Shutter Mike Photography

I am finally up to the fourth and final building from the Shooting Architecture weekend workshop in Los Angeles last July.   Although each of the buildings we shot that weekend was impressive, the LA Central Public Library, One Bunker Hill and the Million Dollar Theater, they definitely save the best for last.

You may not be familiar with the Bradbury Building off hand.  But it has played a role in many Hollywood features on both the big and small screen.  Think Blade Runner or 500 Days of Summer to name two.  The nondescript exterior may have most people walking right by not noticing what awaits inside the doors.  But once inside it is truly inspiring.

The late 1800s building features a light filled five story atrium adorned with intricate iron work, marble, carved wood and red brick all under a glass ceiling.  Tourists are allowed access but only up the second floor landing.  We however got special access to all 5 floors which allowed for some spectacular architectural photography shots.

The Bradbury Building has seen numerous occupants over the years.  Today the internal affairs department of the LAPD occupies most of the building along with several other businesses.  But it is the architecture that takes center stage.

This is the second set of images of the Million Dollar Theater in Los Angeles and the 6th of 8 posts from the Shooting Architecture weekend workshop I attended in July.  There is some amazing historic architecture in the downtown Los Angeles area.  You can check out the Los Angeles Central Public Library, One Bunker Hill and more Million Dollar Theater images at the links below.  And check back on Friday for my favorite of the four buildings from the workshop, the Bradbury Building.

Los Angeles Central Public Library Part I

Los Angeles Central Public Library Part II

One Bunker Hill Part I

One Bunker Hill Part II

Million Dollar Theater Part I

The Million Dollar Theater was the third building we photographed on the Shooting Architecture weekend workshop last month in Los Angeles.  This theater is classic early twentieth century theater architecture and design.  It has the ornateness and opulence and of early movie houses with a bit of wear and tear of almost a century of use and reinvention.  The theater was built by Sid Grauman of the Grauman’s Chinese Theater fame on Hollywood Boulevard and was reported to have been built for $1 million in 1918, hence its name.  Since the 1930s it has been used primarily for Spanish language entertainment with the occasional cameo in films and television.

Architecturally and photographically this is an amazing space.  It is a very dark space, as would be expected of a movie theater, so it is a challenge to photograph.  Long exposures of up to 30 seconds are absolutely necessary.  It is also a very red space as you can see from the photographs.  The lighting is red in hue and the seats are red which, I think, presents a very, dare I say, theatrical look.

This was a great space to photograph and we had full access from the lobby to the depth of backstage.  There were even a few stair cases that lead to the depths below, but I did not venture down them since there was no light.

Built in 1927, the Pasadena city hall has a Palladian style of architecture reminiscent of 16th century Italian Renaissance architecture.  The rectangular building surrounds a courtyard with rose gardens, a center fountain and arcades (the architectural kind, not the video game kind).  The front facade is dominated by a six story circular domed tower that can be seen from some distance away.  Against a bright blue California sky the tan color of the city hall building really pops and makes for some great architectural photography.