernando Valley to Anaheim in Orange County - took two hours and 40 minutes. The return trip, after 10 p.m., took an hour and five minutes. Freeways here, most of which are six lanes across, connect the multitude of communities and have such familiar names as Ventura, San Diego, Hollywood, Golden State, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Harbor, Santa Ana and Pomona.

AT ANY TIME OF DAY, THE SAN DIEGO FREEWAY (INTERSTATE-405) CAN BE JAMMED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS (AS ABOVE AND BELOW) FROM CENTURY BLVD. NEAR LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO MULHOLLAND DRIVE IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY - A STRETCH OF NEARLY 20 MILES.

EXIT FOR DODGER STADIUM (ABOVE) OFF INTERSTATE-5, THE GOLDEN STATE FREEWAY.



HIGHWAY 90 (ABOVE) LEADS FROM THE SAN DIEGO FREEWAY INTO TRENDY MARINA DEL REY.

HOLLYWOOD-BURBANK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS NAMED AFTER THE LATE, GREAT COMEDIAN BOB HOPE. IF YOU'RE MAKING A SHORT HOP (A HOCKEY TRIP, SAY, BETWEEN LOS ANGELES AND SAN JOSE), THIS SMALLER AIRPORT IS A REFRESHING ALTERNATIVE TO THE CHAOS OF L-A-X.

THE FAMOUS LANDMARK OF LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (ABOVE) - KNOWN AS THE THEME BUILDING - OPENED IN 1961 AND WAS RENOVATED IN 2010. IT HAS A RESTAURANT AND OBSERVATION DECK; THE LATTER WAS CLOSED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AFTER THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEP. 11, 2001.

EVERY SO OFTEN IN THE SUMMER, GIANT CLOUD FORMATIONS CAN BE SEEN IN THE SKIES NORTHEAST OF LOS ANGELES. WHEN DRIVING ON MULHOLLAND HWY. IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY (BELOW), THE BILLOWY CLOUDS SEEM TO FORM AT THE END OF THE STREET WHEN, IN FACT, THEY ARE PART OF A STORM SYSTEM OVER THE HIGH DESERT OF CALIFORNIA, 90 MILES AWAY. A PHOTO CAN ONLY DO PARTIAL JUSTICE TO THIS PHENOMENON.

SUNSET

As day turns to night in southern California, the sky to the west of Los Angeles becomes a brilliant collage of yellows, oranges, golds reds and pinks. The occasional presence of cirrus clouds adds to the visual delight. 

LATE-AFTERNOON SUNLIGHT REFLECTS OFF HOMES PERCHED IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS.















SETTING SUN CASTS LIGHT ON THE UPPER DECK OF ANGEL STADIUM IN ANAHEIM (ABOVE).

AS THE SUN DIPS BELOW THE HORIZON, THE COLOR SHOW BEGINS.

THE CONTRAIL OF AN AIRCRAFT AT CRUISING ALTITUDE SLICES ACROSS THE DARKENING SKY (ABOVE).



EVENING GLOW OF VARIOUS SHADES LINGERS ON THE HORIZON (ABOVE AND BELOW).






A GARDEN BED OF ROSES STRETCHES TOWARD THE MOON-LIT SKY AT DUSK (ABOVE).

A CAMERA TRICK (ABOVE AND BELOW) YIELDS AN INTERESTING EFFECT. THE WHITE OBJECT IS A NEARLY-FULL MOON. THE SQUIGGLY COLORS ARE STREET-LIGHTS IN THE DISTANT HILLS. BY GENTLY MOVING THE CAMERA UP AND DOWN; RIGHT AND LEFT, THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

NIGHT BASEBALL (ABOVE) FROM THE TOP DECK OF DODGER STADIUM.



A 32x TELEPHOTO LENS CAPTURES DETAILS ON THE MOON ABOVE LOS ANGELES.