So here is the plan. Well, there really is no plan just some suggestion and points of interest I have for you to keep in mind when on the walk.
We will gather at Historic Railroad Square in front of the California Welcome Center at 5:00pm introduce ourselves and take a quick group photo and then get on our way.
After the photo it is all up to you to either follow some of my suggestion or take it as you go, it is totally up to you, Remember you are here to have fun.
A. Historic Railroad Square has a great deal to offer a photographer. There is the historic value as well as textures, color, people and sculptures.

B. Along the river there is a wide range of subjects ranging from sculptures, the river itself (kind of low right now, but still fun), grape vines, a foot bridge, Olive Park (restrooms), and plants of all kinds.

C. Julliard Park also has a wide range of subject matter: The bocce courts should have people playing at this time of day, a community garden, a church that was built from a single redwood tree, a pond with water lilies, people, sculptures and a playground for the kids.

D. Luther Burbank Home & Gardens is an excellent place to take a break and rest and use the restrooms (located at the back of the gardens). The plants and flowers here are awesome. I could easily spend a day shooting here. The gates close at 7:00pm so keep this in mind if this is a place you do not want to miss. For more information please visit http://lutherburbank.org.

E. Prince Gateway Park is kitty-corner from Luther Burbank Home & Gardens and is a wonderful place to photograph children playing in the water jets.

F. Old courthouse square is was we will end to walk. Here is a great place to kick back and share the photos of the day. Here you can also photograph more people, water fountains, trees, building, and architecture. Surrounding the square are numerous restaurants and cafés to get food or drink.
Parking
I found the parking at the Santa Rosa Mall (see blue area on the map) in probably the best place to park as it is free. Parking down by the square is metered. But it is up to you.
Note: Santa Rosa Mall security has asked us to not take photos of the building due to security issues.

About the Ray Mabry

Ray Mabry has over twenty years experience in photography. He started in film and used black and white to capture images in architecture, landscape and abstract forms. In 2001, Ray with his extensive computer technology and digital imagery experience, made a natural and seamless migration to digital. Whether shooting film or digital, Ray loves the freedom of creative expression that photography has to offer.

A writer, a photography instructor, sports photographer and photojournalist, his goal is to capture the sights, sounds and feel of the environment and translate those senses into a visual experience that will transcend the two-dimensional bounds of the photograph itself.

Ray has a professional photography studio, rmabryphotography.com, runs a blog , offers training courses for digital photography and Photoshop, and also co-organizes a Meetup group called the Sonoma County Photography Group.

Parking

I found the parking at the Santa Rosa Mall (see blue area on the map) in probably the best place to park as it is free. Parking down by the square is metered. But it is up to you.

Note: Santa Rosa Mall security has asked us to not take photos of the building due to security issues.