Smog Sunrise

I'm in Los Angeles for work this week. I greeted the new day today with my iPhone camera and captured sunrise from my hotel balcony in Century City.

Sunrises and sunsets in Southern California are beautiful for an odd reason -- air pollution or "smog." Apparently, the layer of smog that sits over much of Los Angeles reflects the sun's rays, creating the brilliant orange, pink and purple color patterns in the sky when the sun rises and sets.

Thankfully, since air quality in Southern California has been improving due to the state's tighter air emission standards, these sunrises and sunsets have become less colorful. It's a change I'm happy to record with my camera.