2nd Street Tunnel

I took this photograph from within the 2nd Street Tunnel. The entrance to the tunnel is at the intersection of 2nd Figueroa Street. If traveling by car, there are metered parking spots on 2nd Street, west of the tunnel, towards the 110 overpass.

The tunnel is great to visit year round, but the chances of rain from January to March is much greater, providing you the opportunity to capture reflections off the wet pavement.

The featured image was taken at sunrise. You’re less likley to have traffic at this time. It’s beautiful to photograph at night, too, as it allows the lights and architecture of the tunnel to stand out. Avoid visiting during mid-day due to the harsh light at the beginning / end of the tunnel.

The tunnel is an active roadway so be careful when entering and crossing.

A wide-angle lens (24mm) is recommended to capture the expansiveness of the tunnel.

When you get to the tunnel you will notice that the architecture and road are not perfectly symmetrical - this allows you to capture the scene in a variety of unique ways.

Focus on the sharp contrast of the architecture and various leading lines to help draw viewers into the scene. For this shot, I used the yellow lines in the road to lead the viewer’s eye into the tunnel while also hiding the asymmetry of the scene.

This location is in Downtown Los Angeles, close to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Broad Museum and Grand Central Market.