This is a picture of Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, part of my “Overexposed LA” series. When Griffith Park is closed, it’s tough to get a picture of the obervatory. If you get too close, all the houses and retaining walls in Los Feliz block the view. If you get too far away, it’s too small. But there’s always one reliable viewing point: North Edgemont St. where it crosses Los Feliz Blvd. My grandmother lived on Edgemont, and we could always see the observatory as we were coming and going to her house when we were kids. So that’s where I went when I wanted a picture. This is, needless to say, taken with a long lens and a very careful  alignment of the sightlines.

June 22, 2018 — Los Angeles

Keep us relentless, independent, and free to read.

This past week was our Spring Membership Drive, and we had an ambitious goal of raising 1,000 new donations to fund journalism that doesn’t hold back. We missed that goal. So we’re extending the drive, and we need your help.

For 50 years, Mother Jones has offered honest, investigative reporting you can rely on:

    • Relentless in the pursuit of truth, unafraid to hold the powerful to account

    • Independent from influence or agenda from oligarchs and corporations

    • Freely accessible to every reader, never behind a paywall

But we can’t do any of this without you. Reader support powers our newsroom to stay nimble and fearless, ready for whatever story comes next. If you can, make a donation today.

Keep us relentless, independent, and free to read.

This past week was our Spring Membership Drive, and we had an ambitious goal of raising 1,000 new donations to fund journalism that doesn’t hold back. We missed that goal. So we’re extending the drive, and we need your help.

For 50 years, Mother Jones has offered honest, investigative reporting you can rely on:

    • Relentless in the pursuit of truth, unafraid to hold the powerful to account

    • Independent from influence or agenda from oligarchs and corporations

    • Freely accessible to every reader, never behind a paywall

But we can’t do any of this without you. Reader support powers our newsroom to stay nimble and fearless, ready for whatever story comes next. If you can, make a donation today.

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate