Located in the Golden Gate Park near 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way, holding a variety of plants and flowers to photograph. Lets meet inside the front gate at 9:00 AM when it opens so we have plenty of time to stroll through the garden to capture natural or abstract images to present at our Exploring Photography Night on 05/17/2012. Best place for 11:00 AM coffee is in the de Young Museum Cafe.
The Palace of Fine Arts is located at 3601 Lyon Street in the Marina district off highway 101 near the Golden Gate Bridge. Outdoor photos are possible at every angle. Its beauty stands out against the sky and is reflected in the nearby pond. Inside the Exploratorium are plenty of gadgets to photograph within the 600 exhibits. You may also want to capture groups of visitors interacting with museum docents leading demonstrations involving life sciences. If you haven’t been to the museum lately, this is an excellent opportunity to check it out again before it moves to Pier 15 next year.
Admission: Adult (18-64) $15.00, Seniors (65+) $12.00.
Afterwards, lets meet at the museum cafe around 11:15AM.
Gary Larsen
The area is known for its California line cable car contrasting with city skyscrapers, culinary shops and great restaurants. It’s situated approximately between Sacramento and Market streets from north to south, and Font and Kearny streets east to west. Photographs taken both indoors and outdoors are welcomed.
Directions: The best way to get there is by muni. Street car stops are at Montgomery and Embarcadero stations.
Let’s meet at the Crocker Galleria located at 50 Post Street. We decided to meet there at 10:00 on the lower level in front of the coffee shop on the north end (which might be Tulleys). This place is only one block from the Montgomery station. It may also be a good place to meet around 12:00 to have coffee. Don’t forget to photograph the Crocker Galleria since it is an icon in the Financial District.
Gary Larsen
Come photograph world class dragon boat racing besides cultural performances and other festival activities. The best time of day is probably afternoon due to the orientation of the sun. Treasure Island also offers views of downtown San Francisco and the new eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. You may also want to shoot a few images of Treasure Island Museum, one of the few buildings remaining from the 1939 World Fair. This may also be a last chance to photograph the Historic Naval Chapel built in 1943 of which is scheduled to be torn down during the Treasure Island redevelopment.
If you are driving to the festival you will find plenty of parking with just a short walk to the event. If you prefer to go by bus, take muni 108 to Treasure Island. Food and drink can be purchased in the festival food area.
PicTwo images will be presented at our 10/20/11 meeting.
SF-88L is the only NIKKE missile battery in the in the country preserved in its original appearance. Part of the battery is located underground with inadequate lighting for normal photography. Consequently, be sure to have a tripod or flash attachment handy. Volunteers are most willing to demonstrate the missile site systems. Besides photographing this cold war relic, beautiful lush green hills and coastal areas nearby offer photographic opportunities. You also might want to stop off at the Marin Headlands Visitor Center to check out their exhibits and have coffee.
Directions: Traveling north on route 101, after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, take the Alexander Avenue exit 442 (the second exit). Travel through a cut in the mountain, then turn slightly left onto Danes Drive that soon becomes Bunker Road and passes through a tunnel. After exiting the tunnel, continue west on Bunker Road for approximately 2.5 miles. You will reach a fork in the road. Veer to the left on Field Road. About 150 yards after the fork you will see the Marin Headlands Visitor Center on your right. Site SF-88L will be the first right you come to beyond the Visitor Center parking lot. It’s about a quarter mile up the hill to the gate.
Gary Larsen
This 2.5 acre garden is located at 1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek 94598. The focus is on water conserving plants with it’s 2,000 cactus, succulents, trees and shrubs from around the world. Admission is $10 for adult and $7 for seniors. Parking is at the office entrance at 1500 Bancroft Road. Tripods are allowed 
as long as they are set up on paths.
Here are a few tips on photographing plants: Try to find some unique perspective to make the composition more interesting then just a catalog photo. How about including wasps, bees or any king of crawling critters. Try different depths of field by shooting at several aperture settings. Use a diffuser to eliminate harsh sunlight. Fill a frame with a single flower, leaf or plant for more detail as opposed to including too much background that may be distracting. In other words, try different techniques that may capture the beauty of these plants.
Gary Larsen
Located at 50 Phelan Avenue, City College of San Francisco has several structures with good photographic possibilities. The new Multi-Use Building has many features as well as the old Science Building, statues and murals such as the “Song of the Spirit” by Precita Eyes on the front of the Student Union Building. Just stroll around the grounds and you will find many good photographic compositions. Arriving early enables the use of side light to produce accentuated shadows with dramatic effects. So lets get there sometime between 8:00 and 9:00 am. Parking is on the street or in the parking lot for a $3.00 fee.
The preserve is situated on one of the last undisturbed marshlands in the Bay Area and is considered an excellent bird watching area not only for local birds, but also migratory species of the Pacific Flyway. Needless to say this is a chance to photograph some amazing feathered friends. In addition, vast landscapes are everywhere waiting to be photographed.
Directions: Coordinates for your navigation system= 2775 Embarcadero Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303-3344. Its 34 miles south and will take about 40 minute to get there. On US-101 South at Palo Alto, exit 402 for Embarcadero Rd/Oregon Expy. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for Embarcadero Rd East and merge onto Embarcadero Rd. Turn left to stay on Embarcadero Rd. Continue to the Duck Pond on the left. Just past the pond is a turn out to the ranger station parking lot.
Bring your zoom or telephoto lens, tripod, snack and water. The earlier you get there, the more birds you will see.
Gary