California Photo Scout

Hearst Castle Pool

History buffs, media and television aficionados, marketing folks and photographers will find Hearst Castle a fascinating place to visit.

History buffs will find W.R. Hearst’s collection of items he shipped from Europe mesmerizing. A whole mansion filled with artwork and furniture taken out of Europe is probably going to excite someone else but the ebullient guides. TV people will enjoy tales and documentaries of luscious movie star parties and wonder who besides Chaplin slept in the beds of the Guest Villas.

The streamlined operation that is Hearst Castle will attract Marketers. Guides are herding tour groups en masse through the grounds with perfectly choreographed timing to maximize tourist traffic. Even the visitor center leaves nothing to chance, as it is set up for maximum tourist dollar extraction. After leaving the movie you can pick up your coupon for DVD purchase, browse the art store and/or gift store, which offer savings bundles of important memorabilia. Grab a bite in the cafeteria and don’t forget your $80 beef, grown on the farm, on your way out! The restrooms are still free. Use them, as there is no facility near the Villa itself!

Photographically the villa is exceptional. I don’t care much for all the inside stuff which appears like a rather tasteless collection of fusty old stuff, but the outside grounds, the Neptune pool, Roman pool, Gardens and Casa Grande views are exceptional. Unfortunately, there is rarely enough time to take a photograph in peace since that would disturb their timing. In the end, you will feel rushed, but since this is the only affordable way to see Hearst Castle you should do it anyways. Hearst Castle is a must-see destination. Take the introduction tour or the garden tour unless you care a lot for old things.

How to get there

From the visitor center, you can only go up to the castle with a tour bus. You will be part of a group of 52 people (that is the number of seats in the bus) and that is your only way up there, unless you would like to spend thousands for a private tour. The road to the visitor center is about 3.2 miles north of San Simeon.

How to photograph Hearst Castle

If you are a great hip shooter, you will be able to show off quite nicely here. Make sure you control the ISO level of your camera when you go inside the Casa and do not forget to dial in a low value when you come out again. Use a fast lens or image stabilization (or both if you can afford it). Take a photograph of the herds of tourists and for crying out loud don’t touch anything. One poor fellow set the alarm off by stumbling against a chair inside the Casa Grande.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Any time is good but mornings are best to maximize your chance of blue skies. Make sure you book in advance (see resources below) to ensure your spot.

Time required

The tours take a little under 2 hours. The introduction tour includes a somewhat nauseating (pans and flybys) IMAX movie of 40 minutes. Tour and move take at least 3 hours. Make sure you come 10-15 minutes before your tour starts.

Equipment

• Do not bring your tripod; you will not be able to take it into the house
• Bring a fast lens for indoor photography (hand held)!
• Bring a polarizing filter for outdoor photography!

GPS position

Visitor Center:

• 35°39’1.36″N 121°11’10.18″W

Fees

$20 and up for adults, $10 and up for children

Difficulty Photographing

Hearst castle is rather hard to photograph. Escorts funnel you along a preset path and if you manage to split for a second, you can be certain that some other group or members of your group are stumbling all around you. The only photograph you can take without people in it is straight up. You have to cope with low light hand-held photography and guides with no regard for photography. That is probably o.k. in their mind, since the gift store has all the photos you could ever want. Welcome to the future.

Close Locations

• Otters and Seals of San Simeon
• Piedras Blancas Lighthouse
• Cambria and Cayucos
• Morro Bay
• San Luis Obispo Mission
• Mission San Miguel Arcangel
• Montana de Oro State Park
• Sounthern California Wildflower Routes
• Big Sur wildflower photography
• Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP

Useful Resources

• Official Website with Tour Information

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