Advice on one week's trip in San Francisco and Los Angeles

Myself and my wife are going to spend a week in San Francisco (4 full

days) and Los Angeles (two full days) in the first week of February.

<p>I would like to get from people who leave there or who've been

there some advice on when/how to shoot the main attractions, also

considering the winter weather, etc....

<br>For example: which is the best place to shoot the Golden Gate, at

which time, etc...

 

<p>Also, I would be glad to receive suggestions on which lenses to

bring with me

<br>I have a 35mm SRL (Nikon FG-20), with the following lenses (all

manual focus): 28 f/3.5, 50 f/2, 105 f/2.5, 200 f/4.

<br>Do I need them all? What about a tripod (I have a Bogen 3021)?

<br>We will be using public transportation (no car).

 

<p>I am a little more than a beginner, so you would love to get

hints/suggestions.

<p> P.S. Help me get my first POW :P

Los Angeles...

 

Weather - daytime temps are around mid to high 60's F to low 70's, depending on what part of LA; at night, it goes down to high 50's to low 60's -- and YES, I do feel sympathy for those who live in the Northeast (US), currently undergoing a bad winter chill.

 

Public transportation -- in LA??? You need a car. PERIOD. Especially if you're only going be here for 2 days. Keep in mind that Los Angeles County occupies over 4,000 sqaure miles.

 

What to shoot?? Depends on what you usually shoot. Unless you need the 200mm for a specific reason, in general, your 28mm and 105mm should be sufficient.

 

You might want to check this site before you visit.

 

http://www.ci.la.ca.us/

you can shoot GGB from marin headlands or from Baker beach, timing is iffy because it depends on the fog (in feb might not as big a problem as the summer)

I suggest getting the book: Photosecrets San Francisco and Northern California: The Best Sights and How to Photograph Them

 

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0965308715/qid=1074194941//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i0_xgl14/104-4656656-3659950?v=glance&s=books&n=507846>

 

If you don't mind lugging the tripod I'd recommend it especially for low-light landscape shots.

 

You can get away with not having a car in SF but not in LA. How are you getting from SF to LA? Driving down the 1 along the coast would be the highlight of the trip.

 

Where in LA are you heading, it's a rather large place. The Malibu coast and the Disney music hall come to mind. There are many other places but you'll NEED a car.

 

Zeyd

Thanks for your answers!

 

We will be flying from SF to LA.

 

<br>In LA we will be staying in Hollywood, but I would like also to get close to the shore, if we have time for it. I guess we will have to rent a car for that, reading your suggestions :)

I live in the Los Angeles area so whenever I'm in these two areas, I have a car. If in San Francisco, usually on a driving trip and driving through, etc. Much of SF can apparently be done with public transportation (although I've considered it that way, I've never actually done it). Because SF is pretty compact, traffic can be bad and parking is difficult to find. There are ticket packages and passes for the public transportation system and they are worth looking into. It's been a while since visiting up there so can't really tell you current status. But BART does provide good access into the city and there are numerous bus and trolley lines that can be used. People still ride the cable cars as transportation, not just as tourists.

 

Very little of Los Angeles can be done easily with public transportation. Depending on where you are staying, you might be able to use bus lines or the limited rail transit systems to get into downtown. At least when you are there, the Red Line subway connects a couple of highlight areas. In the area around the Union Terminal, you have the Plaza, old China Town and Olvera Street, and I believe one or two stops out the Red Line gets you close to being able to walk to the new Disney Concert hall, the Music Center and the new Cathedral (although these can be strenuous walks as these tourist attractions are on hilltops). You can also take the Red Line into Hollywood.

 

I'd consider going without the 200mm but I suppose that depends on your interests and tolerances. The tripod? Sunset/sunrises, night shots, etc. make it useful but the idea of trying public transportation with too much gear is just hard to recommend.

 

Weather is hard to predict that far out. I can't speak too well for SF but LA will likely be nice unless it's actually raining. Storms come down the Pacific coast in bands so you may have a couple of days of intense rains, some nice days, more rain, etc. Los Angeles is often a little far south for many of them, SF and northern California get almost all of them. Here's a site that can give you some idea of what to expect. January and February are usually the rainiest times. But Los Angeles is what might well be considered a desert except for imported water. So what might "rainy" for us amy be a mild inconvenience to others. Except that many people in LA forget that roads are slick in the rain and there are lots of accidents.

 

 

http://www.losangelesalmanac.com/topics/Weather/

Too bad you're not driving from SF to LA, you're mising out. Any particular reason you're staying in Hollywood? you're better off staying in Santa Monica by the beach. You can takes the bus along PCH and hit a couple of spots in Malibu, or up to hollywood and downtown.

Since it can take a good part of an hour to get from hollywood to the beach it's your call. From Hollywood to downtown it's a 15 minute metro ride (I wish the metro covered more territory).

You can contact me directly if you need specific details around LA (I live in Burbank)

Search the forums, San Francisco is covered many times. A few links:

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.photo.net/ca/san-francisco">Philip Greenspun's travel guide</a>

<li><a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=006Byo">a post similar to your</a>

</ul>

When in SF don't miss the Palace of Fine Arts and Fort Point under the south end of the GGB.

The best place to shoot the GGB is from Alcatraz.

 

However, most of the famous sites are on postcards you can buy. I'd recommend photographing some of the places that aren't on postcards, like Chinatown, the Mission District, the Sunset District. You will go home with a much more interesting set of photos.

 

In LA, I like the downtown area near the Convention Center. Nobody shoots there and it's really interesting.

Thank you all for the great advice you have provided me with.

<br>Following your suggestions, I decided to

<ol>

<li>Buy the <i>Photosecrets</i> book for San Francisco

<li>Leave home the 200mm (I use it usually for animal photography)

<li>Leave home the tripod

<li>Consider renting a car in LA

<li>Make a list of the off-the-beaten-track attractions that you have mentioned here (both SF and LA) and locate them on my Lonely Planet guide.

</ol>

Looking forward to posting my best shots here!

If you like people photography...

 

Friday and/or Saturday nights - West Hollywood, especially on Sunset, west of La Cienega...

 

Around 2-4AM on Friday/Saturday (after folks leave the nightclubs), be sure to check out Jerry's Famous Deli (on Beverly, in West Hollywood, NOT the one by CBS Studio Center)

 

Saturday/Sunday afternoons -- Melrose is always interesting, as is the 3rd Street Promenade (Santa Monica)...

 

CAVEAT - LOTS of people at these places...

I would add...

 

If you like people photography, LA is much easier than SF.

I disagree with the last comment on people photography being easier in L.A. than S.F. I grew up down south, and now live in S.F. I can assure you, thats not true. First of all, no one walks in southern california, secondly L.A. people are more dangerous, and lastly S.F. street people are unusual.

 

Ok, anyways. Concerning the GGB, I work in Sausalito and cross the bridge every day twice. I'd have to say, the bridge looks great from Fort Baker and the headlands. The skyline looks great from both, in addition to the from waterfront of downtown sausalito. Baker beach is great of course, but its also the most popular beach in town. On a clear day, good luck finding parking and expect to have to weave thru loads of naked people to get to the bridge. in my opinion, the winter is the best time to shoot the bay area. summer's the worst.

<i>... can assure you, thats not true. First of all, no one walks in southern california, secondly L.A. people are more dangerous, and lastly S.F. street people are unusual -- Richard Wong </i>

<p><p>

Ahhhh, assurance from a guy in his mid 20's who no longer lives in LA... Some possible reasons why you're wrong:

<p><p><ul>

<li>In terms of land area and population, LA dwarfs SF.

<li>There are a LOT of people in LA who have aspirations of being in front of the camera to begin with.

<li>West Hollywood hotspots mentioned above.

<li>Manhattan-Hermosa-Rendondo

<li>"<i>S.F. street people are unusual"</i>-- you mean more so than people at Venice Beach???

<li>Century City -- catch a lot of the "posers"

<li>Pasadena, especially old town

<li>Downtown area - Chinatown - Garment district - interesting folks

<li>I could go on and on.

</ul><p><p>

Anyway, Stefano, if you do like people photography, there are a lot more opportunities in LA...

I've been shooting in SF for years, and there aren't very many people on the street compared to some neighborhoods in LA. People don't walk much here, either, unless you count the tourists.<p>

 

Leaving that aside, here's what you get for the GGB from Alcatraz:<p>

 

<center>

<img src="http://www.spirer.com/alcatraz/images/alc15.jpg"><br>

<i>Golden Gate Bridge, Copyright 2003 Jeff Spirer</i>

</center><p>

Although I still think there are plenty of more interesting sites in the area.

Stefano,

There is intense rivalry between both areas. Don't worry about opportunities for people shooting. There will be photogenic people all over both cities. (Strangely enough, there are people in most cities that would make good photo subjects!) LAs population growth has occurred much more recently and much more rapidly than SFs. LA people drive because LA didn't grow up on a peninsula so it didn't develop effective mass transit. Both have distinct visually inviting neighborhoods as well as neighborhoods that have people that are dangerous. Seek local help (at your hotels, etc.) on getting around and you'll be fine. I'd suggest especially trying to avoid fighting the rush hours in either city.

Stefano - don't get me wrong... my rant was specifcally about people photography, for which there are a lot more opportunities in LA than SF...

 

As far as the city itself, I truly believe San Francisco is one of the most beautiful and most photogenic cities in the world.

Ahhhh, assurance from a guy in his mid 20's who no longer lives in LA... Some possible reasons why you're wrong:

 

do you have something against people younger than you? fyi: i lived there for 22 years, which is more than enough to have an opinion thank you very much. i still go back frequently because my family is still there.

I know public transit sucks in LA - but what about for those of us who have no choice re: renting a car? I've got no Driver's License (I know, it's un-American and I should be deported), but later this year I'm kind of planning a long meander down the West coast by whatever car-less means possible (Greyhound, Green Tortoise, Amtrak, etc...) Is LA hostile to bicyclists? I was thinking I could rent a bike while there for a few days...

Some transit systems buses are equipped with bike racks and there are provisions on some of the transit rail systems to accomodate bikes. However, bicycling is not one of the more common commute methods. Recreational cycling is quite common. There are a number of bikeways and many streets are marked with bike lanes. As to hostility, I don't know anyone who has been killed riding a bike. Attacked and injured, yes, killed no.

 

There are some areas well suited to biking and some touristy areas can be reached easily by bike. But it's not going to be easy. L.A. is not flat, not compact, and it is crowded and busy.

Stefano,

I have never spent any time in LA but I can confirm that SF offers a lot of opportunity to shoot interesting people. I was there for 4 days a few years back , met an older lady on a bus who had been a cigarette girl way back when , got some interesting shots in Haight Ashbury, got some decent pics of an older fellow hand feeding squirrels and got shots of a guy glueing large plastic dinosaurs to his hand painted car. My 2 cents - if what your after is to meet and shoot interesting people hop on and off public transit(bus)

OK, I was born and raised in L.A.; and I haved lived my adult life for 30 years in San

Francisco and Marin. I am also writing this in San Francisco. Then to top it all off, I was a

tour guide in San Francisco for a short time.

 

L.A. doesn't have an effective mass transit system because Standard Oil pressured the

County of LA one way or another to tear up their mass transit system so that the

automobile could reign supreme; and they could sell gasoline!

In San Francisco, you can buy a 3-day or 1-week pass to ride mass transit here unlimited.

 

You can literally walk to the Golden Gate bridge from near North Beach in about 40

minutes. As you walk, you can take pictures of sailboats. Near North Point you get a view

of the underside of the Bridge. Crossing the Bridge, you can photograph from Vista Point,

and then you loop under the tunnel to get up to Marin Headlands for the most impressive

view. There is also a narrow road out to the lighthouse to see a lighthouse for the first

time.

 

Because San Francisco is clearly one of the most beautiful cities in the World, even the

French think so, we have photographer's books of the most scenic places. You could look

through these books in Border's bookstore at Union Square to get ideas.

 

The famous view of victorian homes against the Modern San Francisco cityline is located in

Alamo Square which is on Hayes St. near Steiner. You take the bus 21 Hayes to get there.

It looks lilke a grassy park.

 

Take the N Judah lightrail train to Golden Gate Park. At 4:30-5:00 take the Golden Gate

Ferry to Larkspur (about $4.00) from the World Trade Center at the foot of Market Street.

You will then see Alcatraz, and San Quentin Prison up close along with the entire bay area.

As you return on the Golden Gate bus, you can stop in Sausilito for dinner and a view of

San Francisco at night. You can return by bus over the Golden Gate Bridge. The bus is the

Golden Gate 20.

 

You can see the Haight Ashbury by taking the 8 Haight bus from Market St.

By taking the N Judah from Market street. you will be taken to the Pacific Ocean with a view

of the Cliff House. By taking the 38 Geary Bus, then transferring to a bus to the Legion of

Honour, you will see a historic place of art and grandour, like being in France.

 

You take a bus from North Beach on Columbus Ave to the top of Lilian Hitchcock's Coit gift

to the city, the Coil Tower, place of 1935 paintings by artists during the depression; and

the view is great. You can walk along the Embarcadero to see a view of the Bay Bridge

during the day or night, and it is safe to do so. There is a very romantic pier which may be

called Pier 7 or thereabouts which you can have a romantic walk on. It is the kind of

romantic walk that you would take a new bride or go to for a walk with a Prom date.

 

We have the exotic, too. North Beach, land of 50s Beat(niks) and xxx strippers. It is safer

here. China town is one block away; history in every alley. At one time, there were 300

opium dens there, girls were sold for $600. Next to China town is old town San Francisco,

and the 1st firestation still stands. There were about 50 bars and dancing halls in a 6

square block area in the early San Francisco era. In the 1880s, there was one bar for every

96 people.

 

On Kearney street near Broadway, we still have an original bar from 1849. It still stands

because when we had the earthquake and fire, there were only 6 tanks of water left to save

the entire city. So, the firemen had to make a decision as to which buildings were most

important to save. So, the firemen used the water to save the whorehouses and bars!

 

Prostitution in San Francisco was called: "Miner's Entertainment". The original fire truck

that Lilian Coil rode in as a 12-18 yehe he was made a member of the Knickerbocker 5

Fire Station on Sacramento St. due to her efforts as a 12 year old to help the firemen pump

water and put out fires, this fire truck is located in the San Francisco Fire Headquarters at

the corner of 2nd St. and Townsend St. You can get there on Bus 10 or 15.

 

You can get to Berkeley and the University there by BART. You can get to Stanford

University by Cal Train. You do not need a car.

 

In San Francisco, go to Twin Peaks for a overall view of the city during the day or night.

 

We have festivals, such as Chinese New Year, today February 7 with a parade through the

city a night. We have big Patricks day parades and May 5 latin parades, too. We have a

happy and strong Brazilian and latin neighborhood that you can walk through at night

without fear of being mugged.

 

Los Angeles has little natural beauty. There is the Getty Museum in Malibu/Topanga

Canyon area near the beach, Pacific Palisades. Venice Beach is OK. Hollywood is only

good for its Universal City Studios and museums. Otherwise, only Beveryly Hills is

beautiful. The fashion district in downtown L.A. is good for bargains, but sort of run

down.

 

Disneyland is something to see. If you like surfing, you will find spots all over. Other than

this, you have Sunset Strip nightlife. All of L.A. is getting uglier with every day. They have

no control over advertising that is 10' high everywhere, to be read from a moving car only.

Architecture is wildly mixed and irreverent: a fake hot dog stand will be next to a Greek

Column place. My history professor called L.A.: "A thousand freeways in search of a

City." People in L.A. seem hooked on fads and commercial activities for fun.

 

In the North, we have natural fun activities like snow skiing, canoeing, scuba diving,

bicycleing, and people here use skates to get around. In the South, you have a car society.

 

People in L.A. think they are in a cultural hotspot. The New Yorkers and San Franciscans

laugh at the L.A. view of themselves. In San Francisco, we have a proud Asian culture and

we have little or no visible racial tension. Not so in L.A. L.A. has 1000 gangs with

memberships of 200 gang members each! The good latins and Mexicans literally flee L.A.

to come to the safety of San Francisco. It is more dangerous in L.A. You will see big

search lights bolted to average small family homes in L.A. everywhere. Not so in San

Francisco or the Bay Area. My friends call parts of L.A. a "Barrio". Prostitutes grab "rides"

along Ventura Blvd as young as 16 or less. L.a. is a center of porn.

 

San Francisco has Palm trees, Redwood trees. L.A. has Palm trees and scrub brush which

burns when the hot Santa Ana winds blow the filthy smog of L.A. into the ocean. In San

Francisco, we don't have smog. We have gentle winds that blow winds into the

Sacramento area nearly every day from the ocean. We have world class sailboat

competition. We have so much compared to L.A. Yet, the L.A. people think that having

mild temperatures is the main attraction and the ability to dress like everyone is going to

the beach everyday. We have truly deserted beaches. You will be lucky to find a parking

spot near a beach in L.A. on a Saturday.

 

Bring all your lenses. You won't use the 200mm much.

 

Buy your transit passes in San Francisco at the foot of Powell St. x Market St. in the little

silver hut. Then walk to Borders Book store for a walking guide to the city. Go to

Vesuvio's Bar, home of the Beats, see City Lights Bookstore, See the 1849 no name bar on

Kearny St. near Broadway. Go to the South of Market area for friday/sat. nightlife. See

Wells Fargo bank for real original stage coaches on Montgomery st at California St. Walk

the alley ways of China town. Television was invented in San Francisco on 1926 by Philo

Farnsworth who was only 21 years old at the time on Battery St. x Green st. A memorial

marks the spot..

 

Spend most of your time in San Franciso. L.A. can be "seen" in 2 days easy. Drive through

Hollywood, see Universal City Studios, Disneyland, Getty Museum, Venice Beach, Beverly

Hills, then Sunset Blvd. That will do it.

In San Francisco, there is free internet service and computer usage at CompUSA located at

Market and Grant St. near Macy's. In San FRancisco, go to the top of Nob Hill and see the

Fairmont Hotel interior. See also the Palace Hotel on Market at New Montgomery. Also

see the St. Francis. Walk into the Banks down in the Financial Center. Go to Jazz clubs like

44 Ellis or Pearl's on Broadway. Go Salsa dancing near Caesar Chavez on Mission; go

ballroom dancing at Metronome Ballroom at 17th St and DeHaro. Go to the Black Cat

Club on Folsom for the other culture of Gothic, Hells Angels, Devil Dolls on Harleys, and

other counter culture activities like ....

 

Get a Sunday paper for San Francisco and look into the Entertainment or pink section for

the week. Go to the top of Sir Francis Drake for Sat. Dancing 1980s music. Go to Tonga

Room for drinks, dancing and it "rains" inside every 30 minutes while the band floats on a

pool of water! See the museum in Golden Gate park. See the Palace of Fine Arts during

the day, use the 30 Stockton to the end to get close to Lyon St. then walk North to the

palace.

 

See Fillmore auditorium, and "The BoomBoom Room is across the street. Another Jazz

club within 50 feet and an Ethopian Restaurant next door on Fillmore at Geary.

 

Ride on the Hyde St. cable car line. Be sure the car is marked "Hyde St" at the top of the

roof. At the end of the line, walk to the Marine Museum to see real steamboat type ferries,

steamboat tugs and clipper ships that sailed around Cape Horn. Go to the Maritime

Museum (free) nearby on 2-3 floors. Very, Very interesting! Check if Circus de Soleli is in

town. See the worlds only spirial escalator at San Francisco Center on Market and 5th.

 

Walk along Geary St. for theaters near Mason. A blues bar is on Geary and Mason. Go to

Gumps on Post St. Go to Grant St. walk the entire length, see the Triton Hotel, and the

coffee shop with international magazines next door. Walk into any old churches,

especially Grace Cathedral on California and Taylor St. at the top of Nob Hill. Walk into the

Big 4 club on Nob Hiill to see old pictures of San Francisco in the corner.

 

Walk all through China town, every street and alleyway. See the "crookedist street in the

world at Lombard and Levenworth. Walk it.

 

Eat sourdough bread in any restaurant with sweet butter. Eat dinner at the "Stinking Rose"

restaurant. Have coffee at Trieste Coffeeshop at Kearny near Broadway, the place where

the Godfather was written by Francis Ford Coppela, hangout of the Beats of the 1950s. Go

to Kearney and Columbus to the green triangle building for a wine tasting of Coppela's

winery, Neubum - Coppela Winery. His office is the entire building. See our City hall

designed in the "Beaux Arts" style of Paris, France. Go inside to see weddings on Friday

afternoons.

 

Timber Borcherding timberborcherding

You can photograph the Golden Gate at night if you have a car from the Marin

Headlands road. This is very dramatic. Photograph the GG during the day

from fort Point below the Bridge. You can take the Bus 29 to GG Bridge.

 

If you rent a car, go to the Headlands, and then go to Muir Woods in Marin

County. Take Hwy 1 exit from 101 hwy to Sausilito. Turn right up to Mt.

Tamalpais, left down into the valley.

 

If possible, drive up Hwy 1 for at least 25 miles. North. Go to deserted

beaches northward. Go to the wine country in napa County,

 

Go to a baseball game at SBC park on Townsend St, San Francisco. Eat

dinner at Left o'douls Baseball restaurant on Geary St Powell St. near Union

Square. See the Grand Hotel on Geary 2 blocks away. See the Redwood

room at the Clift Hotel on Geary one block away. See the cosmetics dept. at

Macy's at Union Square. Ride on BART anywhere. Drive to

Treasure Island at night for a picture of the City.

 

Go to Alameda to see the aircraft carrier the Hornet. Walk everywhere you

can. Go to the haight Ashbury. Go to the Metreon on 4th and Mission for a

3D movie.

 

Go to Cafe DuNord on a weekend night or Sunday. See Mission Dolores and

the cemetary there. Read the names. See how old they were.

 

Photograph fishing boats at the Cannery. See the Rain Forest Cafe on

Jefferson. Photograph the "bush man" on Jefferson St. near the boats hiding

behind a bush scaring people. Photograph street muscians. Go to the

submarine "Pampito" near Pier 43. Go to the Mechanical Museum near the

submarine, its free. See a comedy show at the Cannery. Go to the Buena

Vista Cafe for a "Irish Coffee", the place where it was invented, see plack on

the wall outside. Photograph street vendors. Photograph the cable car

turnarounds. Ride the Caltrans to Bay Meadows and photograph the train

and see a Horse Race there.

 

See a ballet at the Civic Center. Hear the symphony at Davis Hall one block

away.

 

In L.A., culture is driving the freeway listening to the radio and at home,

watching the T.V.

Craig,

When you say attacked and injured, do you mean road rage? Or a chance thing like getting mugged?