Atlanta Photographers Fly to California
For a little self-care this holiday season, my partner Gabriel and I decided to treat ourselves to an impromptu trip to California. The West Coast is brimming with natural beauty and architectural marvels, so of course we brought the camera along. We've shared a few of our favorite moments below for you to enjoy!
The City of Angels
After hopping off the plane at LAX, we picked up our rental car and checked in to the Godfrey Hotel. The rooftop patio provided a lovely view of Hollywood during sunset, and we took the opportunity to capture the moment. During our two days in Los Angeles, we also toured the Griffith Observatory, took a stroll down Venice Beach, and had dinner at the oldest restaurant in Hollywood: Musso and Frank Grill, which has been featured in films and TV shows such as Ocean's Eleven, Mad Men, Blonde, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It was also a frequent meeting spot for some of Gabriel's favorite authors: William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Cruising Up Big Sur
From LA we headed north toward San Francisco. Gabriel and I are both lovers of nature, so we made frequent stops to photograph and enjoy the California countryside. The open landscape, bare mountains, and rugged cliffs made for breathtaking views that were a delight to photograph. We arrived at Bixby Creek Bridge just in time to catch the last rays of dusk, then headed to a seafood dinner in Monterey, both of which were filming locations of Big Little Lies, one of our favorite TV shows.
San Francisco
The next day we drove onward to San Francisco. On the way we sang along to a certain song by Otis Redding (hint: it has to do with leaving his home in Georgia and heading for the Frisco Bay). We drove through the city and enjoyed a peaceful walk through Muir Woods. John Muir once wrote, "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." Clearly he meant photographs, so as we took in the majesty of the ancient redwood trees, we also took plenty of photos. On the road back to San Francisco we stopped at an overlook of the Golden Gate Bridge and met a friendly coyote named Sheba (if I had not been there to advise against it, I think Gabriel would have tried to pet her).
The next day we took a boat tour of the San Francisco bay, where we got an up-close look at the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. Finally, we headed to Golden Gate Park and lounged about in the Conservatory of Flowers. They have a stunning collection of exotic plants, including a wide variety of carnivorous flowers.
Finally, after five days of adventure, we sleepily boarded a redeye flight and headed back to Atlanta, the City in the Forest. Enjoy our gallery of travel photos below!
If you would like to purchase any images from this gallery, visit this link!
If you would like to purchase any images from this gallery, visit this link!
