Night shoot Down Town Los Angeles

We did a night shoot in Down Town Los Angeles.

We did it because it was the last night for Filip Grossard in LA.
During his road trip through California he met some guys, who wanted to show us some good spots in LA to take some nice pictures.
AND INDEED, they knew where to go!!

Here’s the result:

Immediately after work we went to Down Town LA, so we could still see the sunset.

Taking pictures during sunset
Taking pictures during sunset
Skyscrapers
Skyscrapers
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles

But because of the LA traffic, we couldn’t see much of the sunset anymore.
So we had to take all the pictures at “nightlight”.

In the middle of the road
In the middle of the road

Because we had to wait for the friends of Filip to arrive, we searched something to eat.
And like always, we couldn’t decide, so we used Yelp to pick our restaurant.
This was the location Yelp Advised :D.

The food wasn’t bad, but the accommodation itself was a little weird, especially the hyper active waitress.
She was jumping around when we ordered, and used A LOT of hand expressions to explain all the kinds of dishes.

Having dinner in a weird place
Having dinner in a weird place

After dinner, we went to the US Bank tower, because we agreed on meeting the other guys there.

US Bank Tower
US Bank Tower

Because we had to wait for several hours, we played with our camera settings, took some pictures
had some recaps about some great nights and laughed a lot.

Playing with the settings
Playing with the settings
Water pressure
Water pressure

Then the friends of Filip arrived.
Really nice guys and they advised us, to climb onto the roof of the Millennium Biltmore hotel.
Because it was a nice old hotel, it was still possible to use the fire stairs to get onto the roof of the hotel.

The hallway in the millennium biltmore hotel
The hallway in the millennium biltmore hotel
Reception of the millennium biltmore hotel
Reception of the millennium biltmore hotel
Bar of the millennium biltmore hotel
Bar of the millennium biltmore hotel

Once arrived on the roof, the views were breathtaking!!!
You where still between some other skyscrapers but high in the sky :).

To give you an impression, where we took pictures, I added a photo from Google Earth.

Roof Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
Roof Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles

Here are some of the pictures, I took on the roof.

On the edge
On the edge
Park
Park
Skyscrapers
Skyscrapers
Standing on the edge
Standing on the edge
What a view
What a view
Lying down on the rooftop to take pictures
Lying down on the rooftop to take pictures
Skyscrapers
Skyscrapers
Rooftop vieuws
Rooftop vieuws

Running and climbing ladders.
Trying not to get caught, on the security camera’s.

On the roof of the millennium biltmore hotel
On the roof of the millennium biltmore hotel
On the roof of the millennium biltmore hotel
On the roof of the millennium biltmore hotel

If we just went to that bar to take some pictures, it would saved us from some crazy stunts.
But still, this was more exiting because it had the feeling of an adventure.
Getting in the hotel, getting to the top floor, take fire stairs, climbs ladders, not get caught on the security camera’s and so on.

Nice patio on the roof
Nice patio on the roof

 

After everybody, was satisfied with the pictures they made, we went to a bridge located over the highway.

Taking some pictures
Taking some pictures
Highway Down Town
Highway Down Town
Spectacular View
Spectacular View
In the middle of the highway
In the middle of the highway
Highway through Down Town
Highway through Down Town

After those pictures, we called it a night and drove back to Marina Del Rey.

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iPhone Troubles

Went to the LA fitness and dropped my iPhone and now it has a cracked screen as a result.

Cracked my screen
Cracked my screen

I searched for a Screen repair in the neighborhood on Yelp.

But because all the reviews were different, per Repair center, I couldn’t decide where I needed to go.

So I thought about waiting until I was back in Belgium and bring it to IHEAL.

But then I wanted to download an app, but I couldn’t, because it didn’t have enough capacity.

Not enough capacity
Not enough capacity

So it was time for a new one and went to the Apple Store in Santa Monica.

Such a beautiful store!!

Apple Store Santa Monica
Apple Store Santa Monica
Apple Store Santa Monica
Apple Store Santa Monica
Apple Store Santa Monica
Apple Store Santa Monica

Even at 9PM you can follow some free sessions.
That night it was a video editing session

Video editing training in the Apple Store
Video editing training in the Apple Store

But it wasn’t interesting, so i went to an Apple “genius”, to get an Iphone 6.

After wandering around, I went home, synced it and “play” with it.

New Iphone 6
New iPhone 6

There we go.

First launch
First launch

Up and running.

Synced and ready for use
Synced and ready for use

After syncing it and installing some extra apps, it still has enough capacity for extra’s.
Lovin it!

Capacity problem fixed
Capacity problem fixed

Problems solved.

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Bought a battery solution

The battery of my phone died on the way to the Air + Style event.

And that was a problem because:
– I had to use my phone as a GPS, because I didn’t know the direction to get to the event.
– It was my only way communicate with the people I was going to meet at the event.
– I didn’t know how to get home, after the event.

So I had to get a backup solution, for the next time.

This is what I eventually bought:

  • A Sim card adapter
    so i could use my American Sim card in my other phone.

  • Backup charger with build in lightning- and micro USB cable.
    So I could charge my phone everywhere or in case of emergency.

  • And a Car charger

Like all Americans, I bought it all on Amazon for a quick delivery.
You can select what ever you want, deliver today, deliver tomorrow and so on.

I wasn’t in a hurry so I selected the normal delivery option.

But one day later FedEx arrived, with my order.

FedEx Express
FedEx Express
Gadgets
Gadgets

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Air + Style

On Saturday I went to Air + Style.

It’s a event organised by the famous snowboarder, Shaun White.
During the event you can watch snowboarders doing tricks and artists are performing, on different stages.

 

On my way to the event, I was constantly stuck in traffic.

Stuck in traffic
Stuck in traffic

 

But I didn’t mind, because it gave me some time to look around and enjoy the view

 

Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles

 

But on the way to the event my phone, warned me that my battery was low.
And I needed my phone, as a GPS, because i didn’t knew where the event was located.
Or to contact my colleague at the event or how to get home after the event.
So once I saw this screen, I didn’t know what to do.

Dead battery
Dead battery

But I kept on driving, hoping I would find it without a mobile phone.

I succeeded!!
Once I saw the ramp, I got really exited and I was full of joy.

Bought a ticket and went inside.

Ticket Air + Style
Ticket Air + Style
Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl

The search to find my colleague started.
The only clue I had was that she would be on the right side, of the main stage.
But as soon as I saw the main stage and the crowd, I thought it would be impossible to find her.

So I stopped searching and enjoyed the show of Kendrick Lamar.

Kendrick Lamar Performing
Kendrick Lamar Performing
Kendrick Lamar Performing
Kendrick Lamar Performing
Kendrick Lamar Performing
Kendrick Lamar Performing
Kendrick Lamar Performing
Kendrick Lamar Performing

But after a while, I wanted a challenge.
From the moment I saw a bunch of security, I found my challenge.
To get in the VIP area for free.

Challenge accepted and accomplished.

From the moment the Security was looking away, because something was happening, I took the moment and got in.

Here are some picture I’ve made when I was “backstage/in the VIP area”.

VIP Area
VIP Area
VIP Area
VIP Area

But after a while I started to feel uncomfortable, because people from the crowd started looking at me and pointing.
To prevent that the security would kick me out, I walked away from the point where I was standing.

After a while I had to know what was happening.
I saw someone who was pointing at me earlier.
When I asked why she was pointing, she said I was standing next to some famous artists, and I didn’t even noticed it.

After the concert, I walked in the direction of the Snowboard Jump.
And on the way to the jump, I found my colleague.

We even saw Yuki Kadono doing a switch backside triple cork 1620.

Mirella and her husband
Mirella and her husband
Mirella and her husband
Mirella and her husband
The big air
The big air
Ready to jump
Ready to jump
Flying in the air
Flying in the air
Flying in the air
Flying in the air
Flying in the air
Flying in the air
Shaun White thanking the crowd
Shaun White thanking the crowd

 

I was really really happy that I found them, because they had to go in the same direction as me.
Because I didn’t know how to get home, if I didn’t found them.

But before we went home, we stopped in a Japanese restaurant to eat.

 

Japanese restaurant
Japanese restaurant
Mirella and her husband in the Japanese restaurant
Mirella and her husband in the Japanese restaurant

 

After the meal we called it a day and went home.

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A Night out with Vlad

I went a night out with Vladimir Karetnikov, an affiliate from Adsimilis.

First I went to his apartment in Marina Del Rey, a beautiful place in Los Angeles.

We started of with some beers, but then I told him what I usually drank during my student years.
A great starter/aperitif, before you go to the clubs or bars.
Vodka – Champagne/Prosecco/Cava, in my opinion a great combination.

He gave it a try, and he liked it :).

Decks on the wall
Decks on the wall

After some drinks, Vlad showed me his view.
Damn if that was my view, I would constantly sit outside!!

Vlad's view
Vlad’s view

Then we went to a bar in Venice to have supper and some beers.

Beer tasting
Beer tasting

I think we were a little too early at the bar.
But we had a good time so we didn’t mind.

Calm before the storm
Calm before the storm

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