About Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, with a population of just under 90,000 covering 22 square miles, is the County seat of Santa Barbara County. The city is coastal with a South-facing shoreline with the steep rising of the Santa Ynez Mountains to the North. Santa Barbara is 100 miles from Los Angeles to the Northwest.
The city’s grid system was designed in 1851. The measurements of the streets and the intersections were “famously botched” resulting in interesting and confusing doglegs at certain intersections when the misalignments were corrected.
Between 1910 and 1922 during the silent film era, Santa Barbara was the original Hollywood. The Flying A Studios outgrew the location and relocated to Hollywood. In its heyday, The Flying A Studios, now a division of the American Film Manufacturing Company, produced over 1,200 silent films, of which nearly 100 have survived. The choices of photo shoot venues in Santa Barbara reflect the diversity in the Downtown architecture and the working citrus and avocado orchards.
Photo Shoot Venue Options in Santa Barbara
Most of the available Santa Barbara photo shoot venues are rented by the hour. These venues in Santa Barbara offer a plethora of indoor and outdoor scenes from historic buildings, ocean, mountains, and orchard views, to the traditional production and sound stages.
- Professional Photographer
The hiring of a professional photographer in Santa Barbara would be ideal to connect the messaging and the branding behind a photograph with the venue locations. A local photographer would know the best equipment and lighting for the location. Any additional equipment, furnishings, or crews for the shoot would be under the scope of the photographer.
- Catering
Of the service options, the most remembered, and the most scrutinized, is the catering. A rival for the space of traditional catering is the incorporation of food trucks, which may be the best option for one-day remote shoots. The caterers for a film shoot, whether in the traditional style or the trendy food trucks, will need flexible menu options on a 24-hour clock.
- Permitting
The city ordinances provide that a permit is required for all shoots in all venues, with the limited exception of a not-for-profit photo shoot within a private party. The Department of Parks and Recreation takes the lead in the one-step processing of a permit application. The Department will also provide any needed coordination between other city departments, such as the public works and waterfront, fire, and police.
Photo Shoot Venue Companies in Santa Barbara
Once you find your photo shoot venue in Santa Barbara, it will be more efficient, productive, and beneficial to the project to outsource ancillary services to local companies. The services and products provided by the local talent will bring local knowledge to the project. The wage investment and job creation within the local economy will strengthen the position for grants and tax incentives.
- The Production HUB
Santa Barbara is served by this clearinghouse-style referral service to local companies providing support services to photo shoot venues. The companies referred by the HUB provide all necessary support and ancillary services for a photo shoot and for the production of the end product. This solution-based service will provide and complete the crew for the shoot and the talent for post-production.
- 805 Productions
The photographers employed by 805 Productions are recognized as top performers by Google and enjoy an excellent reputation in Santa Barbara. All projects are tailored to the expectations and the messaging goals of the client. 805 Productions has the technology to incorporate both a virtual tour of an interior with the Street View links to capture and relay the complete story to the customers and end-users of a product or brand.
- Pure Joy Catering
This locally-based company is sponsored by the Production HUB for catering to a Santa Barbara photo shoot venue. Off-premises catering involves self-containment, particular allegiance to the time schedule, and efficiency. Pure Joy Catering partners with outside vendors to provide any needed tents, furniture, utensils, and the set-up and the breakdown of the serving area.
Pros and Cons of a Photo Shoot Venues in Santa Barbara
When considering the pros and cons of anything, one must have an open mind and the patience to step back to evaluate the big picture. One advantage is no more important than any disadvantage. All aspects must be placed into the context of the project and the flexibility of the crew. Check out all the ups and downs of choosing a Santa Barbara photo shoot venue before you start packing.
Advantages
- Transportation
The choice of transportation modes in Santa Barbara is multiple. The major artery is Highway 101 linking the city to locations in coastal California. The city is eight miles from the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport.
- Climate
The summer is cool and dry with temperatures ranging from 60 to 77 degrees F. The winters are warm with temperatures ranging from 58 to 70 degrees F. The average annual rainfall is 19 inches with the most occurring from December through March.
- Local Support for the Industry
When seeking a photo shoot venue and the ancillary services in Santa Barbara, the support from the residents and the city officials will be evident. Given the choice of photo venues by the host owners and the one-stop permit process, the welcoming of the photo industry is real.
Disadvantages
- Competition
The local support of the photo industry makes for heavy competition. The competition between other photographers and production companies may be evident and aggressive. Competition leads to a tight market and high prices.
- Wildfires
In recent history, Santa Barbara has been the location of notable wildfires. Although the fires begin in the inland rural and wilderness areas, the mountain range north of the city affects the wind currents and drives the fires westward. The wildfires are prevalent in the fall at the end of the dry season and before the rains of winter.
- Cost of doing business
The cost of doing business is high. Santa Barbara is the most expensive city in Central and Southern California. When compared to Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is 22% higher.
Famous Locations in Santa Barbara
- Grapevine Wine Tours
This is a seven-hour tour through four local vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley with a picnic lunch. The selection of the four best vineyards for the tour is dependent upon the time of year. The size of the tour’s group is limited to 20. You will enjoy learning about the vineyards and tasting some samples.
- Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Opened in 1941, this art museum is home to both permanent and rotating exhibits including Asian, American, and European art to name a few. The works date back 4,000 years and the permanent collection features subjects like Buddhist art, photography in the Southern Rim, and French art from the 1800s. Some of the recent exhibits have featured van Gogh, Picasso, Leonardo, and Degas.
- History and Architecture Walking Tour
From the reviews, 100% of past participants recommend this experience. The tour will be two to three hours highlighting the obvious as well as the lesser-known facts and the reasons for the splendor of Santa Barbara. The featured sites are the history museum, a state park, and many architectural variations throughout the city.
