Its hard to say as there could be more than one issue here, and more than one cause. Camellias like moist soil, but can easily be over watered in CA soils (especially if you have heavy clay soil). If fertilizer has been applied recently, it could be a nutrient toxicity (or salt burn. Fertilizers are salts and if applied in excess or not watered into the soil sufficiently for dissolving there could be a build-up of salts around the roots). We also notice there’s water on the leaves, which can spread disease, especially if the plant canopy is dense and air circulation is poor. We recommend not watering over-head and pruning if necessary to increase air movement in and around the plant canopy. Could also be poor drainage of water away from the roots, which can cause root rot issues, and consequently poor nutrient uptake. If fertilizer has not been applied, you may consider asking your local garden center for an appropriate fertilizer. Camellia’s like an acidic soil pH (which can also cause nutrient issues if the pH is too high – which is typical in CA soils). Here’s some info from UC that may help: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/camellia.html
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