Using aerial photography and time-lapse technology, filmmakers have been able to capture the mesmerizing beauty of the City of Angels like never before. Whether you’re a lifelong Angeleno or visiting L.A. for the first time, discover the electrifying energy of Los Angeles from a different perspective through the videos below.
"La La Land: Los Angeles in 4K" by Evan Thomas
This drone footage of Los Angeles was shot by Evan Thomas in the spring of 2017 and was inspired by Damien Chazelle's La La Land. All drone shots in this video were captured safely and flight plans were approved by all airport control towers within a 5-mile radius. All flight plans were deemed acceptable and unlocked by the DJI Go App.
"24 Hours In Los Angeles" by Beverly Hills Aerials
24 HOURS IN LOS ANGELES - DRONE TIMELAPSE from Beverly Hills Aerials on Vimeo.
This video is the result of a 3-month drone journey throughout Los Angeles. "We used every waking free moment to scout, plan, and shoot a variation of iconic locations and inspiring architecture," says Michael Izquierdo, Chief Pilot at Beverly Hills Aerials. "We shot approximately 50 different locations and only selected the absolute best shots. Our focus was on precision, speed, proper time of day, and most importantly, safety. The entire video was filmed with a DJI inspire 2 in Pro Res 422HQ."
"PANO | LA" by Joe Capra
PANO | LA from SCIENTIFANTASTIC on Vimeo.
Created by L.A. based photographer Joe Capra (aka Scientifantastic), PANO | LA was shot over a period of two years entirely in true panoramic form using two synced DSLR cameras side by side. The resulting panoramic timelapse footage comes in at a whopping 10K x 4K resolution when stitched. Capra says, "I did not shoot this film to achieve the extreme resolution. I shot it for the panoramic look, especially the compressed look you get when using long lenses."
"Trilogy of Light" by Colin Rich
City Lights from Colin Rich on Vimeo.
Filmmaker Colin Rich has released City Lights, a beautiful time-lapse video of Los Angeles set to the music of M83’s "Outro." Rich’s video is a visual poem that captures the shimmering rhythm of the Los Angeles cityscape, from the urban heart of Downtown L.A. to the remote heights of the Angeles National Forest. City Lights is the third and final video in Rich’s Los Angeles series, Trilogy of Light. Three years in the making, the trilogy began with L.A. Light, set to the music of Cinematic Orchestra. L.A. Light was followed a year later by Nightfall, featuring M83’s "Echoes of Mine." For Rich, the Trilogy of Light project was “a chance to break away from the 70 m.p.h. freeway perspective and to observe the sun slip from view and watch the electric dance of nightfall begin.”
NightFall from Colin Rich on Vimeo.
L.A. Light from Colin Rich on Vimeo.
"Above LA" by Chris Pritchard
Above LA from Chris Pritchard on Vimeo.
L.A. based photographer Chris Pritchard's Above LA is a stunning time-lapse video that culminates a few years of work documenting the city from the roofs, mountains and hilltops around Los Angeles. He says that "creating this was a labor of love and helped me gain an ever greater appreciation of our unique city."
"Los Angeles Hyperlapse" by Vadim Tereshchenko
Los Angeles Hyperlapse/Timelapse Compilation from Vadim Tereshchenko on Vimeo.
Videographer Vadim Tereshchenko shot Los Angeles Hyperlapse over the course of two years and truly captures the energy of Los Angeles. Tereschenko said, "I spent a lot of time scouting for locations, waiting for the perfect conditions, and catching the beauty of the city. Lighting is important. Sunrises, sunsets; transitions from dawn to day, and from dusk to dark."
"Los Angeles" by Ian Wood
Downtown Los Angeles from Ian Wood on Vimeo.
Los Angeles from Ian Wood on Vimeo.
Aerial videographer Ian Wood takes viewers high above the City of Angels with drone techonology in his Los Angeles and Downtown Los Angeles videos. Wood says, "I continue to be awe struck by how much of this vast city I have partially or completely overlooked before undertaking this video. And like most voyages of discovery, I've realize there’s so much more to find."
"Skyglow" by Sunchaser Pictures
SKYGLOW from Sunchaser Pictures on Vimeo.
In conjunction with SKYGLOWPROJECT.COM, Sunchaser Pictures created an experimental timelapse that imagines the galaxy over the glowing metropolis of Los Angeles through composited timelapse and star trail astrophotography. Footage shot by Gavin Heffernan and Harun Mehmedinovic.