Trip down the Pacific Highway

I'm coming to Caifornia in a couple of weeks with my family and part of the trip will involve a drive down the Pacific Highway. I've checked my quidebook but need some advice on a couple of things: are there any good Adams/Weston galleries around Carmel (was disappointed last time i came to find the Ansel Adams centre in San Fransisco had closed), or other large format galleries you would recommend, and, what about good old fashioned large format camera stores where I could dig around and find some second hand gear to complement my existing armory?

Would appreciate any advice you can give, especially from locals.

I'd say check out the weston gallery and photographic west gallery. Both times I've been in there they were very nice and took out a bunch of prints for me to look at even though they knew I couldn't afford any of their gems as I was just a student at the time.

Yes, check out the Weston and Photographic West galleries. There was also a non profit photography gallery at the Sunset Center. That was the former home of the Friends of Photography before they moved to SF and then disbanded. After Friends left the Center I believe that "Monterey Peninsula Photographers Guild" set up in the space. I don't know if they are still around but do Check out the two fore mentioned galleries.

Weston Gallery & Photography West are the two commercial galleries in Carmel. Both usually have a nice selection of work to look at.

For equipment, the best (and perhaps only) store is Keeble and Shuchet in Palo Alto.

Check out http://www.camerawest.com/ in Monterey

realitysandwich said:

...they were very nice and took out a bunch of prints for me to look at even though they knew I couldn't afford any of their gems...

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I had the same experience in several galleries. They could tell there was no way I could buy anything, but took me into the back to go through drawers of prints anyway. I can still recall the amazement when one drawer opened to reveal a Wynn Bullock print of a large dark logs root system in surf...magic

Murray

Hi, check out the Monterey Museum of Art.

Jon

Myrick Camera in Monterey (over the hill from Carmel) generally has used equipment.

Where exactly are you going to drive to/from?

Thanks for all the replies and advice - we'll be driving from SanFrancisco to Los Angeles stopping in Monterey, Cambria and Santa Barbera, so should be able to sneak off from my family for a few 'therapeutic' outings!

Thanks again.

Definitely stop off at Point Lobos after visiting the galleries in Carmel. There's lots to do there for the kids and spouse while you pay homage at Weston Beach. The park isn't huge, so it will be easy to stay in contact as needed. The drive from there south on the coast highway is spectacular, though it will also be crowded, the biggest problem will be in not stopping every other mile to take in the view.

Thanks all. Can't wait to visit the 'shrines' of the LF world. I won't be lugging the 10x8 - will wear out the medium format instead!!

You'll be missing the best part of coastal CA by starting in SF (just my totally biased opinion, LOL!), but have a great trip, anyway!

Vaughn

California is dead...

To believe California is dead, then, is to believe that the West is dead, or soon will be.

Joe Camel in California is dead.

The developer also said horse racing in California is dead and can’t compete with racetracks in other stateS.

It is such a relief that the voting proposal in California is dead. Hooray for California.

Given that California is dead last in the country in the ratio of school librarians per student...

California is dead last among all fifty states in its allocation of funding for community arts programs.

Housing, especially in California, is dead money for many years to come. Game over. It’s that simple.

Real estate, especially in California, is dead.

New research reveals that California is dead last in bringing home the country's largest resource for working-poor families.

The delays in Proposition 71 funding brought on by lawsuits have led some to suggest that stem-cell research in California is dead.

The bill that made national headlines because it called for a ban on parental spanking in California is dead.That's what I call the place that used to be California. California is dead. What remains is, "Pirate Land.

Actually, Wesley Smith reports the bill was "euthanized":The attempt to legalize assisted suicide in California is dead for this year.

M. B. Curtis, by birth Morris B. Stellinger [sic] once famous actor and one of the most romantic figures of the early California is dead...

California is dead for the next 15 years.

I just found out Randy California is dead.

For such a dead place I sure like it here.
I'll just go and check my pulse...

Damn it! I never even had a chance to use the new darkroom and we're all dead now? I hate it when that happens!!! Well, in that case Stephen, there shouldn't be too many crowds to deal with at all the popular places to go; do take full advantage. I would strongly recommend "Mission La Purisma". It is (oops, make that, was) my favorite Mission to photograph as the parking lot is far away from the really great buildings and it has acres of land all around it. If you're traveling with kids they will like it because they can run all around without disturbing anyone. Also, they have quite a bit of livestock (deadstock?) for the kids to check out. Here are the directions in case you get a chance:
From
Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo,
Paso Robles, San Francisco and North California.

Go south on Highway 101 to Buellton. Take the Buellton/Solvang/Highway 246 exit off of Highway 101. At the top of the off ramp make a right hand turn onto Highway 246. You will be headed west. Go west on Highway 246 for approximately 18 miles. As you come down a slight grade on Highway 246, you will pass the La Purisima Mission Golf Course on the right hand side of the highway. After the golf course, take the second road to the right, Purisima Road. Go down Purisima Road approximately 1 mile and the mission entrance will be on the right.

Also, Samy's Camera in Santa Barbara carries LF stuff if you should need anything. You can talk to Chuck Farmer there for any help you might need.
Hope you all have a wonderful trip!

Salton Sea has lots of dead fish too...
All kidding aside, have a super time!

rorye said:

Salton Sea has lots of dead fish too...
All kidding aside, have a super time!

Click to expand...

Where have all the Deadheads gone?
Long time passing........

There is a great book called The Late Great State of California...fun reading about what happens to the USA after California falls into the ocean, and it takes a look at recent happenings from a historical perspective (recent for when the book was written...Reagun's election campaigne for governor and the farm labor movement).

Vaughn

please do not forget to visit the Monterey Museum of Art

Some locations at the coast at Point Lobos have nice rock formations which are fascinating to capture medium format images of. I've done that with Kim Weston before and it was so interesting forming compositions of them in his large 8x10 camera.

If you have a chance, check out the Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco. As I recall, the owner used to periodically make himself available to Friends of Photography Workshops, and his gallery is my favorite anywhere. Here's a link: www.fraenkelgallery.com. Not sure about Adams, but I have frequently seen Weston vintage prints there as well as a good mix of masters and contemporaries. Who knows, you may even get to see a Carleton Watkins mammoth plate.

While Friends of Photography no longer exists, their old location in San Francisco at 655 Mission is now Photo Grafix Books and is worth a visit. (http://friendsofphotography.org/bookstore/).

And by all means visit the Museum of Modern Art around the corner to the south on 3rd Street... it has one of the finest collections of 20th century photographs in the country.

Around the corner to the south on 2nd street is Gasser's photo store that still has a smattering of large format equipment and accessories.

I strongly recommend a stop at Pebble Beach, San Mateo County (NOT the golfing one in the Monterey Peninsula). It is a small beach roughly 40 miles south of San Francisco along HWY 1, just south of Pescadero Point. It's photographer's delight with its weirdly sculpted rocks that drew the attention of Weston, Adams and most recently John Sexton.

Enjoy!

Bob in San Francisco