Travel, Photograph, Experience
Notes on a journey
Photographing Bluff Cove
Palos Verde Peninsula is truly one of the overlooked wonders of LA County. People think of it as an area for rich folks (if they know it at all). But there are a pile of spots along PV Drive that are amazing photo locations. Just head south from Riviera Village on the Drive and once you start up the hill, take a right on Via Corta/Via Almar and continue down till you get to Paseo Del Mar.
As you drive along Paseo Del Mar, the road heads up hill and at one spot there’s an area with no fancy houses on the right side. Usually you’ll see lots of cars pulled over. The spot is popular with surfers, especially in the morning hours. And that’s when I visited a couple of weeks back.
Bluff Cove — notice the section of cliff that juts into the ocean
The path down to the beach
This bend in the path is the turnoff to one of my fav photo spots.
The path down is steep here. But luckily there’s a rope that helps ensure a safe footing. Shooting the area in morning light definitely helps and the ocean mist gives a nice bit of diffusion.
Part of the fun of Bluff Cove is trying to capture the denizens of this ocean world in action and in composition.
This spot also works for those who like to shoot abstract texture.
I didn’t get enough for ground interest in this view up the coast (see below) until I slowed the shutter speed. I didn’t bring the tripod but going hand-held seemed to do the job:
Looking north 1/25 sec
Looking north 1/5 sec
And, or course if you’re getting some nice surf coming in, you want to capture the moment of impact in a way that works in composition:
Travel, Photograph, Experience 
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