More Travel Shoots in La La Land

Admittedly, I wasn't exactly itching for more Los Angeles, California travel content considering the number of visits (and still unreleased shoots) over the last few years. That said, if there's one place that I could go again and again and not get bored, it would be Los Angeles.

The focus of these latest shoots was "the kitsch of Hollywood". Movie studios, theme parks, theatres, and memorabilia helped to round out the set dressing for an already extensive collection of locations. As always, there was a lot to see and do and I can't wait to share more from this series in the months ahead. See more on the @editingluke Instagram. 

 

Glamor Tram: Studio Tour 60th Anniversary

This year the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood in California celebrated its 60th anniversary. The limited-time event saw the return of the iconic Glamor Trams from 1964 along with nods to past attractions that once defined the studio theme park. 

I snagged myself one of the 60th Studio Tour Glamor Tram popcorn buckets, which in addition to being a great kitschy souvenir, was also the most cumbersome thing I could have found to carry around a theme park for a day. I do love a throwback though - so, worth it!

Universal Monster Murals by Tristan Eaton

You can find these giant monster murals by Tristan Eaton featuring the Creature, Dracula, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and the Wolfman on the backlot at Universal Studios Hollywood in California. I love the combination of old posters, fonts, and references from the original source material to create these masterful collages of these iconic characters. The placement of the artwork is also fitting as these classic monster movies were filmed on the Universal lot nearly a century ago.

Horror Makeup & Universal Monsters

A few visuals from the Horror Makeup Show, featuring a number of highlights from the classic Universal monsters films at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. 

Magic Kingdom 50th at Walt Disney World

Earlier this year an idea began to snowball around capturing the 50th anniversary of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida in a brand new series of travel shoots. 

What was originally imagined as an escape with plenty of R&R morphed into one of the most ambitious multi-week travel shoots I've ever undertaken - complete with exclusive reservations, after hours events, and glimpses into Disney World that required months of pre-planning and special arrangements to execute. The idea shifted from a simple feature of Disney World during its 50th to a showcase of some of the top experiences a person could have in the Magic Kingdom. 

I summed up what this was to become a few weeks ago on Instagram:

When it came down to what location I would choose to jumpstart my international travel shoots again - you probably weren't thinking "oh, this guy is definitely headed to the swampland of central Florida" - but hear me out! 

Just a few short weeks ago Walt Disney World (specifically the Magic Kingdom) kicked off its 50th anniversary since the park's opening in 1971. With an avalanche of new events, exclusive experiences, and media attention, this created some much needed tourism buzz since ... actually, let's not rehash the last year and a half.

As one of the most visited tourist destinations on Earth, located in a country that just reopened to global travellers, during one of the most heavily promoted anniversaries in the history of Walt Disney World - well, you do the math.

Is it possible to be ironic, kitsch-obsessed, boujie, and totally embarrassing, all while still fully embracing the most touristy of tourist hotspots on the planet? 

I mean, of course, but stay tuned lol. Lots to come.

 

Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Japan

A few visuals from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka.

Universal Citywalk in Osaka, Japan

A few visual highlights from Citywalk at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Japan.