Hollywood Sign
Perched on the Santa Monica Mountains, the Hollywood Sign is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, and the viewpoint behind and above the letters gives you a perspective most visitors never see. Rather than shooting the sign from below, hike up to the trail behind Mount Lee to look down on the letters with the sprawling Los Angeles basin stretching out beneath them, a composition that combines iconic subject with epic cityscape. Sunrise works beautifully here when the city lights are still fading and the sky turns pink over downtown; on clear winter mornings you can sometimes see all the way to the ocean. The hike takes roughly 45 to 60 minutes from the Griffith Park trailheads, so plan accordingly and arrive early to beat both crowds and harsh midday light. A wide angle lens captures the sign together with the cityscape, while a short telephoto lets you isolate the letters against the hills. (Los Angeles, California, United States)
