I have been photographing the coastal cities in Orange County for the last 20 years. It is scenic and the weather can always be counted on to be some of the best in Southern California. I decided to do some one camera, one lens shooting. Limiting the amount of equipment that you shoot with is a great way to focus your compositional skills.
Newport Beach
My first stop was Laguna Beach. Laguna Beach is a very affluent city and also quite photogenic. It is a popular destination for surfers and the locals that want to spend a day at the beach. So that you don’t make a long drive to the city to be disappointed I will warn you that Drones are banned in the city of Laguna Beach. What a shame. The beaches and shoreline are some of the best in Southern California. They aggressively monitor for drones and for photographers doing commercial photography. makes sure you get a permit for wedding or portrait sessions down at the beach.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
At a quick stop at the Fashion Island mall in Newport Beach I ran into another Leica owner. He was shooting with a Leica SL. This was the first time that I have seen someone shooting with the SL. I have seen plenty of the “M” series. We chatted for a few minutes, always nice to hear other Leica stories.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
My other photography location was at the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa. The largest shopping mall in the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. It is full of the high end stores and is a popular destination for tourists. The Segerstrom family built the mall and later built the Segerstrom Center that is a short walk across the street from the mall. It is a large complex that puts on plays and musicals year round. It it well regarded for its quality of entertainment. There are many sculptures around the center.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Richard Serra CONNECTOR
The Segerstrom Center owns a sculpture by one of my favorite artists, Richard Serra. The sculpture “ Connector “ was installed in 2006. It is a 64-foot by 20-foot 360-ton steel sculpture. Walking around and inside of a Richard Serra sculpture is something that everyone should experience.
Richard Serra CONNECTOR
Spending the day with just my M10 and 35mm summicron just makes me appreciate my little rangefinder. Not everyone bonds with a camera and I guess it is not really necessary, it is just a tool after all. But I must admit Leica rangefinders have become a part of me and they are my favorite tool for creating art.