Charles McPadden Photography

Dec 28

by Charles McPadden in Landscapes 0 comments tags: landscape

Walt Disney Concert Hall – Los Angeles

I spent most of yesterday walking around Los Angeles near the historic Olvera Street. This particular area is one of the oldest in Los Angeles and offers fantastic photo ops. China town, the Union Station (see below) and the Grand Central Market are all within walking distance of Olvera Street. The Walt Disney Concert Hall (pictured above) is also a few blocks away.

Dec 11

by Charles McPadden in Landscapes 0 comments tags: landscape

Los Angeles

Just a shot I grabbed on a recent hike through the Hollywood hills…

May 28

by Charles McPadden in Landscapes 0 comments tags: 101, fine art, landscape

Highway 101

A few times a year I have the pleasure of driving up the California coast from Los Angeles to the tiny, scenic coastline town of Cambria (about three hours north of Los Angeles). Cambria is absolutely beautiful and everything you would imagine it to be.

Dec 23

by Charles McPadden in Landscapes 0 comments tags: desert, landscape

Sedona, Arizona

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Sedona, Arizona. For those unfamiliar with Sedona, it’s a very popular tourist destination located in the northern Verde Valley of Arizona. Sedona is an incredibly scenic area known for the bright red sandstone formations that sprawl across the desert floor. The area offers hundreds of well-groomed hiking trails to choose from. You could spend several days hiking there and never see the same trail twice.

Aug 23

by Charles McPadden in Landscapes 0 comments tags: landscape, oregon

Beautiful Oregon

I just returned from a business trip to Oregon. If you’ve never been there, let me tell you – Oregon is absolutely gorgeous and offers endless photo opportunities. Each morning I made a short commute from my hotel and drove passed this beautiful stretch of beach near the town of Garibaldi.

Aug 02

by Charles McPadden in Landscapes 0 comments tags: landscape, wind

Wind Farm

If you’ve ever driven on California’s Interstate-10 through Palm Springs, you’ve undoubtedly seen the unusual wind farm that spans both sides of the interstate. I’ve driven through this area countless times and have often thought about stopping to photograph these massive sci-fi looking structures. For one reason or another (mostly a lack of time) I never stopped. However, a few days ago, I was passing through the area and decided to stop and take some photographs. On this particular day it was scorching hot – 103 degrees and extremely dry.

Feb 08

by Charles McPadden in Landscapes 0 comments tags: boston, landscape

Boston

Last fall, my wife and I traveled to the east coast for vacation and sight-seeing purposes. I shared some of the trip highlights in a post you can read here. The other night I was browsing through the images I had taken on the trip and discovered this one. This particular image was taken near the Charlestown Navy Yard in downtown Boston. Our hotel was very close to the Navy yard and I had the opportunity to take morning walks before busy crowds emerged. In the early morning hours, this part of town is surprisingly tranquil. Each morning a fresh harbor mist covers the tree lined streets. As the morning hours give way, the peaceful streets become ever crowded with tourists, sailors and local shop owners.

Oct 31

by Charles McPadden in Landscapes 2 comments tags: landscape, new hampshire

East Coast Tour

Living in southern California has advantages. The weather is fantastic and there’s always something happening. From a photography perspective, it’s hard to beat. Sometimes, however, you need a little change. For the past several years I’ve wanted to go on an east coast tour of the United States. Specifically, I’ve wanted to visit during the fall season to photograph the legendary fall colors. Well, this year it finally happened! My wife and I just returned from a spectacular two-week journey along much of the east coast. The cool thing is that other than our flight, we didn’t have a single reservation. This trip was about complete flexibility.

Jul 08

by Charles McPadden in Landscapes 0 comments tags: beach, landscape, santa monica

Walking in Santa Monica

I often read about photographers who struggle to stay inspired. I can relate to this big time. Living in southern California provides endless opportunities for photographers, yet all too often I find myself struggling to find something “new” to photograph. After living here for so long, everything (even incredible things like oceans and mountains) can, at times, seem the same.

Aug 21

by Charles McPadden in Landscapes 1 comments tags: balloon

The Big Balloon

Yesterday, my wife and I had an amazing opportunity to ride in a hot air balloon. What a fantastic experience! If you’ve never done it, I really recommend it (assuming you’re not afraid of heights). Our balloon lifted off just after dawn, and within a few short seconds we had a spectacular 1,000 foot view of Camarillo’s rolling hillsides and neatly aligned orchards.