I had no idea what I should do so I looked at a couple of guidebooks and opted to drive out to Venice Beach. It seems that people have very strong reactions to the atmosphere, they either find it to be frightening or friendly,it just depends on your view of earthy hippy types. Hell, I'm from Portland so I figured it might be familiar.
The canals of Venice lined with some pretty, if relatively small, homes.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
43mm, f5.6, 1/800 sec @ 100 ISO
Generally I like more traditional architecture but I love the mix of materials (and the reflection).
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
40mm, f5.6, 1/500 sec @ 100 ISO
The Venice Fishing Pier.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
70mm, f5.6, 1/1000 sec @ 100 ISO
Facing north on the Venice Fishing Pier.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
70mm, f5.6, 1/1000 sec @ 100 ISO
A brown pelican doing his morning calisthenics.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
63mm, f5.6, 1/500 sec @ 100 ISO
Fishing for perch.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
70mm, f5.6, 1/320 sec @ 100 ISO
Relaxing on the pier throwing the sign for Venice.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
34mm, f5.6, 1/400 sec @ 100 ISO
Sand, sun and song.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
43mm, f5.6, 1/320 sec @ 100 ISO
Life guard on duty.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
54mm, f5.6, 1/640 sec @ 100 ISO
Keeping an eye on the surfers and swimmers though the former told me that the surf was pretty poor today.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L
43mm, f5.6, 1/320 sec @ 100 ISO
There's a skate park at the beach. When I arrived I was scoping out the talent and the most impressive skater there was a little Asian girl whose father was looking on but right as I decided I had the measure of her she started removing her pads and packing to leave. These guys were the best of those remaining.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f4, 1/1600 sec @ 200 ISO
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f4, 1/1600 sec @ 200 ISO
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f4, 1/1250 sec @ 200 ISO
The Venice Beach Boardwalk.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f5.6, 1/2000 sec @ 200 ISO
As I was getting myself together the kind folks from Canon called to let me know my lenses were ready to be picked up so with the help of handy Mr. Garmin I drove to Irvine and collected my wayward children. By the time I battled traffic back to the hotel it was almost 4:30 so I decided to relax for a bit before getting ready for dinner with Araceli.
We met up with Betty, Cheryl and David for dinner at Stuff I Eat. It was a very good vegan place with well made food and a great atmosphere.
The crew from Stuff I Eat.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 50/f1.4
50mm, f1.4, 1/25 sec @ 800 ISO
Stuffed with vegan goodness Araceli and I then set out for Griffith Observatory. Despite some earlier clouds the sky cleared and we hoped for an opportunity to use their eyeball extenders to check out the stars.
The front entrance to Griffith Observatory.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 50/f1.4
50mm, f1.4, 1/125 sec @ 1250 ISO
The fresco on the ceiling of the entry into the observatory.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 50/f1.4
50mm, f1.6, 1/640 sec @ 800 ISO
An art deco window of the observatory.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 35/f1.4
35mm, f1.4, 1/400 sec @ 1000 ISO
There were all kinds of educational exhibits inside but the only one that I read was about a woman who was sleeping on her couch when a meteor fell from the sky, through her roof and burned part of her stomach. Nothing else was about pain so it wasn't really worth reading.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 35/f1.4
35mm, f1.4, 1/250 sec @ 1000 ISO
The view of the city from the observatory.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS
145mm, f2.8, 1/13 sec @ 1000 ISO
The biggest disappointment of the evening was the discovery that the telescopes were not available for us so we didn't get to star gaze. What's the point of an observatory if they don't let you observe?!?
Frustrated, Araceli and I headed back to the hotel. On the way we stopped for frozen yogurt and then called it a night.
Our rooftop neighbors camping out of the upper level of the parking complex next to the hotel.
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 100-400/f4.5-5.6L IS
350mm, f5.6, 1/6 sec @ 3200 ISO
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