Photos of this life: California Connection

Traveling is hard work, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It doesn't matter if you are flying, driving, floating, or walking. This past week I have been out of town in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, and San Diego. Needless to say, these past few days have been spent recovering and working on these photos. The game plan for this trip would be simple, go see Dirt Nasty perform twice, once in Scottsdale, AZ and once in Hollywood, CA. I arrived at the hotel in Scottsdale in good time and began preparations for the show at American Junkie. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, I get my first sight of Dirt Nasty as he enters the building through the back door. It's a subtle entrance guaranteed not to cause a ruckus. At this point I have to introduce myself and congratulate him on the new album Palatial. After parting ways I found a good spot in the crowd as show time crept near. This particular performance was in fact a free show, which I thought was awesome, so Dirt's set was substantial shorter than a full performance. Overall, not a bad show at all, I actually prefer the smaller venues for multiple reasons. Mainly getting access to the artists is substantially easier in these types of venues. After he got off stage, I approached Dirt once again to say what a great show, drop off a business card, and luckily get a photo. Damn good night if I do say so myself. Rise and shine early the next morning as it's time to hit the road. Destination? Los Angeles, California, the city of angels and traffic. I spent Thursday night hanging out with old friends and talking about everything that has happened since my last visit to the Souf Bay. Friday my good friend Nick would be flying in to LAX as he wanted to attend the show in Hollywood. Saturday was largely spent at the Redondo Beach and Rancho Palos Verdes. Every time I go to Los Angeles I have to make it a point to go RPV. This is the area I credit with inspiring me to get serious about my photos. The sun begins to set and it's time to get ready for the show in Hollywood. Amazingly we find excellent parking across from The Roxy Theatre, the venue for the evening. Within minutes of being there I had the opportunity to meet Nik Nikateen, a producer who works with various artists, including Dirt Nasty. Upon entry I notice the venue is pretty small but there is a lot of people. Make my way to the front and find a good spot to take photos. The show begins and I must say the atmosphere was pretty electric. Aside from some punk ass kids in the crowd, it was a really great show with some of my favorite artists. The show ends and everyone is shuffled outside flooding Sunset Blvd with people. Hanging out a bit after the show gave my friend Nick and I the opportunity to meet BEARDO, Andre Legacy, and Dirt Nasty. Upon arriving back at the hotel after a long day, I couldn't help but think what a great time I had so far on this adventure. I feel some really good connections were made that will help my photography career in the future. What could possibly make this trip any better? Well, on my way home I stopped in San Diego, CA to inquire about purchasing a used Canon EF 70-200mm F/4L USM lens. The owner and lens did not disappoint, the transaction was swift and I was on my way home. First impressions with the new lens are really good but i'll leave all that to my next blog post. Thank you visiting and take care

All photos on this post taken with either iPhone 5 or a Canon T2i body and EF 50mm F/1.8 II lens