Mount Lee Dr view of Los Angeles Skyline

I took this photograph on Mount Lee Drive, about a 30 minute hike up a worn hill so dress and pack accordingly. The best place to park is by the Mount Lee Drive entrance. I normally type in 3387 Deronda Drive Los Angeles 90068 and park on the street there. Pay attention to the parking restrictions in the area that prevent overnight parking. Once you park, head to the Mount Lee Drive entrance and you'll notice a wall to the left of the road, the entrance is in that wall, unmarked. Follow the road towards the top of the mountain. This is the main road for the work vehicles at the radio tower. As you near the top and are on the north side of the mountain, overlooking the valley, you will notice a lookout on your left before the radio tower. This lookout is where I took the featured photo.

The consistent weather in Los Angeles makes this a great location to photograph year round.

The featured image was taken at sunset, but both the morning and evening lights are ideal, adding a warm glow to the sprawling city.

As I was hiking to the top of the Hollywood Sign, I noticed this look out and walked over to get a better view. The low light was just hitting the curves of the hills that had been cut out for the road.

I only wanted to carry one lens with me so had my 16-35mm and set it to 35mm to capture as much detail in the mountains as possible. I tried to position myself in the lookout to get the skyline in the center of the two roads to keep the photo symmetrical.

Both wide and zoom lenses are ideal for this location due to the sweeping views of the city.

The Hollywood Sign is just a little bit further along this trail. There are also numerous scenic areas along the hike.