Ralph Velasco:

It’s one thing to admire our beautiful community, but don’t you sometimes just want to record it so you can share it? You could always snap away with your camera phone, but it’d be a lot cooler if you knew what you were doing. Well, Ralph Velasco, who leads photo walking tours here and elsewhere, has you covered.

Tell us about your tours and background.

I teach travel photography in a classroom setting throughout Southern California, and my students said that although they enjoyed the classes very much, they wanted to actually get out and shoot with me, as well, so I resurrected the idea of taking people out on walking tours to photograph in great locations, which I started developing back in Chicago, where I’m originally from. So now I take photographers of all levels out to shoot in Newport Harbor, Corona del Mar, the Mission San Juan Capistrano and also out to Joshua Tree National Park, and I can even customize tours for those looking to shoot in other areas.

On your website you feature a picture of you running from a bull. Tell us the story behind that one.

That picture was taken 30 years ago in the summer of 1979, when during high school I studied in Madrid. I entered a sack race that was held in a small practice bull ring on the outskirts of Madrid.

Thinking the worst, I said to the priest who was running our program, “They’re not going to let the bulls out during this, are they?” And he said, “No, of course not.”

Well, they did, and he was in on it. You really can’t trust anyone!

How many countries have you visited?

I’ve shot in about 35 countries on five continents, so far.

What are some of your favorite places to shoot?

Chicago is an absolutely amazing place to photograph, and I’m putting together a guided tour back there in May, and like the tour to Spain I’ll be guiding in October, it’s not just about photography, but about the food, culture and incredible variety of other things to see and do. I’m looking to put together an overall cultural experience for participants, not just one focused on photography for 12 hours a day. Additionally, Montenegro, wedged between Croatia and Serbia, is now my favorite place that I’ve ever been.

Tell us one of your favorite stories.