Author Topic: San Jose (CA): Photo Trip for Microstock? (Read 6170 times)

Daneel · « **on:** February 27, 2007, 04:33 »

Hi all,

I'll be in San Jose for one week in April. I'll have a rental car and I have yet to decide if my return flight will also go from San Jose or from another city (I'm a bit flexible on this).

I've already been to the west coast once (including Las Vegas and National Parks) but then I had only a point and shoot with me.

I'd love to get some good trip advise / recommendations from you. Where should I go for great photos? Which kind of trip would you suggest?

Many thanks and all the best,
Michael

ianhlnd · « **Reply #1 on:** February 27, 2007, 11:40 »

San Jose basically sucks. I went to college there. Downtown there's St. James park, where the kidnappers of the Hart baby were lynched, other than that, there's been soo much renovation of first and second street that much of the character of the city is gone.

In and around SJ there's some neat places if development hasn't ruined them. Alviso, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Campbell. Or you can take Alum Rock avenue up to Lick observatory, bring a polarizor to cut through the smog.

If you go to the east side, carry a gun.

My best advice for what kind of trip would be a fast one.

Daneel · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2007, 12:06 »

*g*

Thanks :-)

I've a rental car and one week time - so I'm not really bound to San Jose. Everything in driving distance of 1-3 hours is ok.

All the best,
Michael

bryan_luckyoliver · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2007, 12:08 »

Yeah, San Jose might not be a meca of photography, but I assume you have the whole Bay Area to work with...

So I'll throw some ideas out there...tons of great places to go. Sometimes pictures are better than words...so here are a few places I shot (these are pretty old...but maybe helpful?):

Oakland cemetery:
http://zurb.com/oakland/index.html

Arastedero and Woodside:
http://zurb.com/nature/index.html

Suisan Bay- One of my favorites (took a zodiac boat to take these):
http://zurb.com/mothball_fleet/index.html

Napa:
http://zurb.com/napa/index.html

Stanford:
http://www.zurb.com/stanfordcampus/index.html

Hope this helps.

Daneel · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2007, 12:16 »

Hi Bryan!

Kewl - many thanks - keep them coming. Specially that ship fleet looks awesome.

I take it that this is no guarantee that photos of these places are accepted at Lucky Oliver though, right?

All the best,
Michael

Greg Boiarsky · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2007, 12:46 »

And, let's not forget the Presidio or Berkeley.

Quote from: bryan_luckyoliver on February 27, 2007, 12:08

Yeah, San Jose might not be a meca of photography, but I assume you have the whole Bay Area to work with...

So I'll throw some ideas out there...tons of great places to go. Sometimes pictures are better than words...so here are a few places I shot (these are pretty old...but maybe helpful?):

Oakland cemetery:
http://zurb.com/oakland/index.html

Arastedero and Woodside:
http://zurb.com/nature/index.html

Suisan Bay- One of my favorites (took a zodiac boat to take these):
http://zurb.com/mothball_fleet/index.html

Napa:
http://zurb.com/napa/index.html

Stanford:
http://www.zurb.com/stanfordcampus/index.html

Hope this helps.

bbettina · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2007, 14:14 »

I am not a great fan of San Jose either but it was rated the safest city with 500,000+ people in the nation in 2006 (http://www.morganquitno.com/cit05pop.htm#500,000+) so you needn't be too concerend about getting kidnapped :-)
I currently work in downtown San Jose and like to shoot the tall buildings and especially the reflections - makes for cool abstracts - certainly nothing, though, that screams "San Jose" to the viewer of your pics.
I second the Lick Observatory recommendation - its a bit of a drive but well worth it.

If you want to venture further: Santa Cruz, especially the Boardwalk if you are interested in shooting people having fun, then take a drive up 101 to Pescadero - very scenic drive along the famous California coast line and cute little town. Cross back to 280 on either 84 or 92 (84 looks like a short cut but really isn't, its a long drive on windy roads). If you make it to Half Moon Bay and there are strong winds make sure to check out the surfers at Maverick.
Finally 280 will take you back down to San Jose - that's a days worth of photo shooting.
One work of caution about Berkeley - I love the place but have never encountered such hostility towards photographers before. Just raising your camera to your eyes may be enough for people to start chewing you out and demanding that you stop (I am risking being politically incorrect but I have to say the political correctness has gone to far in Berkeley). Oakland was quite the opposite, people were totally accomodating and had no problem with me taking pics of their kids (I asked and I am a woman which helps with taking pics of kids).

Anyway, hope that helps and have fun.

Tina

ianhlnd · « **Reply #7 on:** March 02, 2007, 22:07 »

a little late reply, but,,,,

I've a rental car and one week time - so I'm not really bound to San Jose. Everything in driving distance of 1-3 hours is ok.

The only thing 3 hours outside downtown san jose is traffic and more san jose. It's only 20 miles across, but up the 101 or 880 it's constant traffic jam. I once went from Saratoga to my sisters house in northridge, 25 miles, 2 1/2 hours.

If it's more than an hour away, figure three times that.

I'd like to see some of your work when you return, provide us with a link OK?

Daneel · « **Reply #8 on:** March 03, 2007, 03:02 »

Quote from: ianhlnd on March 02, 2007, 22:07

If it's more than an hour away, figure three times that.

I'll just leave very early in the morning or just not during traffic jam hours :-)

Quote from: ianhlnd on March 02, 2007, 22:07

I'd like to see some of your work when you return, provide us with a link OK?

Definitely! I'm really looking forward to that.

All the best,
Michael

marcopolo · « **Reply #9 on:** March 06, 2007, 03:29 »

April is an excellent month to be visiting that area. True San Jose itself is not that great, but the area around it presents good photographic opportunities. anywhere along the coast, the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands, even Mt Tam and Point Reyes (a little more than 3hrs from San Jose, but well worth it). This is also the season when everything is in bloom, there are lots of rolling hills with oak trees and wildflowers growing on them. There are also redwoods near Santa Cruz. Along the coast rom Santa Cruz to SF there are many great spots to stop for sunset photos. You may also want to check out a book by Galen Rowell called "Bay Area Wilds", it has some excellent photos of that area. He is a famous photographer who grew up in Berkley. good luck.

Greg Boiarsky · « **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2007, 10:26 »

Is Ed Levin park still there, or did they raze it? I used to go there with my grandfather to feed the ducks and pick persimmons in the summer.

ianhlnd · « **Reply #11 on:** March 09, 2007, 00:53 »

Yeah, Ed Levin is still there, gang bangers use it for target practice. Spring Valley Golf Course which boarders EL now has houses all around it.

Greg Boiarsky · « **Reply #12 on:** March 09, 2007, 01:34 »

Well, at least I have my memories of the place. It's a shame to lose the park this way, though.

Quote from: ianhlnd on March 09, 2007, 00:53

Yeah, Ed Levin is still there, gang bangers use it for target practice. Spring Valley Golf Course which boarders EL now has houses all around it.

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Author Topic: San Jose (CA): Photo Trip for Microstock? (Read 6170 times)

Daneel

ianhlnd

Daneel

bryan_luckyoliver

Daneel

Greg Boiarsky

bbettina

ianhlnd

Daneel

marcopolo

Greg Boiarsky

ianhlnd

Greg Boiarsky

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