My California photos: an introduction

I live in California, so of course I have lots of pictures of the state. Since I live in Los Angeles, many of my pictures are from that city, and the area nearby. I also have some shots that I am proud of from the deserts, the mountains, and the redwood forests on the north coast.

California is an amazing place. I fell in love with the state when I was still in high school and had an opportunity to visit the summer after my junior year. My father and I started out from Las Vegas, drove down to Los Angeles and spent a few days there, came up the coast on the 1 and 101, and spent a few days in the Bay Area, and then drove eastward, crossing the Sierras through Yosemite, and then crossing the White Mountains into Nevada and then back to Nevada.  Based on that experience, I decided to come here for college, and was lucky enough to be admitted to a good school. I went elsewhere for graduate school, but have been here ever since.

I still like to think California is one of the greatest places in the world. The state faces many challenges but I am confident it will muddle its way through. It certainly can't be beat for variety: cities, deserts, mountains, agricultural fields, forests...

Start by checking out my selections of favorite California pictures and favorite Los Angeles pictures.  You can also check out my favorites from Death Valley, Joshua Tree, the redwoods, and the deserts.

You are also welcome to browse all of the California galleries from which these selections of favorites were drawn.  I have collections of galleries for Death Valley, the Huntington Library, Joshua Tree, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach and South Bay, UCLA and Westwood, Yosemite,  other, mainly coastal landscapes, historical sites, and the redwood forests.