Best of season two: Photowalks TV

I started the Photowalks travel photography series because whenever I popped into a new town, I’d pepper locals with questions about where to go to get the best sunset and iconic photo shots. And I always got great suggestions which really helped my photography. I figured if I was interested in this stuff, others would be too, and it would be fun to bring viewers along for the ride on a video series.

The second season of Photowalks just concluded in Redondo Beach, a Los Angeles seaside suburb. Over the last eight episodes, even in the midst of a never-ending pandemic, we got out there, from Savannah, GA in the south to Zion National Park in the west, from Las Vegas to Palm Springs and Flagstaff, AZ.

We made it to Oahu, Hawaii and beyond Redondo, we also did an episode on my hometown of Manhattan Beach, another Los Angeles community by the sea.

Directly above, highlights from the season, and below, quick thoughts on photographing in each of our stops.

Savannah, GA

I shot the episode in September on the then brand-new iPhone 13 Pro Max and my biggest surprise was just how great Cinematic Mode looks. When Apple first introduced Portrait mode, and the ability to blur backgrounds, it took about two years for it to work through the kinks, but Cinematic Mode looked awesome from day one. Only one issue — Cinematic Mode only shoots in 1080p, not 4K. Let’s hope Apple fixes that for the next edition.

Manhattan Beach, CA

If you visit Los Angeles, you’ll want to see the great seaside communities of Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, Hermosa, Redondo and on and on. Manhattan is the most photogenic, especially in winter, due to one really striking pier. We have piers in other cities, but this round building at its end, the “Roundhouse,” anchors it, and makes for a wonderful foreground image. Take a look at my gallery of SoCal Piers on my website and see if you don’t agree.

Las Vegas, NV

My biggest surprise in what was once called “Glitter Gulch” is that very few of the big old neon signs of yore still exist on the Las Vegas Strip. Today, most signs are cheaper, easier to maintain LED lights. But the old ones still exist, and I made it my mission to go find them in this episode.

Zion National Park

I also shot this entire episode on an iPhone, edition no. 12, but for lazy reasons. The big hike at Zion is called the Narrows, and its down a canyon that’s full of water, sometimes reaching as high as your neck. Like I wanted to drag my expensive Sony A7III in there? Or a small cellphone that’s water resistant, and can shoot 4K video? I’m thrilled with the results, and the lighter gear load!

Palm Springs, FL

It was 125 degrees when we shot the Palm Springs episode here, the warmest day in record. Luckily, we shot early in the morning, and in the shade. If you’re going to the desert, winter is by far the best time to visit, and you get snow capped mountains too.

Flagstaff, AZ

Photographer alert: this Arizona mountain town is an “International Dark City,” which means it’s one of the great place to shoot night skies and stars without too much light pollution. I also shot the Flagstaff episode on the iPhone 13, using Night Shot mode to keep the shutter open 30 seconds in Buffalo Park, one of the popular spots for star photos.

Redondo Beach, CA

I toured the L.A. suburb of Redondo and went on a glass bottom boat with my 85-year-old mom, shooting the whole experience on a GoPro. How cool is that?

Season 3 of Photowalks begins Jan. 13, with an episode exploring the great murals of the Mission Street district, followed by New Mexico (including a visit to Pie Town) and rocky Big Sur in California.