Best places to photograph

Where are the best places to take unusual, breathtaking, or memorably photographs in Napa and Sonoma counties?

We will be there for 8 days--half in Napa, half in Sonoma--with our bodies on New York time, so we will be up early in the mornings before sunrise with several hours to kill before the wineries and tourist spots open.

Any suggestions on photographic tours?

Thanks!

Wendy

Best places to photograph

It%26#39;s definitely fun to be on EST and get an early start to the day! However, many mornings are very foggy as it rolls in and settles in the valley (beautiful) and doesn%26#39;t burn off until noon. What time of year are you visiting? The flowers are in bloom by the end of March, but the vineyards don%26#39;t start budding till very late March/early April. Last year, we went the first week of April and it rained every day! I think the best time to go is late October and early November when all the colors are in the vineyards. There are many mountain views and sprawling valley shots. Lots of beautiful gardens there as well. I think Chateau Montelena in N Napa has gorgeous grounds...an oriental look with pagoda. That would be cool to photograph in the fog.The area around Lake Sonoma is beautiful as well. You may want to drive to the coast for some stunning views.

Best places to photograph

The Domaine Carneros Winery is stately with gorgeous grounds and surrounding area. The tasting room is set up on a hill, you climb several stairs to reach the top. The views of the vineyards and surrounding area are gorgeous here. We went last March and the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom.

Have fun in the wine country and good luck with your photography! :)

bluereef-

Some of our east coast guests can%26#39;t help but get up at 4 or 5 am each day (7 or 8 am EST). Since most wineries aren%26#39;t open until 10, you can always take a 4-6 hour mini-trip each day before wine tasting.

Muir Woods is 1 hr 19 min away from the town of Napa, and is amazing in the fog. So is the Golden Gate Bridge (very close to Muir Woods, drivewise).

LLindaC is right-- the fog here is gorgeous, esp in the mornings. Be aware that the fog cover is so thick that you won%26#39;t really have sun peeking through the mist-- it just gradually burns off so that it appears as a thick gray blanket overhead (nice diffuse lighting). When it burns off, it looks like clouds that are dispersing. Not the most dramatic for sky shots, but important to know from a lighting perspective.

Once it%26#39;s sunny, you%26#39;ll have clear blue skies, which are wonderful as a backdrop. Expect litte or no clouds if the day gets sunny.

We%26#39;d suggest some of the back roads for shots-- Yountmill road, some of the roads up in the hills, and the Oakville Grade, looking back down onto the valley floor.

There are a number of beautiful wineries. You may want to check out Artessa (great views once the fog clears), or if you love gardens, here is a short list of our faves:

-Domaine Chandon (don%26#39;t feed the swans!)

-Far Niente (appt essential)

-Rubicon Estates (a bit too expensive- $25 pp--but beautiful)

-Artessa (as prev. mentioned)

-Chateau Montelena (it%26#39;s OK to feed the ducks, and the swan)

-Newton Vineyards http://newtonvineyard.com

(keep this last one a secret; very limited access)

Regarding tours, you may want to consider this company:

http://www.jeeptours.com/ (more geared towards photographers)

or platypus:

http://www.platypustours.com/

Please don%26#39;t hesitate to ask the locals where there favorite spots are-- there are always special, secret places you can find by asking around!

Enjoy your stay in the wine country. It%26#39;s a very special place. :)

-The Innkeepers

Napa Old World Inn

You can always study the postcards and calendars in the shops. Then go hunt for the same shots, albeit with you in them.

We will be there mid Jan. In fact, we%26#39;re staying at the Old World Inn for a few days! What a coincidence!

Thanks for all the great tips. We%26#39;ll be asking your for directions to those great ideas when we get there. See you next week!

Wendy

Very Cool!

We look forward to having you stay with us, and welcoming you to our little corner of the world. :)

-The Innkeepers

Napa Old World Inn

Great thread!

I am a wanna-be photographer so I plan on taking a ton of photos during my visit in Napa. I assume you can take photos when visiting wineries, etc… Or are there rules?

Thanks for all the suggested places for photo opportunities!!! I am printing these off.

%26gt;I assume you can take photos when visiting wineries, etc… Or are

%26gt;there rules?

Mostly unwritten rules. It%26#39;s good courtesy to get permission especially if somebody is in your photo. If that Kodak moment is not to be missed, you can always apologize afterwards and offer to send prints to the people who were in the shot.