I live just east of san francisco, and i have always felt spoiled by the wealth of photo opportunities with in a short drive. among my favorites are san francisco, carmel, mendocino, yosemite, and some of the old missions and structures of the area that are fading all too quickly. if there is any one else from the areas that has some favorite spots and would like to share them i would enjoy hearing them.

-- greg mason (gmason1661@aol.com), March 14, 2002

Answers

Just east of San Francisco? Does that mean Alcatraz? ;-)

I'm down in San Jose, Greg, and share your enthusiasm for the area. You can see some of my favorite spots on my regular site, http://www.rbarkerphoto.com, but the work there is not limited to Leica images. I've also set up a gallery of Leica images at http://www.leica-gallery.net/rbarkerphoto/index.html that are more fitting for this forum.

I believe there are a couple of other regulars who are in our area, as well.

-- Ralph Barker (rbarker@pacbell.net), March 14, 2002.

Greg,

I am new to this forum, new to the area (I live in Carmel), and new to Leica (just bought a M6 recently). But I do agree that I have seen some great photographic prospects so far. I am hoping to take some day trips into SF to do some shooting, but would be interested in your opinions of other places in and around the Bay area that are worthwhile.

Unfortunately, I do not have any real favorites of my own yet as I am still learning the area.

Do you know of any clubs or orgainizations within the region?

Cheers

-- Rich Green (kamurah@hotmail.com), March 14, 2002.

i'm in the east bay/marin.

www.tristantom.com

-- Tristan (tt@tristan.net), March 14, 2002.

stanford

i love the foothills. there's some great spots if you can evade the security.

-- ken kwok (kk353@yahoo.com), March 14, 2002.

And I'm just down the peninsula in the heart of Silicon Valley in Los Altos, CA. I love to shoot in Carmel too, and spent most of today driving around the "Gold country" taking pics! BTW, that area will be at its peak next week or the week after.

Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), March 14, 2002.

I shoot in San Francisco, Redwood City and San Jose. I like shooting in Oakland too, but I don't like driving on the east side of the bay.

70, Oakland, Copyright 2000 Jeff Spirer

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), March 14, 2002.

Clayton, on the east side of Walnut Creek at the foot of Mt. Diablo. These days I'm venturing up the Sacramento Delta - some funky dying towns up there with tons of fading culture.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), March 14, 2002.

I'm in Sacramento now with Palo Alto area roots and lots of family still in Contra Costa county.

-- Douglas Herr (telyt@earthlink.net), March 14, 2002.

I'm also east of SF, in Walnut Creek. You don't have to go as far as Yosemite or Mendocino, although there is nothing at all wrong with those locations. The Delta is fascinating, and spectacular views are available from the Berkeley Hills or Tilden or Briones parks (it's possible to see the Sierra Nevada on a rare clear day). Point Reyes is also great. There are many interesting old Spanish-era structures inland of Monterey, near Hollister, east of 101. And that's just scratching the surface.

-- Carey Russ (careyruss@earthlink.net), March 14, 2002.

Gee whiz... We should have a meet! I enjoy shooting over in the delta too -- especially around all those old (and yes, dying) fishing and shrimping towns.

:-),

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), March 14, 2002.

I live in the East Bay Hills-moved here in 1985. I like Point Reyes (Drakes Beach) and the whole Mt Tamalpais area. For a nice 5 hour drive North of the Bay Area, Mt Shasta is a treat for the senses. I am not much of a "street shooter", so I can't be of much help there. I did enjoy shooting at the Albany Stroll which happens ever Fall down the length of Solano Ave. in Albany (East Bay). I got a funny image of a bunch of us "disembodied" cyber shooters getting together and having awkward introductions to people I've been chatting with for over a year on a consistant basis--and don't really know as "real people" at all.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), March 15, 2002.

This is a little deja vu. I have b&w portfolios from the Delta, Locke and Walnut Grove, and the general area that date back 20+ years. I live in San Rafael up in the North Bay in Marin County. I was in Chinatown, SF over the two weekends of the New Year fest taking pictures. What a tough place to take pictures with the crowds and the harsh changes in the light from the sun to the shade where those buildings just suck up the light. Cheers. Don.

-- Don (wgpinc@yahoo.com), March 15, 2002.

That's funny, Andrew. I grew up in El Cerrito, went to EC high, haunted Albany (first serious girlfriend there) and went to Berkeley. Small world.

-- Ken Shipman (kennyshipman@aol.com), March 15, 2002.

thanks for the great input. i live in lafayette, which is right next to walnut creek. i'm not much of a street shooter, but you can get some wild street fairs in berkley and san francisco with photo's that will shock your friends in the midwest. having grown up in this area, and having family in california from the early 1900's i try to shoot as much of the dying culture that i can, the old fishing villages, the old ranches things that time is eating up. photos i can save for my kids when they are older. usually not particularly artsy, but documenting a life which they will not know.

if i need insperation i can always drive up highway 1 from cutting over from san rafael and come back with a some good memories and some good photos. thanks to all.

-- greg mason (gmason1661@aol.com), March 15, 2002.

San Jose. Sunnyvale, actually.

-- Vijay A. Nebhrajani (vijay_nebhrajani@yahoo.com), March 15, 2002.

I'm stuck in the Monterey area but get up to SF regularly. I would give anything to get out of this Disneyland for the Mentally Challenged and move to San Francisco, but I can't afford it right now. I thought of doing a series on the gallery windows of Carmel, sending the prints to my New York friends, but I'm not that sadistic. I do have a few good locations but I keep them secret because I don't want them overrun with tourists and wannabes with their brand new Nikons. As for the "fading" missions, well, I wish they would fade faster, remnants of the conquest and genocide of the native peoples that they are.

Oh, why, why did I ever leave New York!

Peter Hughes Photography

-- Peter Hughes (ravenart@pacbell.net), March 15, 2002.

New Yorkers have Ground Zero, we have the Big Artichoke in Castroville. Eat your hearts out!

-- Peter Hughes (ravenart@pacbell.net), March 15, 2002.

Recently moved to Los Altos, previously a Santa Clara/San Jose resident - but as an alumnus of UCB and a fan of sailing, I definitely have a soft spot for Berkeley as well.

-- Rick Koo (koo@gene.com), March 15, 2002.

Peter, thanks for reminding me why I stay in New England :-)

Steve

-- Steve Belden (otterpond@adelphia.net), March 15, 2002.

I live on the SF Peninsula and have also lived in SF and the Monterey Peninsula. I find the Monterey Peninsula very inspiring for photography, especially the coastal areas.

-- Ken Prager (pragerproperties@worldnet.att.net), March 15, 2002.

I'm not a pro. Work and live in the center of Silicon Valley, one of the most populated places in the US but has the worst photog. oppertunities among metro. Either going north to SF, Marin, wine counties or South to Carmel, Monterey is the right place. Oh yes, to the east, I can easily run out of films in Berkeley and Oakland. But nothing compares to New York...

-- Fred Ouyang (yo54@columbia.edu), March 15, 2002.

Silicon Valley, one of the most populated places in the US but has the worst photog. oppertunities among metro

Hmmm, you must not be looking. San Jose is the south end of Silicon Valley and one of my favorite places to shoot.

Love in the Bar, San Jose, Copyright 2000 Jeff Spirer

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), March 15, 2002.

Hi, I am also based in San Francisco - San Jose area since 1979. I also like to photograph in any old town, for examaple, S.F. China Town with the time rolls back 100 years. Well it just a dream. Email me if you guy want to have a day trip together.

-- kenny chiu (gokudo31@hotmail.com), March 15, 2002.

there is a Bay Area Leica User's Group mailing list, which you can subscribe to at the following link:

http://www.balug.net/mailman/listinfo/balug

-- tristan (emulsion71@hotmail.com), March 15, 2002.

I'm only visiting the bay area for a few days, staying with a friend in El Cerrito. Today I saw the Salgado exhibit at the Berkeley Art Museum. It is great and only on until the 24th. Go see it if you can.

-- jay goldman (goldman@math.umn.edu), March 15, 2002.