Hollywood Reservoir
Hollywood Reservoir sits tucked into the Hollywood Hills, offering one of the few spots in Los Angeles where you can frame the Hollywood Sign reflected in calm water with forested hillsides filling the frame. The paved loop trail around the reservoir gives you shifting perspectives as you walk, but the northern shore provides the most direct sightlines toward the sign. Early morning is your best bet, when the water is glassy and the light is soft before crowds arrive; the sign catches warm golden light in the late afternoon as well. A mid-range zoom in the 24-70mm range handles most compositions well, though a telephoto helps compress the sign against the hills. Street parking on Lake Hollywood Drive fills up fast on weekends, so arriving before 8am saves you the hassle. The dam structure itself, built in 1924, adds an interesting architectural element worth including in wider compositions. (Los Angeles, California, United States)
