Recently I was hired to photograph the Regent Theater in downtown Los Angeles. They are opening the music venue up to events other than music shows. The Regent is located in the heart of the Theater District. The building captures a great period in turn of the century American architecture. 

My client wanted to express the ambience of the place with its dark blue lighting. The darker photos show the expansive mysterious feeling of the environment when you first walk in the space. I shot of mixture of darker photos to capture the ambience and brighter HDR photos to show more details of the space. 

NO HDR

HDR

Regent TheaterCanon 5D Mark iii The HDR photos capture more detail and show the space with brighter lighting, though those photos display more of a magenta hue. The brighter photos give you more of an idea of the concrete flooring, the details of the furniture and the unique medallions featured throughout the theater. The darker photos give people more of the mysterious feeling when you first walk into the Regent.

It is a tough call for me to say which photos I like better because they both tell the story of the space just in a different way. HDR is an interesting way to photograph and give a more detailed and three-dimensional feel to a photo. Oftentimes the technique also reminds me of a painting.

I love the way downtown Los Angeles is changing before my eyes. From night on Broadway to the many art walks throughout the year. The old downtown that many Angelenos think of is no longer. Stay tuned to my blog to view the latest images and stories of Los Angeles and it's rapid changes. Below is an photo of the bottom floor bar at The Regent.

I am headed to Detroit for a couple of weeks with my family. I am visiting my mother, father and brothers. We are also meeting a new family member, my daughter's cousin who is the first to be younger than her. I will be back to my blog after my vacation in the Motor City. Home of Motown, home of too many great musical artists to name. Also home to so many memories of my childhood, teen years and University experience.