San Jose

[Enrico]

Need some advice on San Jose. Im going to be there for two days. What's there to do? (in general, and photographically..).
Any LF'ers in town?

[Paul Cocklin]

California or Costa Rica?

[Enrico]

Santa Clara

[Jonathan_5775]

Enrico,
I don't think anybody understands you yet. You ask questions about San Jose - and Paul wanted to know whether you mean the San Jose in California or the San Jose in Costa Rica - and you answer "santa clara". I'm sure there's someone on here who can answer your question. But you have to let us know if you are talking about the USA or Costa Rica.

[Wilbur Wong]

One of the San Jose 's is in Santa Clara COUNTY in the state of CALIFORNIA

[QT Luong]

San Jose, California is in the Santa Clara County. There isn't that much to photograph there, but see
those photos (http://www.terragalleria.com/california/california.san-jose.html), and feel free to ask for details if anything catches your attention, since I live there.

[Enrico]

Hi All, Apologies for being vague. Im talking the San Jose in California. Im spending two or three days there and people are telling me its not such an exciting place (compared to what?, i say..). By the way, Im not from the United States, Im traveling from Australia and will primarily be in San Francisco and Vegas. San Jose is a two/three day transit stop. From Photographer's points of view, Im trying to get a feel for the place or any advice about what to do there.

QT, your image <Ridges, Joseph Grant County Park. San Jose, California, USA> is just wonderful.

[Enrico]

there I go, vague again! Its meant to read "your image -Ridges, Joseph Grant County Park, San jose-...

A week with the flu and all senses die.

[nurvanna]

"San Jose, California... There isn't that much to photograph...I live there."

--QT Luong

that's quite possibly one of the most absurd statements ever coming from a photographer! just using your imagination you will see an infinite number of photographs anywhere - even in SAN JO!

i find it appalling that you, a resident of this great city, would make such a statement! i was born and raised in san jose. i just recently moved to arizona(bought an affordable new home). even with all the amazing things i've seen(and see) here, i would love to still be in san jose! the only reason why we moved was because of the cost of living in california - we were going insane just working to pay bills and not have a life. there wasn't much money even to afford the simple pleasure / stress reliever of photography either.

enrico-

in terms of subject matter, what things interest you - landscape, abstract, architecture?

[Edward Mast]

I suspect a bit of facetiousness in QT Luong's response, Nurvana.

[John Kasaian]

If you've got a car, head up Alum Rock Road to the Observatory, or cut over to the coast and the seascapes South of Half Moon Bay. For architecture theres the old Mission San Jose, Stanford University in Palo Alto, and the dirigible hangers at Moffat Field (you might need permission for Moffat in the post 9-11 world--call first if your planning a visit) For the truly wierd theres the necropolis of Colma, the Rosicrutian museum(is that how you spellit?) and...those dirigible hangers at Moffat Field, and for seafood check out The Clam Bucket---yum!

[QT Luong]

Nurvana, judging by the Getty or Corbis files, or the reputation of San Jose, there isn't much to photograph in San Jose, but the link I gave had about 50 images that represent less than 10% of my files. See also the 4th comment on
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/main?q=&url=terragalleria.com :-)

The way I drive to Joseph Grant County Park from Hwy 101: take Tully Road exit, go W on Tully (towards the hills).
Turn Right on Quimby. Stay all the time on Quimby. It will eventually become a very steep and winding road going up the hill, and then slightly down, where it joins with Alum Rock mentioned by John, which is an alternative. Shortly after the junction, you will see on your left a small lot where the trail head of Joseph Grant Park is. The trails are pretty steep, and the higher you go, the more interesting the scenery and trees are. It is at least one hour and half hike to the point where the images you saw were taken, so a backpack is a must.

[Ling Z]

San Jose, Silicon Valley is the heaven for engineers, but not for photographers. I'd like to agree with QT. I had lived in San Jose for over five years, and I don't think you can find much to photograph either. However, if you drive to Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz coast, Half Moon Bay or San Francisco, you could find many beautiful vistas to shoot. All of these places can be reached within one hour to drive.

[Dan Dozer]

I lived in the San Jose area for 20 years and never did any photographing actually in San Jose. The images that QT has are a good example. The city itself covers a pretty large area, and now all the Bay Area communities have nowl grown together (San Francisco on the Penninsula to San Jose in the South, to North of Oakland in the East Bay). However, the populated areas are mainly along the San Francisco and you can get away from the "people" and not have to drive all that far. Here are some suggestions of places you may go. Pick up a bay area map(s) that shows from San Francisco south to Monterey.

Monterey - Point Lobos and Weston Beach is about 1 1/2 hours to the south. If you have the time, this is a must go. If you also want be to a tourist, take the 17 mile drive through the Monterey Penninsula (costs about $7 to go), It's a beautiful drive that eventually takes you to Pebble Beach (big deal if you play golf).

Stanford University - has some nice "California Mission" style architecture if you like that sort of thing is about 1/2 hour to the north in Palo Alto.

Bay Area Hills - the images on QT's site of the hills and oak trees are most likely in the hills surrounding the bay area. The best drive I found was on Skyline Drive on the Penninsula that goes from the west side of Saratoga nearly all the way up to San Francisco. Take highway 9 out of Saratoga up in the hills for about 5 - 6 miles to skyline drive (highway 35) and go north as far as you want to go. A good trip would be to go up to highway 92 (Halfmoon bay exit) and either come back the way you came or go right on 92 over to freeway 280 and take it back to San Jose.

Big Basin Redwood State Park (big trees) - South West of Saratoga - take highway 9 to highway 236 -probably would take about 45 minutes to an hour to get there from San Jose.

Highway 1 Drive from Santa Cruz up to San Francisco along the ocean - take highway 17 south from Los Gatos to Santa Cruz and then north on Highway 1 up to Half Moon Bay or all the way up to San Francisco. This loop will take most/all of the day if you stop anywhere to photograph.

Across the Golden Gate Bridge north of San Francisco to Sausilito. There is an old army base there that has a lot of very nice photo ops of the bridge and the city across the bay. This will take over an hour to get there there from San Jose.

By the way, San Francisco is not the easiest city for newcomers to drive in to explore unless you are going to the tourist type of places such as Fisherman's Wharf or Golden Gate Park.

Have fun on your visit.

[Ralph Barker]

I just moved from San Jose because of there being nothing to photograph there. ;-)

Just kidding. Actually, there's quite a bit to shoot. Just depends on what you're looking for. Plenty of architecture, some new, some old, in the downtown area. Various pockets of residential architecture worth considering, too, but not on the same scale as in the older cities of the Deep South. John K. mentioned the old missions (the San Jose Mission is north of town, and there's one in Santa Clara, too, now part of the University) and the Rosicrucian Museum (not far from downtown), which is interesting outside and in. If you're there on a weekend, try a tour of the old New Almaden quicksilver mine, which, in its day, supplied much of the mercury needed to fuel the gold and silver industries of the West.

Landscape vistas are more limited than along the coast, but there are nice views in the Palo Alto foothills, the eastern foothills, and south toward Morgan Hill and Gilroy. For forest shots, Hwy 9 out of Los Gatos (the alternate route to Santa Cruz) has some interesting sideroads and small, artsy towns, too.

[John Kasaian]

If you'll be out and about in the Bay Area, be aware there are some parts of town that are decidedly NOT healthy. Parts of Palo Alto. Potrero Hill, and Richmond are very dangerous. The Convention and Visitors Bureau won't talk about it but don't go there.

[Lars Åke Vinberg]

Along hwy 35 - Skyline Blvd. A great drive and lots of vistas.

http://www.8x10.se/imagelib/1995-001-022-600px.jpg

[Enrico]

Hi All, I just checked back and Im very greatful for all the replies. And thanks for the mention of places that I should keep away from too! It will be of great help.
Thankyou all!

[Henri Lourdelet]

I suggest the Cisco Systems Campus at sunset from Crowne plaza Hotel !

I must admit I have a bias but that can be very nice if the light helps.

[Jeff Conrad]

Palo Alto is perfectly safe; the place to avoid is East Palo Alto (a
different city in a different county). The Northwest part of Potrero Hill
in SF also is fine, though steer clear of the southern part.

If you follow some of the other suggestions and get to the coast, Pebble
State Beach (just south of Pescadero, NOT the one near Monterey) has some
interesting tufoni. Have dinner at Duarte's in Pescadero for some good
fresh seafood and amazing soups and pies.