This isn't a technical question. I'll be doing a family trip along the Monterey/Big Sur coastline in California for the holidays. There's six of us but only two are shooters. So I'm trying to piece together a three day trip that includes shopping, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and lots of landscape photography opportunities. I'm planning to have us spend one night in Carmel and one night in Big Sur.

So my question is for all you West Coast folks, or shooters who've been to this area, where are the best spots for landscape shots? I'm not worried about whether the photos will be original ideas or not, just spots where I can practice my craft but not be too burdensome on the non-shooter members of my family.

any guidance is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

-- victor (danzfotog@yahoo.com), November 16, 2001

Answers

I vote for Point Lobos; Ocean views, weathered Pines, tidepools, one of the most scenic, picturesque places anywhere. Maybe the Monterey Harbor, Cannery Row, Pacific Grove & Carmel town and beach.

Enjoy it all - you can't miss.

-- Don (wgpinc@yahoo.com), November 16, 2001.

Hi Victor-

Just about any turnout along highway 1 will give some sort of amazing coatal view. Find Andrew Molera State Beach just north of Big Sur, its a great central coast beach with great rocks, good views and tons of driftwood that people stack into different structures and sculptures. The already mentioned Point Lobos is a must. Also, the previous post mentions Pacific Grove which is just next to Monterey. Its totally different than Monterey. If you go there, check out Lover's Point. Lots of nice Cypress trees in a small park above the water. But the interesting thing is that after all the beautiful coastline you have seen, there is this strange little cove with a concrete seawall with stairs and rusty railings that lead down to the rocks and beach. Sort of out of place, but very photogenic.

Have fun.

-- jeff voorhees (debontekou@yahoo.com), November 16, 2001.

I would suggest one night in Monterey, and one night in Carmel. I don't recall seeing anyplace to actually stay in the Big Sur area - just a couple of restaurants and lots of scenery. Mornings, even during the best of weather, are usually foggy and cool.

In Monterey, the Aquarium, of course, is a must see - it's galaxy class. The last time I was over there (a month or two ago), there was a considerable amount of construction on Cannery Row. Still worth parking the car uphill on one of the side streets and doing a little walking, however. Unfortunately, much of the tattered charm of earlier times is now gone with the redevelopment and cleanup. Down around Monterey Harbor, and along the side streets, there is considerable architecture that's interesting.

The main street in Carmel is a boutique shopper's delight, and presents ample opportunity for interesting people shots. There is also an Ansel Adams gallery on one of the side streets. The main shopping street leads to the beach, and walking to the south from there provides a few nice beach landscapes. There are also numerous interesting bars and pubs in the area. Tourist books will point you to the main points of interest.

Traveling south on Highway 1 toward the Big Sur area will provide numerous opportunities for rugged seacoast shots. In most spots, the narrow beach and ocean are 200' or so below the road level, so there isn't real access to the beach, unless you take one step too many. The winding road is quite narrow, and pullouts for parking are limited. There is an interesting bridge that is best photographed from the north. You should allow at least a half-day for the drive, perhaps stopping at the famous Nepenthe for lunch.

A number of years ago I was having coffee in one of the funky little cafes in the Big Sur area, when a blond woman with a large dog pulled up in a Jaguar XKE. Leaving her dog in the car, she came in. We nodded to each other as she passed, headed for a booth in the back. It took me a few seconds to realize that I had just nodded to Kim Novak. I understand she still lives in the area.

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), November 16, 2001.

Victor:

By far and away, the best landscape location will be Point Lobos (5 minutes South of Carmel on Hiway 1). The added advantage is that it is also a beautiful place to hike, picnic, tidepool, etc, so it is a great spot for family fun. You can easily spend a whole day and many rolls of film there. IMO, it is really a B&W landscape paradise. Big Sur is very striking, but there is not much to do except look at (and photograph) the striking views, as you are several hundred feet above the coastline. The town of Carmel, and Cannery Row (where the aquarium is) are fun places to shop, stroll and street shoot. Enjoy!

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), November 16, 2001.

Another vote for Point Lobos. Not only are there good opportunities for landscapes, the shorebirds are accustomed to seeing people so they're easier to approach. This was at Weston Beach:

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/BLOY0.HTM

-- Douglas Herr (telyt@earthlink.net), November 16, 2001.

It al comes down to the weather when trying to get a great photo of the Big Sur coast. The best time is between storms with lots of clouds - like the last few days this week. A lot of luck involved. Usually it's too overcast or too clear.

-- Sanford (sanford@usa.com), November 16, 2001.

Point Lobos, of course. Next go to the "town" of Big Sur (26 miles south of the Crossroads) and ask the locals for directions to Pfeiffer Beach. You won't be disappointed. Be prepared for wind, however. (Time to break out that UV filter!) You also might try Rocky Point, Andrew Molera State Park, and the area around Point Sur. Garapata Beach is a supreb location; the northern part is a nude beach. There are one or two other hidden spots...but I'm going to keep them for myself. :)

Personally, I'd skip Carmel. It's a roadside art show disguised as a town--the center for bad art for the entire universe. If you plan of checking out the, er, "galleries", bring a barf bag with you. They're that bad.

I've always considered the aquarium to be a letdown. Cannery Row is basically one giant T- shirt store. And the restaurants are strictly ho-hum unless you like seafood.

The place to stay in Big Sur is Deejent's Big Sur Inn. Very pricey, however, even off season.

Have fun! And whatever you do, be sure to check out Camera West on Calle Principal. Bring money and tell Sean Peter Hughes sent you.

-- Peter Hughes (ravenart@pacbell.net), November 16, 2001.

Geez - I live in Carmel. I didn't realize the art galleries here were so bad. This is a town with a population of 5000 and 80 galleries so I guess they can't all be great, but there are some good ones. There are four or five fine art photo galleries that shouldn't be missed. Peter Hughes sugested Camera West in Monterey, an unbelievable inventory of new & used equipment. He suggested "bring Money", I would suggest leave money at home. Next door to Camera West is Levin Gallery that specializes in fine art photography - great inventory of black & white photos. As far as Cannery Row is concerned you will find the Ansel Adams Gallery down there and it is well worth a visit.

-- Sanford (sanford@usa.com), November 16, 2001.

Victor, The entire area is wonderful. Regarding Point Lobos, be aware that the park is careful to limit the number of cars that enter. Depending on the time of year and time of day, you may not be able to drive in. Probably not a problem this time of year, but it's a good idea to enter the park early to be sure you won't be turned away or forced to wait a long time. Early morning fog can be great for your photos, too. Point Lobos will probably make you reach for your wide angle and ultra wide angle lenses a lot....the views can be overwhelming.

-- Tim Nelson (timothy.nelson@yale.edu), November 17, 2001.

Thanks all for the great comments.

Looks like Point Lobos is a must see. I'll stop into Camera West just to browse. With X-mas and all, my back account is flying on fumes.

I guess I'm going to try to mix up the spots with some down on the beach locales (Point Lobos, Pfeifer-Big Sur State Park) and up top locales (Julia Pfeifer and points along Highway 1 around Big Sur).

Nude beach, eh. Maybe that should be saved for just me and my honey rather than with parents and siblings.

Anyway, thanks for pointing me in the right directions. I've started doing some research at the nearby Barnes and Nobles on these spots. Maybe I'll post what I get.

paul

-- victor (danzfotog@yahoo.com), November 17, 2001.