Santa Ines Mission is located between Santa Barbara Mission and Mission La Purisima Concepcion. The Mission was built as an afterthought to relieve overcrowding at these two nearby missions and to “serve” (exploit) the friendly Chumash Indians that lived in the fertile Santa Ynez valley.
Although the Mission does not stand out next to its two famous neighbors, you will still find many unique compositions and wonderful subjects that are worth the time and effort. The pleasant city of Solvang and their delicious sweet Danish treats can always help you justify the side trip.
Whether you are in the area to satisfy your sweet tooth or not, you should not miss the opportunity to visit the Mission and see its splendid, rich garden and its typical mission church.
How to get there
Santa Ines Mission Map
Head north on Highway 101 from Santa Barbara. Take exit 101B (State Street) toward CA-154 / Cachuma Lake and follow CA-154 for about 24 miles. Turn left on CA-246 (Mission Drive). The Mission will be on your left after about 5 miles.
Heading south on Highway 101, take exit 140A toward CA-246 in the town of Buellton, about 30 miles south of Santa Maria. Follow CA-246 for about 3.5 miles, through the town of Solvang to the Mission on your right.
GPS position
How to photograph Mission Santa Ines
Santa Ines Garden
During mass, the Mission Church is not available for photography. After mass, it may take a very long time until you can get a clear photograph of the church, the front view of the façade or the long colonnade. Depending on your arrival time, I recommend taking these shots whenever you can. Don’t wait until later, as patrons of the church may obstruct your view. Having a fair number of people in a photograph is not necessarily a bad thing, considering that the mission is still serving the nearby communities. The art is in finding a good balance of persons that enhance a photograph rather than destroy it.
The church is small as it is typical for California Missions. I usually prefer a wide-angle lens, as it gives me sufficient field of view, covering the entire nave, and also allows me to expose longer without a tripod. I can also use a wider aperture and still achieve a good depth of field, further helping with the dim light. The old buildings are usually very dark.
Make sure your pictures do not turn out blurry though. Boost ISO speed if you have to and use Image Stabilization if you use longer lenses to isolate details of the altar.
Fountain
The garden is much more photogenic than the charming, but small and unassuming church. Lush green walkways, a smaller number of visitors, and pleasant shade make the garden my favorite part of this mission. Here you will find flowers, palms, and cacti that are typical for most missions. Use a circular polarizing filter to bring out the green in the plants and enhance definition in the sky. Carefully judge the effect of the filter. You can easily become addicted to the blue skies and get into a pattern of overuse or abuse, using the filter whenever you can. Resist the temptation to use the filter at its strongest effect, as that often results in unnatural looking skies.
cross
I took this last photograph on the graveyard. The shape of the large cross that is mirrored in the small crosses and the cross on top of the roof of the church attracted me to this composition. The strong shadows draw our attention to the gate in the background that seems to look back at us with two glowing eyes. The tree is making this image a bit too busy though, but finding a good composition is often challenging. Try changing your position and keep experimenting. Sometimes I discover photographs such as this one on my hard drive that didn’t strike me as particularly interesting while I took it.
Best Time of the Day and Best Season
You can take a self-guided tour daily between 9am to 4:30pm except on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. There are several masses on Sundays and on Holidays. Avoid those days if you can, since your access to the mission church will be restricted.
Time required
You can easily see the Mission in one hour. Driving the alternate route between Santa Barbara (south) and San Luis Obispo (north) does not cost you any additional driving time.
Equipment
- CP Filter
- Variable Zoom Lens
- Wide-angle lens
Fees
The entrance fee to Santa Ines Mission is $5. Children 11 and younger get in free.
Close Locations
- Solvang Danish Town
- La Purisima Mission
- Nojoqui Falls Park
- Santa Barbara Mission
- Santa Barbara Presidio
- Santa Barbara Courthouse
- Santa Barbara Beach and Pier
- Guadalupe Dunes
- Mission San Luis Obispo
- Shell Beach
- Pismo Beach
- Mission San Buenaventura
- Ronald Reagan Library
- Southern California Wildflowers
Useful Resources
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3 Comments
You’re right, this is a nice Mission for photos. Another trick for shooting inside the dark church is to set your camera on the back of a church pew to stay steady, if you didn’t bring a tripod. The valley below the Mission can also produce some nice landscapes.
If you are interested, here are some more photos of Solvang and the Mission: http://www.intownlive.com/california/solvang/photogallery.aspx
I was in Solvang back in my youth and it was nice but I don’t remember seeing the mission. Too bad because I really love missions and old churches now. I like the cross photo.
These missions are great refuges, they breathe peace and quietness. I love the inner garden with that nice fountain and cactuses. The architecture is wonderful, simple concept but so nice and well made. Thanks for your tour. Have a great Sunday.