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Randy Redford
20-Oct-2003, 17:31
I will be in Santa Barbara for 4 days at the end of this week and am looking for good LF subjects. Main interests are architecture and landscape. Will be able to get out and about, and don't have to be any specific place at any time. Just a shooting trip for me while my wife is there on business. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Mark Erickson
20-Oct-2003, 17:42
I haven't shot there a lot, but I lived there for many years. For architecture, the Santa Barbara County Courthouse is definitely worth visiting. Mission Santa Barbara is also a wonderful subject. Thousand Steps Beach is worth checking out if you want to go somewhere with fewer tourists. Elwood Shores is something like 10--15 miles west of downtown SB. It good bluffs, wind-sculpted trees, etc.

Damn, now I'm getting nostalgic. Hope this helps!

Frank Filippone
20-Oct-2003, 17:59
Tripods are illegal in the city of Santa Barbara. Yes, I realize this sounds a bit weird, but it is true. I have been thrown out of the harbor and off the streets. I have used the tripod inside the courthouse, under my assumption that it is county land, and therefore city laws will not apply.

If you want to have fun using LF, go elsewhere.

Andre Noble
20-Oct-2003, 18:56
Frank are you sure? I've seen photo students out in S.B. with tripods and 4x5's in the park. Anyone else with experience out there in S.B.?

John Kasaian
20-Oct-2003, 19:55
Try Mission La Purisma Concepcion near Lompoc for architecture. Its a restored California State Park----really cool, but get there early and/or mid-week.

Mark Erickson
20-Oct-2003, 19:57
I just downloaded the Santa Barbara City Municipal Code (a 10 MByte Word file). The word "tripod" does not appear in the document. I did, however, find this tidbit:

Tax - Photographers - Transient.

Every person carrying on the business of a photographer, who has no fixed place of business within the City, shall pay an annual tax of sixty dollars ($60.00). Every person engaged in the business of soliciting or canvassing or taking orders, for the taking or making of photographs or views, who does not have a fixed place of business within the City, shall pay a tax of five dollars ($5.00) per day for each such canvasser, solicitor or photographer. (Ord. 2930 §37, 1963.)

John Hennessy
20-Oct-2003, 20:55
A) Never had a problem with a tripod in Santa Barbara.

B) Try the gigantic fig tree in the little park next to the train station. The tree is the park essentially. Unless you like carved-in-the-wood graffiti though, it is difficult subject. I cloned out the graffiti in my images and it took a long time.

C) There are cliffs in a residential just north of the main beaches where the sun (in December at least) rises across water and over some hills. You'd think sunrise on the west coast would be an unlikely subject but it works.

D) The courthouse is Spanish colonial Moorish gothic schlock. But it is a good subject nonetheless. It is a working courthouse so weekends are by far the best time.

E) For whatever reason, it certainly isn't the reasonably-priced real estate, the people are very friendly.

Frank Filippone
20-Oct-2003, 23:32
My understanding is that stucents from Brooks are allowed to use tripods. Professionals get some form of permit/license. The rest of us get tickets or chased off. Personally, I have been chased off by a policeman.

So, yes, I believe you are not allowed to use a tripod in the city of Santa Barbara.

YMMV

lee\c
21-Oct-2003, 07:43
Frank is a very shady character and it is no wonder the police ran him off. All the police would feel uneasy with Frank in town much less photographing.

:)

leec

Frank Filippone
21-Oct-2003, 07:49
Now Lee, be nice. No need to tell our friends about all my secrets.

Peter Witkop
21-Oct-2003, 08:58
I've never had a problem with a tripod in SB, but I'm a brooks student too. Acctaully anyone with a monorail could probably be easily mistaken for a brooks student, particularly in the numbers they're bringing into the school lately. As long as you're not on a sidewalk, in a crowd, etc, I suspect you'd be fine. I'd also suggest going up to east (or west) el camino cielo (I think I spelled it right), which is a little road that runns along the ridge behind the city. It's in Los Padres National forest, to park anywere other than of Rt. 154, you're supposed to get an adventure pass. If you're coming from SB, take the 101 north get off the 154/state st/catchuma lake exit, go up until you see east camino cielo on the right, or west on the left.

Peter

Mark Erickson
21-Oct-2003, 09:55
Frank,

So if it's illegal in the city, where would it be written down besides the Santa Barbara City Municipal Code? It would be interesting to see such a restriction over an entire city in writing....

james mickelson
21-Oct-2003, 16:27
I have photographed in Santa Barbara for years and never had so much as anyone even look at me. And being the unsavory looking character that I am, I would think if it were illegal or frowned upon, I would be the first to have the police arrest me or run me out of town. Try Los Osos State Park north of town. Very unusual trees and landscape. I love the missions and the old homes. The beaches are great too. Have fun.

Harley Goldman
21-Oct-2003, 16:56
I live in Santa Barbara and have shot with a tripod and have never had a problem. For locations, try the Santa Barbara Mission, the pier, the courthouse and drive up to the La Purisima Mission. The beach shots are nice, but the oil rigs in the SB channel turn me off. If you want a very short, but scenic hike you can find Lizard Mouth at the end of West Camino Cielo a few hundred yards before the gun club. It is sandstone formations with beautiful ocean views above Goleta. If you can find it on the map and another short hike, try Knapp's Castle a.k.a. The Ruins, which is the stone frame of an old house that burned down many moons ago. The house has stellar views of Lake Cachuma in the distance and the mountain range behind the Santa Ynez valley. You can use the old foundation for some nice framing of distance scenery. That should keep you busy for a little while.