balboa park + san diego museums (iii)

Hopefully, by now you guys aren't tired of my constant vacation posts, but I only have 4 total - I promise (i and ii). I took a loong break to bring some other posts into the mix, but I think I'll just post these in order. San Diego was too beautiful not to write about! We mainly stayed in the Balboa Park area - they have tons of amazing museums and places to visit, all within walking distance!

Standing across from the Botanical Building, this is the view. I think it's probably one of the most photographed places in San Diego, and for good reason too! Apparently, during WWII, they used the lagoon to help teach soldiers how to swim, and afterwards for physical therapy.

I love going to greenhouses and botanical gardens. Flower photography never gets old, and with so many beautiful things to photograph, it's a no fail way to make sure your photos come out well.

The downside is that so many people take basically the exact same shots as you! Because of this, I think I'd have to say I still like portrait photography the best.

On the trip, I brought both my 50mm f/1.4 and 28-105L f/4. I used my 50mm the majority of the trip, and only brought out my 28-105 for a couple of landscape photos.

You can definitely see the narrow depth of field in these photos, and I think that adds to the overall effect I was aiming for. I also love how small the lens is, so I didn't feel weighed down by it, and I also looked like less of a tourist.

Time spent here: 15 mins. You could spend more if you're looking to focus on plant photography, but we were originally planning on also visiting the Huntington Botanical Gardens, so I held off on it. Unfortunately, we didn't end up going, so I wish I'd spent more time.
Things to note: The whole area around here is gorgeous, and perfect for travel or outfit photos.
Cost: Free!

In Balboa Park, there are several museums within walking distance, so it's a perfect way to spend an afternoon. A couple of them are free, but most require tickets. I believe you can also buy a museum pass.

The Mingei was recommended to us by the people we were staying with in AirBnb - otherwise I don't think we would have gone.

Its' focus is on folk art, and has an overall whimsical feel. There was 3D as well as 2D art, and it was a mix of contemporary and traditional art.

Personally, the art here wasn't my style, but it was interesting to look at. They had a few quilts and figurines that made for quirky photos, though it was quite dark upstairs.

I didn't see too many other people either. I felt like it could almost be a slasher film, it was so eerily quiet, and all the figurines were starting to get to me a bit. It was very "Night At The Museum" feeling.

Time spent here: 45 mins - they were in the middle of prepping a new exhibit, so only the upstairs portion was open.
Things to note: Definitely not your typical, stuffy art museum! Closed on Mondays.
Cost: $4-7

The museum I enjoyed more was The Museum of Art (points for creativity?). It's a lot more conventional, yet they still had interesting exhibits - the Coney Island one was showing when we visited.

The building is stunning as well, and there's a fountain in the lobby, as well as double staircases. Just something about that really calls to me. I think it might have been watching Princess Diaries when I was little, and secretly wanting to be able to slide down my staircase on a mattress.

Time spent here: 2.5 hrs. It's also a nice spot to sit and relax.
Things to note: They have a wide variety - Renaissance, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Contemporary. Also free wifi, so that's always a bonus!
Cost: $4.50-$12

Another notable museum that I didn't take any photos in would be the Timken. It's right across from the Museum of Art, and it's free! Mostly Renaissance, with a little bit of 20th Century art. The main reason we visited is because they have a Vermeer! 

The Woman In Blue Reading A Letter is even better in person, and I would strongly recommend going to see it. All of Vermeer's pieces are so much richer in person. I missed an opportunity to see Girl With A Pearl Earring at the de Young, and I've been regretting it since. 

What are your favorite styles of art? What museums are must sees? For series, do you prefer them to be posted one after the other, or spread out (if so, how spread out)?

xx

Angelina

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