Griffith Observatory is one of the most iconic spots in Los Angeles, and tourists flock there for the view — but for me, the real draw is how many creative angles it gives you to work with light. The white domes, the arches, the long corridors: each one catches golden hour differently while the city stretches out, hazy and glittering, far below.
For this pre-wedding session, we used the architecture as much as the skyline. The Observatory's clean lines and curves give you these timeless, almost classical frames, and then a few steps away you've got the entire LA basin as a backdrop. It's two iconic looks in one location.
A practical note for couples considering it: Griffith gets busy, so we plan around the light and the crowds — arriving with a shot list and a sense of where the quiet corners are. Done right, you'd never know there were a hundred other people up there with you.
Thinking about a Griffith Observatory engagement session of your own? It's one of my favorite places in the city to shoot, and I'm always happy to help you plan the timing.