bay area?

[h2oman]

I'll be in the bay area for Thanksgiving. More specifically, I'll probably be staying a night or two in Walnut Creek or Dublin, and a couple nights in Pacifica. What I'd really like to do is see some good B&W prints, both wet and digital if possible. I really have no idea what a "good" print looks like, as I'm pretty new to serious photography. I'd be up for seeing some good color work as well. Best would be near one of those three locations or en route in between.

I will also have my camera along. My uncle's place in Walnut Creek is near the Mt Diablo open space, so I figured I might lug the rig up there, and I can probably find things of interest south of Pacifica. Any particular recommendations?

[Peter Spangenberg]

This is my favorite place in San Francisco to see great prints:
http://www.fraenkelgallery.com/

[Drew Wiley]

Mt Diablo has many trails. Some can be muddy after a rain, while others are better.
So wear decent boots. But for that time of year I would really recommend taking the
Marsh Creek road which goes through Clayton and connects with the Morgan Territory road behind Mt Diablo. There will be nice color on the maples, sycamores,
and wild grapes, plus a whole lot of trails with relative solitude and a lot of huge
oak trees. The Round Valley preserve off Marsh Creek road itself also offers quiet
hiking and nice view camera opportunities. From the bottom up, Mt Diablo is a good
workout; some of the trails are steep. But if you're driving up, I prefer the North
Gate entrance to the south entrance - less cars, as well as access to the back side
of Castle Rock, which has some interesting sandstone spires. Just before the state
park entrance, the road splits to Castle Rock park itself, which is an easier hike but
still quite photogenic, but sometimes muddier than the backside of Castle Rock. You
can also see nice sandstone features at City of Rocks halfway up the south side road
to Diablo; but there are often quite a few picknickers and rock climbers there.

[srbphoto]

In Pacifica, go see Stephen Johnson's gallery. It is 100% LF digital. I don't think there are any really good photographers at the Sanchez Art Center (same building as Stephen Johnson) anymore, but there could be.

http://www.sjphoto.com/

You will probably have to go to the City to see any other good prints.

Shapiro Gallery
49 Geary Blvd. #208
San Francisco, CA
(415) 398-6655
http://www.shapirogallery.net/

This is another good gallery. It is in the same building as the Fraenkel Gallery. So you will get 2 for one.

[Merg Ross]

This is my favorite place in San Francisco to see great prints:
http://www.fraenkelgallery.com/

Also, at the same address: http://www.scottnicholsgallery.com/exhibitions/index.html

[Jim Graves]

The Fraenkel and Nichols Gallery are at 49 Geary St (within a block of where Geary runs into Market St. and just a block and a half from Union Square.) It is also within 3 blocks of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) at 151 3rd St (Geary runs into Market St. on the North side and 3rd street starts on the South side.)

MOMA has a big show of Richard Avedon through 11/29. NOTE Admission to the museum is $15 + $5 extra for entry into the Avedon exhibit. There is also a museum store with nice photography books, prints, and postcards ... there is no fee to go into the store.
Here is the link: Link to MOMA (http://www.sfmoma.org/exhibitions/384)

[srbphoto]

Fraenkel, Nicols and Shapiro are at 49 Geary St.

If you want to photograph in trees, head south of Pacifica on Highway 1, just past Half Moon Bay and head up to Purisima Creek Redwoods. Easy trails at the bottom and a lot of opportunities. http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_purisima.asp

Castle Rock will be a bit of a drive. If you want to check out some sandstone tufoni about half way between Pacifica and Castle Rock is El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space. Park up on Highway 35.
http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_ecdm.asp

If you like open space right there in Pacifica is Montara Mountain, San Pedro County Park and Sweeny Ridge.

Oh yeah, there are some beaches around there also :)

Check out the Taco Bell right on the ocean. It was featured on the Travel Channel's World's Best Fast Food Places. During big storms the waves can actually crash into the building.

[Drew Wiley]

Note that we are talking about two completey different "Castle Rocks". The one at
Mt Diablo is right next to Walnut Cr Open Space. But in either case, the various little
caves and swirls created by tufoni weathering make great view camera subjects.

[srbphoto]

Oh yeah, I always wanted to go climbing at the East Bay version of Castle Rocks.

[h2oman]

Thanks for all the info. I once took my cousin toprope climbing on some sandstone stuff on Mt. Diablo, and I also climbed on some sandstone up on the ridge between the bay and the ocean, a bit north of Santa Cruz somewhere. I should be able to sort out the two Castle Rocks. Sounds like there will be too much to do and not enough time!

[srbphoto]

The sandstone north of Santa Cruz was probably the Castle Rock I was talking about.