This one is for the person behind the phone: the knee-bender, bag-holder, hair-fluffer, and emotional support tripod. LA gives you unfair light, clean backdrops, dramatic architecture, and just enough parking chaos to make the final carousel feel earned. Bring patience, a charged battery, and the courage to say “one more, but then we eat.”

Most stops are free or low-cost, and the best ones reward timing more than gear. Mornings beat crowds, golden hour beats almost everything, and commercial shoots still need grown-up permits. Personal photos? Go be lovingly ridiculous.