221 W 2nd St Parking Garage Skyline View
The rooftop of this downtown parking structure gives you an unobstructed, elevated view of the Los Angeles skyline from street level without requiring any special access or hiking. You are looking directly into the dense core of downtown, with towers like the Wilshire Grand and U.S. Bank Tower filling the frame. Shoot facing west or northwest to get the best concentration of skyscrapers, and try using the rooftop's concrete barriers or ramps as foreground elements to add depth. Blue hour is the sweet spot here, when the sky holds just enough color to balance the building lights without going fully dark. A wide-angle lens between 16mm and 24mm works well for the full skyline sweep, though a short telephoto lets you compress and stack the towers dramatically. Street parking is available nearby and the garage itself is publicly accessible during standard hours. (Los Angeles, California, United States)
