The attractive Mission San Juan Bautista and the equally named charming small town surrounding it are easy to miss if you don’t already know its location. San Francisco Bay Area residents therefore consider the town one of their insider secrets, a place to relax, to shop, and to eat.

Art stores, antiquities shops, and restaurants line the narrow streets, each competing for your dollars. Unusual characters and harmless but grim looking bikers mingle at the saloon, just next door to the ice cream parlor filled with the excited noise of children begging their parents for sweet treats. San Juan Bautista’s rich, colorful street scenes seem made for photography.

Most visitors come to see Mission San Juan Bautista, the main attraction of the city. Founded 1797, the mission was the largest of the 21 California Missions. The mission is still active today, continuously serving the parish. Its lush gardens are an oasis of color and its bell tower and St. John statue are well-recognized symbols. The mission and nearby buildings of San Juan Bautista State Park are relics from different periods. An old west hotel, horse stables, Plaza Hall and Castro-Breen Adobe provide a unique insight into the old West and provide a great way to complement your portfolio of photographs.

San Juan Bautista has a lot to offer to the casual visitor. Many of its sights reveal their secrets only at the second glance, providing hours fun for exploration.

How to get there

From Highway 101 take Highway 156 toward San Juan Bautista and Hollister (east). After about 2.5 miles turn left and arrive at San Juan Bautista.

GPS position

• 36°50’42.29″N 121°32’9.67″W

How to photograph San Juan Bautista

Mission Bell

The mission is without a doubt the most interesting object for photographers. The view from Second Street showing the long colonnade with the bell in the foreground is one of the most popular mission shots. It also requires the most patience from the photographer, since the mission entrance is along the corridor. People walk in and out and frequently decide to rest in the shade.

I waited long enough for everyone to clear my picture, except for a single person in the distance, at the end of the colonnade. Although hardly visible at this size, it helps to define the focal point in the full-size version of the picture. In processing, I chose to boost contrast levels to add definition and draw attention to the textures.

The colonnade acts like a tunnel, guiding us toward the person and the statue of Father Junipero Serra in the distance. Stepping back to the other side of Second Street would allow you to zoom in and thus compress the distance, bringing the statue closer to the bell.

Flowers

The tasteful landscaping of the mission garden is a delight to enjoy, but difficult to photograph. The few interesting subjects such as the praying statue and the bench with bell are situated in places that make it difficult to place them in a skillful composition. Photographs easily seem cluttered and viewers start to wonder what the photographer wants to show or why (s)he bothered to take the picture in the first place. Simplifying your composition and keeping the shots interesting will be difficult. Experiment to come up with good shots.

The mission chapel is the highlight of the tour. Use a wide-angle lens to emphasize the size and avoid camera flash to create warm and rich colors.

St. John the Baptist Statue

The most famous view of the mission places the statue of St. John the Baptist in front of the bell tower. I moved to the right to put the statue to the side. This avoids the unpleasant illusion of St. John grabbing the bells of the tower. I also wanted to use the white mission background and did not care to cut St. John in half with the mission roof, which could easily happen if you step too close.

Since the statue stands in front of a small rose garden with fountain and several other statues, you can find a number of compelling compositions. Walking about 100 feet into the distance and using a longer focal length de-emphasizes the size of the statue, which allows you to direct the viewers attention to the mission buildings.

El Camino Real

From the small rose garden, you also can view the farmland and the golden rolling hills behind it. A sign marks the location of the El Camino Real, the King’s Highway connecting all 21 California missions. I used a relatively long focal length and a very small aperture for the picture above. The long focal length helped to bring the farmworkers closer, while the long focal range kept the background reasonably sharp.

Photographing the interior of the old state park buildings requires a wide-lens and a good handle on the trade-off between noise, depth, and camera shake. The light shining through the windows creates additional dynamic range problems that can confuse your camera exposure meter. Always check your camera histogram and use exposure compensation where necessary.

Sidewalk

Bikers often visit the Saloon near Third Street and Mariposa Street. Use them in your pictures to create an outlaw western town atmosphere unique to San Juan Bautista or keep everyone out of your pictures to create a peaceful small-town atmosphere. You can create many good shots along Third Street. Keep your eyes open for details but avoid cluttering your shots with the tremendous amount of detail you can find here. The fire truck picture that I took on Polk Street is a perfect example of simplification.

Fire Truck

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Weekend festivals draw large crowds. Although the festivals themselves can be outstanding photo opportunities, they are not representative of the otherwise prevailing calm atmosphere of this quaint old town.

I like to visit San Juan Bautista during the early and late summer days, but any time of the year can be appealing. Come early for good photographs of the mission. You are looking west when photographing the façade and there will be less people roaming around during the early hours of the day. For photographs of the busy street life and the bikers, the early afternoon hours are best. You can eat lunch in one of the few very pleasant restaurants.

The mission is open between 9:30 and 4:30, except for major holidays. Masses are held Saturdays at 5pm and Sundays at 8:30am and 10am.

Time required

You do not need much more than 2 hours for a thorough sweep of the mission and a few shots of the city and you can be off hurrying to one of the nearby locations, but I recommend spending some time here. San Juan Bautista is a very inviting and relaxing place. Take a rest from your busy photographer’s life and stay for lunch. Then take a few shots in the afternoon.

Equipment

• Wide-angle Lens
• Normal Lens
• Macro lens
• Polarizing Filter
• Pont and Shoot Camera

Fees

The entrance fee to the State Historic Park is $3/person.

The mission charges a $4/person entrance fee.

Close Locations

• Carmel Mission
• Carmel Bye The Sea
• Pinnacles National Monument
• Soledad Mission
• Moss Landing
• Pacific Grove
• Point Lobos
• Capitola
• Point Pinos Lighthouse
• Winchester Mystery House
• San Jose Mission
• Santa Clara Mission
• Uvas Canyon

Useful Resources

• San Juan Bautista Website
• Mission Website
• SJB State Park

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Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad is the thirteenth California Mission. This very small mission does not receive the attention of its more famous sisters. It lies within the Salinas Valley Farmlands that once were dry and inhospitable.

Once a larger mission, the adobe buildings crumbled after its abandonment for over a century, leaving only small piles of rubble and remnants of walls. Some of the original remains are still visible behind the museum, but they are not very photogenic.

Although Soledad Mission is not as attractive as others are, it is only a small detour from Highway 101 and therefore always worth a quick stop. If you are weary of traveling and happen to be in the Salinas area, Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad is the perfect stop.

How to get there

Take the Arroyo Seco Road exit from Highway 101, just south of Soledad. Drive west for 1.2 miles and then turn right onto Co Road G17/Fort Romie Road. Follow this road for about 1.5 miles. The mission will be on your left.

GPS position

• 36°24’16.67″N 121°21’22.07″W

How to photograph Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad

At the Soledad Mission, you have to work harder for your images, but that also means there will not be as many competing photographs available from other photographers.

For the picture in the introduction, I chose to put the small statue in the foreground. The statue is only a few inches tall, but it appears to be much larger in the picture. I achieved this effect by using a wide-angle lens. Wide-angle lenses emphasize foreground subjects and de-emphasize background subjects.  Try different focal lengths and change your point of view often, as these subtle changes sometimes have a large impact. Using different lenses, you can keep the size of the statue the same while changing the relative size of the background, or vice versa.

The statue appears to look down at an angle. I chose a point of view that makes it appear as if the monk looks toward the mission. The lighting was difficult for my position, but the resulting composition was good and worth the tradeoff. By following the line of sight of the statue, we discover the mission peeking through the brushes.

Balcony

A strong sense of perspective and depth enhances the viewers feeling of being there. A colonnade (shown above) is one of my favorite subjects for perspective photography. Converging parallel lines of the roof and patio, as well as the diminishing apparent size of subjects of equal actual size from the near to the far end of the picture help to accomplish this effect. Viewers know that all the benches, windows, and flowerpots each have the same respective size. Yet they diminish in size in the distance, thus reinforcing the sense of perspective.

Placing the convergence point off-center, toward the left of the frame further creates tension through asymmetry.

Chapel with Virgin Mary Statue

To protect the artwork, the museum and church are off-limits for flash photography. The dark atmosphere makes photography more difficult, but with modern image stabilization and high ISO cameras, this is not an issue anymore. Using the available light creates a warmer atmosphere. I photographed the image above at a slightly upward angle, which results in a small amount of perspective distortion (walls leaning in). You can easily correct this effect if you strive for representations that are more accurate.

Mission Bell

The original mission bell survived the deterioration of the mission nearly unharmed. The mission ruins on the other hand are too far-gone to be worthy subjects.

The surrounding fields with colorful dotted farmworkers can make very good subjects. Using a long focal length, you can pull the distant mountains closer while showing the farmworkers in a green field at work. Align yourself with the rows of plants, so that they lead directly to the workers or any other focal point that you choose. Place the workers high in your frame and leave enough space around them to show the vastness of these fields.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Since the mission faces south, you can create good photographs throughout most of the day. The late afternoon sun looks best.

The fields look best around harvest time (late summer and fall) and the roses at the mission look best in late spring.

Time required

About one hour is sufficient for a quick visit to this small mission.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Image stabilized lens
• CP Filter
• Telephoto Lens
• Tripod

Fees

Although there is no “entrance fee”, the mission relies on your kind donations to continue operating.

Close Locations

• Pinnacles NM West Entrance
• San Juan Bautista (city and mission)
• Sea Otters of Moss Landing
• Monterey Fishermans Wharf
• Monarch Grove Sanctuary
• Point Pinos Lighthouse
• Pacific Grove
• 17 mile drive
• Carmel Mission

Useful Resources_­

• Soledad Website
• Missions Resource Center

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Despite its convenient location along a well-traveled path, San Miguel Arcangel Mission is an often-overlooked photographic treasure. Due to recent earthquakes, the old mission used to be in a desolate condition. The mission church was long closed with the thread of an immanent collapse looming over it. Today the church has reopened, owing to extensive restoration projects funded through donations.

The decay that threatens the very existence of this mission also makes it one of the most appealing ones to photograph. Crumbling walls, rusting ornaments, and peeling paint give it an authentic old feeling that some other missions lack. While you walk through the old mission remnants, you can feel the age of the buildings.

Simply plan a stop on your next trip along Highway 101, you won’t regret it.

How to get there

San Miguel Mission is located conveniently right next to Highway 101 about eight miles north of Paso Robles.

Heading north on Highway 101, take the Mission Street Exit (239A). You will see the mission from the off ramp. From 101 southbound, take the 10^th Street exit (239), then turn left onto 10^th Street. Drive about 0.2 miles then turn right onto Mission Street. You will arrive at the mission after another 0.2 miles.

GPS position

• 35°44’41.16″N 120°41’49.46″W

How to photograph Mission San Miguel

Mission Bells and Cacti

The bell tower is the most distinctive element of the mission. It is located at the south side of the mission. The orange-red colored brick stones and blue skies are complementary colors, creating a bold look due to the high color contrast. A circular polarizing filter can help you enhance the colors even more. Use this filter sparingly, as it can easily lead to very unnatural looking images.

Pay attention to the perspective of the clock tower. If you tilt your camera while using a wide-angle lens, the tower will appear to lean backward in your photograph. Either you can use this effect to enhance your picture, or you can strive for accuracy and may want to correct it. In that case, I recommend leaving some cropping space above it, which will make correction easier.

San Miguel Front Gate

Boosting large and small detail and sharpening are two techniques I use to emphasize the texture of the peeling paint, the crumbling plaster, and mossy stones. It adds character to the photograph and emphasizes the historic aspects of the mission. Pay attention to smaller details. Stop and ask yourself what made you look at a feature and why you recognized it. Can you capture this fleeting spur of attention in a meaningful photograph? Can you isolate this feature?

Bell

Show details in a larger context, to add meaningful background information or isolate the detail and leave the viewer puzzled to highlight the graphical properties.  The image above uses selective focus to emphasize the bell, while leaving enough detail in the background to avoid the appearance of a bell floating in empty space.

Obviously, there are limits to the depth of field you can accomplish. You can however simulate narrow depth of field on the computer by adding blur to an image. Simulating an infinite depth of field is also possible, but requires proper planning. Photographing multiple pictures with the focus set at varying distances, and combining them on the computer can simulate this effect.

Piano

To keep the decay at bay, flash photography is not allowed inside the mission. Natural light often results in better-looking photographs, but presents severe challenges. Eventually, you cannot boost your ISO settings any higher and the image stabilization will reach its limits. A common trick is to take several photographs of the same scene. Since your handshake is random, there will always be a few pictures that turn out sharper than others.

The increased amplification (high ISO) usually means that your camera will not record as much dynamic range as it can in bright light. This means it may become more difficult to brighten dark areas, as they will turn out even noisier. Advanced noise filtering can help. I use Topaz DeNoise filter for these situations.

Colonnade and Wagon

Spend some extra time walking the grounds of the mission and look for creative angles, different perspectives, and uncommon points of view that enhance the character of the mission. A small shift in the camera position or angle can make a big difference in your photographs.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The museum is open between 10am and 4:30pm and the church opens from 8am to 5pm. If you are running late or early, it is therefore best to save a visit to the church for last or do it first. The early morning and late afternoon light is best. Due to the opening hours, it is a good destination for an off-season visit, since the sun will be at lower angles during this time.

Time required

You should plan a minimum of one hour. It would be best if you can afford to spend two hours here.

Equipment

• Zoom lens (with IS if possible)
• Wide-angle lens
• CP Filter
• Polarizing Sunglasses

Fees

During my last visit, the mission gratefully accepted donations of any kind that were desperately needed to repair recent earthquake damage.

Close Locations

• San Luis Obispo Mission
• San Antonio Mission
• Cambira and Cayucos
• San Simeon Otters and Seals
• Hearst Castle
• Morro Bay
• Montana de Oro State Park
• Avila Beach
• Shell Beach
• Pismo Beach

Useful Resources

• Mission Website

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Known as the “Queen of the Missions”, Santa Barbara Mission is a primary tourist attraction in Santa Barbara, a Spanish style coastal town in Southern California. The parish church is still in use today.

The façade of the mission and the nearby rose garden are popular backgrounds for wedding photography, whereas the mission grounds and the architecture are the main subjects for travel photographers and tourists interested in early California history.

The location of the Santa Barbara Mission sets it apart from all other California Missions. It sits atop a small hill, exposing it to a cool breeze from the ocean. The nearby Santa Ynez Mountains provide a wonderful backdrop for panoramic images while the rose garden is a popular foreground motif for mission photographs.

I highly recommend spending some time around the waterfront to soak up the cool relaxed atmosphere of Santa Barbara before photographing the mission. Take advantage of the location.

How to get there

The mission is located on 2201 Laguna Street in Santa Barbara.

From Highway 101 take the Mission Street exit (99A for northbound traffic, 99 for southbound traffic). Turn north onto Mission Street (right if you came northbound, left if you came southbound). Drive about 1 mile, then turn left onto Laguna Street. The mission will be straight ahead.

GPS position

• 34°26’16.65″N 119°42’48.21″W

How to photograph Mission Santa Barbara

Fountain

One way to take advantage of the location is by including as much of the Santa Barbara feeling in your photographs. Use the nearby hills, white colored buildings, and palm trees of Santa Barbara to convey a sense of place and southern vacation town feeling.

The mission church is massive and tends to overwhelm photographs. Put it in the background by photographing at an angle, similar to the fountain photograph above, where the church is some distance away. Using a short focal length will further diminish the size of the church and give you enough field of view (how wide the shot is) to include the reflection of the church in the pond.

The rose garden that is located across E. Los Olivos Street is yet another good foreground choice for the mission. There you need to use a longer focal length and step back from the roses and fountain in order to prevent the mission from becoming too small in your picture.

Jug

Use high ISO and image stabilization for your indoor shots. A wide-angle lens will help you to achieve maximum depth of field, even with wide apertures required due to the low light. At the same time, the wider angle is useful to include more of the indoor scene. Try to hold your camera straight. If you angle it up or down, you will get distorted images (converging verticals). If you have no other choice, make sure you leave enough room around your main subject to allow distortion correction and cropping on the computer.

The courtyard has a fountain and several tall palm trees, all of which are difficult to fit into a compelling composition. Instead, I chose to focus on the colonnade (below) and other architectural elements (above). The authentic looking roof tiling (above) is indicative of these missions. Don’t forget to capture some detail shots with your telephoto lens.

Colonnade

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The Mission is open between 9:00am to 5:00pm. If you come early, there will be less visitors and good light on the mission façade, including the fountain.

All seasons are good, but the garden will be most colorful in spring and early summer.

Time required

You should plan about 90 minutes for a visit. Anything less than one hour will be too rushed.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Zoom Lens
• IS lens (indoor shots)

I prefer to travel light in such locations. A small photo backpack contains only the necessary equipment. This allows me to stay mobile. I often do not even bring a tripod.

Fees

Adults pay $5, seniors pay $4 and children between 5-15 pay $1.

Close Locations

• Santa Barbara Presidio
• Santa Barbara Courthouse
• Santa Barbara Wharf
• Solvang
• Santa Ines Mission
• La Purisima Mission
• Nojoqui Falls Park
• Guadalupe Dunes
• Mission San Luis Obispo
• Shell Beach
• Mission San Buenaventura
• Ronald Reagan Library

Useful Resources

• Mission Website
• Historic Information
• Pictures and Information
• Santa Barbara Prints

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You cannot miss the Mormon Temple when you drive on I-5 between San Diego and Los Angeles. The white towers ominously rise next to the freeway, luring curious visitors. I have passed this sight many times, wondering about this mysterious building.

On a recent trip, I decided to take the short detour to investigate. We walked around the ground for a few minutes, when a friendly missionary holding a folder approached us. We quickly found out that we could not enter the temple, but he had pictures showing us the intricate details and the lavish decorations of some of the rooms. The man explained some of the details of the Mormon faith and even succeeded in portraying the LDS faith in a positive light, without pushing his belief onto us.

The atmosphere was quiet and relaxing and upon our departure he reminded us to come back and take some photographs of the Christmas lights later that day. We strolled around the grounds a little longer and came back for the lights, as he suggested.

Since you cannot enter the temple, it is not a major destination for photography, but it is worth the quick stop, especially when the light is good and you have no other plans or want to take a break.

How to get there

From I-5 northbound, take exit 28A to Nobel Drive. Turn right on Nobel Drive, then right again on Lebon Drive and right on Charmant Drive. This will get you in front of the Temple. You can park on the street or drive through the gates to the temple parking lot.

From I-5 southbound, take exit 28 to La Jolla Village Drive. Turn left on La Jolla Village Drive, then right on Lebon Drive and right on Charmant Drive.

GPS position

32°51’57.54″N 117°13’42.26″W

How to photograph the Mormon Temple

Stained Windows

There are not many tips you need for this location. You can only photograph the temple from the outside and even here, you will likely find out that the area near the gate is simply the best location for photos of the temple. In the first picture, I used a wide-angle lens to fit the foreground into my image. The temple thus appears smaller and further away reducing its significance.

Photographing from a closer point of view requires that you point your camera up. The resulting converging vertical lines cause very unnatural distortions that you need to correct in your image editor. Leave some cropping space above your subject to make correcting the distortions easier. If this simply is not an option, you can also enlarge the canvas of your picture before the correction and then crop the image back down to size.

Mormon Temple Walkway

The temple will look good at night too, even without Christmas decoration. Night photography has the added advantage that other visitors will not be in your way. People moving at a normal pace will become too fast for the camera to see and thus invisible, as long as they do not stop.

When we finished our nightly shots, I saw our missionary still roaming the grounds with the same welcoming smile and easy going attitude. After a blizzard kept us from the temple in Salt Lake City last year, I am glad I decided to finally check out this one.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The Christmas decorations add more interest to your night shots. Otherwise, I would recommend mornings over evenings, since you cannot photograph the temple from the west side.

Time required

Just 15 minutes should be sufficient.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Graduated ND filter
• Tripod (HDR and Night shots)

Fees

There are no fees to visit the garden surrounding the temple. You cannot go inside the temple.

Close Locations

• La Jolla
• Carlsbad
• Torrey Pines State Reserve
• San Luis Rey Mission
• San Diego Zoo Safari Park
• San Diego Sea World
• Crystal Pier
• Mission Bay
• Legoland California

Useful Resources

• Temple Page

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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

• 34°35’40.37″N 120° 8’10.54″W

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

• Mission Website
• Santa Ines on About.com

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La Purisima Mission

The extensive complex of the La Purisima Mission entails the church, workshops, gardens, and living quarters. It presents a detailed picture of mission life in the early 19^th Century. With ten of its original buildings fully renovated, La Purisima Mission is the most completely restored mission in California.

It is also one of the most photogenic missions.

“Mission of the Immaculate Conception of Most Holy Mary” or “Misión la Purisima Concepción de Maria Santisima,” is its official Spanish title. Established in 1787, the mission fell victim to a massive earthquake in 1812. After the quake, Father Payeras moved the mission to its present location.

The red and white adobe building with its fountain, colonnades, and countless intricate angles delivers an exceptional opportunity for photographers.

Visit La Purisima and discover a jewel among California’s missions!

How to get there

La Purisma Mission Map

La Purisima Mission is located on 2295 Purisima Road in Lompoc, California. From Santa Barbara, drive north on CA-101 / CA-1. The highway will follow the coastline for about 30 miles and then turn right toward the mountains. After about 2 miles, turn left to stay on CA-1 toward Lompoc/Vandenberg AFB. After about 18 miles, turn right onto CA-246. Drive 1.8 miles and then turn left on Mission Gate Road. Follow Mission Gate Road into the park.

From Santa Maria, take CA-1 south. Take the Lompoc/Vandenberg AFB exit to stay on CA-1. After 6.7 miles, CA-1 turns sharp left. Follow the road for approximately 6.5 miles to the Purisima Road turnoff. Take Purisima Road (left) and drive for 2.1 miles to the mission parking lot entrance.

GPS position

• N 34°40’20.42″ W 120°25’16.20″

How to photograph La Purisima Mission SHP

La Purisima arches

La Purisima Mission offers a variety of compositional choices.

One of the most overused techniques is the frame within frame. Whether you are inside a dark room, photographing an exterior scene through a window or a door, or include one doorframe in another, you will find plenty of framing options at this mission. Frames help to focus the viewer’s attention toward the inside of the frame, pulling her into the picture. They give photographs a three dimensional quality and add perspective. Our brains easily understand that both doors are roughly the same size, yet one appears much smaller in the picture. Hence, it must be further away.

Colonnade

The colonnade photograph shows another way to add perspective and depth to a photograph by converging toward a distant vanishing point.

As in the example of the doorframes, objects in our pictures get smaller with distance. The pillars of the colonnade are a good example, the wall on the opposite side another. We can see that parallel lines in the picture, like the floor and the ceiling, seem to converge toward a point in the distance. This is the vanishing point.

Once again, the picture draws the viewer in and sweeps her attention into the distance. The doorframe at the end of the colonnade is some kind of reward for the eye. It is brighter and thus draws even more attention.

I underexposed slightly, so that I was able to recover the foliage that we can see through the door. I had to boost the shadows a bit, to make the wooden beams visible. Restoring shadow detail will increase the noise, but once the camera clips the highlights, they are lost. If you want to preserve highlights, you need to watch your histogram carefully.

Inside La Purisima

The mission also stands out for its excellent restored shops and quarters that allow you to take a trip back in time. This is a good opportunity to take some detail photographs.

Fill the frame corner to corner with your subject, or zoom back to show it within the context of its surrounding. Think about the placement within the frame and the light.

Use natural light for your photographs, it looks better and will not damage the artifacts. You need to increase your ISO speed accordingly.

Don’t worry about noise. Digital grain adds authenticity to historic subjects like an old mission. We almost expect to see it. A tripod, although occasionally useful, generally gets in the way of your creativity.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The mission is a fun subject to photograph any time of the year. I prefer some clouds in my outdoor scenes, but even a clear deep blue sky looks good with the red and white buildings.

The park opens from 9am to 5pm ever day, except for Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, and New Years Day. The light in the afternoon can be very good.

If you want to catch the sunset, you need to come during the winter months.

Time required

The mission is worth the detour, even if you have just one hour to spare. Two hours are better.

Equipment

• Zoom Lens with IS
• Wide-angle lens
• Tripod

Fees

The parking fee for the park is $6.

Close Locations

• Guadalupe Dunes Park
• Pismo Beach
• Shell Beach
• Avila Beach
• Solvang
• Santa Ines Mission
• Gaviota State Park
• Santa Barbara Mission
• Santa Barbara Courthouse
• San Luis Obispo Mission
• Montana de Oro State Park
• Morro Bay
• Wildflower Routes

Useful Resources

• Mission Website
• State Park Website

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San Jose Mission Church: interior view

Founded in 1797, Mission San Jose quickly became one of the most prosperous. Nearly 2,000 Indians lived here, tending the land and animals.

The Mission is named after St. Joseph, Jesus’ stepfather, who also lent his name to nearby San Jose, the unofficial capital of the Silicon Valley.

The Mission as you see it today is a reconstruction. Unfortunately, the original structure was destroyed in an earthquake in 1868. In its place, a wooden gothic-style church stood for 100+ years, until the reconstruction of the original architecture was completed in 1985.

How to get there

The Mission San Jose is located in Fremont at 43300 Mission Boulevard.

Take the Mission Boulevard exit from Highway 680 and turn south onto Mission Blvd (right turn when you head north on 680, left turn when you head south). After about ½ mile you will see the Mission on your left.

You can always find parking on Mission Boulevard or any of the parallel streets.

GPS position

• N 37°32’1.84″ W 121°55’11.84″

How to photograph Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose is not an easy subject. Many views are obstructed, the lighting is difficult, and people are constantly in your way. The most obvious compositions are the inside of the church, as you can see at the start of this article, and the full church view from across the street. Unfortunately, cars and pedestrians block a full view of the Mission and so you need a lot of patience to take the picture. Do not bother, since the shot will not win you any prize. There is very little to do except crop tightly around the building, creating an ordinary photo.

The interior leaves some room for creativity. Shoot with a wide-angle or fisheye lens to show the entire church or use a longer lens to isolate some of the artwork. Do not use flash. It will damage the artwork and makes your pictures look flat. I prefer to increase my ISO sensitivity to using a tripod. This gives me more flexibility to take advantage of an opening between people.

Fountain and roses

The garden and patio area contains a fountain, rosebushes, and the statue of Father Junipero Serra. Unfortunately, the surroundings are barren and none of the features line up nicely for photographs. The statue by itself does not look very photogenic, but you will not find a good background. The fountain would look better if the pool beneath it contained more water. Cropping tightly and using the roses as your background (image above) works well.

Graveyard

The cemetery also has a lot of wasted photographic potential. You need to stay on the paved trail, from where I could not find many good views. The trees and the disarray of the stones create cluttered images.

If you find yourself in the East Bay with a few hours to pass, the Mission is your best bet. There is not enough to photograph here to warrant a long detour, unless you love to learn more about history and life in the Mission itself. The Mission’s museum holds pieces from the last two centuries and paints a picture of early settlement in California.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Avoid the mass on Sundays and holidays, since the church will be off-limits. On weekends a wedding party often occupies the church. Ask at the cashier how long the wedding will take. You can safely assume that the wedding photographer will take at least 30 minutes longer.

Late afternoon offers the best light.

Time required

Depending on the time of day, you have to account for the time waiting for people to clear your frame. You can finish up in less than one hour if nobody else is here or spend up to 3 hours.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Fisheye lens
• Image Stabilized Zoom Lens
• Tripod
• Small Camera bag
  Although a sign at the entrance states that you should not bring backpacks, large purses or camera bags, nobody questioned my small camera bag that can hold a camera and two lenses.

Fees

The admission is $3 per person, $2 for students.

Close Locations

• Winchester Mystery House
• USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier
• Mt Diablo State Park
• Berkeley Views
• Treasure Island
• Lick Observatory
• Skyline Boulevard
• San Francisco
• Filoli
• San Juan Bautista Mission

Useful Resources

• Official Website

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Inside the Crystal Cathedral

If you love architecture photography, the Crystal Cathedral is a godsend.

Reverent Robert Schuller built a giant edifice of glass and white steel to worship the simple carpenter. Schuller, a PR talent, understood how to draw worldwide attention. Enlisting celebrities and organizing media spectacles par excellence, his congregation now extends beyond the US borders.

The extravagant buildings, the splendor of materials used, and the landscaping make this church a worthy photography destination, independent of your religious persuasion. The church welcomes all visitors warmly. You can explore the grounds freely and do not have to worry about missionaries trying to involve you.

How to get there

Crystal Cathedral Map (click to enlarge)

The Crystal Cathedral is located in Garden Grove, just a few minutes from I- 5 (Santa Ana Freeway), CA-22 (Garden Grove Freeway) and CA-57 (Orange Freeway).

From the North (Los Angeles), take the City Drive exit (107C) from Highway 5, turn right onto West Chapman Avenue and after about 0.4 miles turn left onto S. Lewis Street where you will see the Cathedral parking lot. From the south, take exit 107B for Chapman Avenue.

GPS position

• 33°47’13.28″N 117°53’58.17″W

How to photograph the Crystal Cathedral in LA

Crystal Cathedral

The most exciting sight is the inside of the church (image at the top of the article). The building can seat nearly 3000 worshippers, features one of the largest organs in the US, and television screens and broadcasting equipment. Most photographers choose to shoot from the area near the main entrance, exploiting the symmetry of the church. Walk around and explore other areas as well! I found the view from the gallery even more fascinating. Like in a giant greenhouse, the weather outside reflects the mood inside, which is sunny most of the year in this area.

The expertly maintained grounds are also mesmerizing. You will find sculptures depicting scenes from the bible placed at strategic locations. Marble plaques with bible verses and the names of donors line the sidewalks, similar to Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Using a wide-angle lens and getting close to the ground you can create the impression of an infinite amount of plaques.

The Prayer Spire is a later addition to the main church. A small chapel is located beneath the spire, which towers high above the otherwise flat landscape of Orange County, making the Crystal Cathedral visible from a greater distance. The spire consists of highly polished, mirrored stainless steel, which reflects the sunlight into every direction, giving your photographs a divine quality. Walk around the structure to find the best angle of photography, which changes throughout the day. Pay attention to the shadow it casts, and incorporate it in your composition if possible.

Crystal Cathedral: Visitor Welcome Center

Minimize distortion by stepping back further and zooming in more. This will keep lines straight and buildings looking more natural. Use a circular polarizing filter to remove or intensify reflections on the glass of the buildings and the water of the reflecting pool.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

I try to avoid the greater Los Angeles area in summer, for fear of heat stroke, but I love to come here during the colder season to warm up. I took my pictures during the early afternoon, but I think that late afternoon may look better.

Time required

For a quick visit, including the grounds and the main church, one hour is sufficient. Joining a guided tour of the campus may take longer.

Equipment

• Wide-Angle Lens
• Zoom Lens
• CP Filter

Fees

The tours are free of charge.

Close Locations

• Mission San Juan Capistrano
• Newport Beach
• Huntington Beach Pier
• Laguna Beach, Treasure Island
• Seal Beach and Marine Park
• Shoreline Village
• Queen Mary
• Belmont Shore
• Crystal Cove State Park
• San Pedro
• President Nixon Library
• Disneyland

Useful Resources

• Crystal Cathedral Website
• Interesting Facts

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