Best Photography Galleries In North Bay

The best photography galleries or studios in the North Bay feature artists from the San Francisco Bay Area who live where they work, offering shots of the Golden Gate Bridge and Angel Island to Richardson Bay with its sailboats and houseboats. Gallery photography exhibits in the North Bay area are rare, however some venues have great photography shows offered throughout the year. Check out these five establishments that carry some of the most impressive photographic talents on the west coast.

The Lisa Kristine Gallery
452 1st St E
Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 938-3860
lisakristine.com

Hours: Daily - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Humanitarian and fine-art photographer Lisa Kristine, photographs with stunning natural beauty and dignity. Included in her work is the capture of ancient cultures around the world, highlighted by gorgeous natural color. Her remote locations look exotic, mysterious and mystical to the western viewer. You can see camel caravans crossing pristine sand dunes and robed boys holding vases near ancient Asian architecture as a couple of examples. This San Francisco born photographer has recently worked on images of abuse in dismal locations, capturing snapshots of modern day slavery. She worked in Nepal and literally went under the streets of Kathmandu to find the slaves in cabin restaurants. Visit her gallery to see this latest work.

The Pelican Studio
11101 Highway 1
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
(415) 663-4017
pelicanstudio.com

Hours: Open by appointment only

The Pelican Studio shows and sells the work of Marin County photographers Tim Edwards and Katherine Williams. Edwards shoots wilderness and people of the northern California coast using traditional film and digital techniques. Berkeley-born Williams lives in Inverness and photographs birds and animals of the wetlands such as the enormous elephant seals or picturesque scenery like a rainbow over Olema Valley. Her work glows with an iridescence, looking very much like paintings. The studio offers Photoshop classes which include a print of your own work. Here you can also print custom-sized work on paper or canvas, either your own or that of the professionals.

Related: Best Impressionist Art in San Francisco

The Quicksilver Mine Co.
6671 Front St
Forestville, CA 95436
(707) 887-0799
www.QuickSilverMineCo.com

Hours: Thurs to Mon - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Khysie Horn's gallery, The Quicksilver Mine Co. in the town of Forestville, represents a wide range of emerging and established Sonoma County artists and northern Californians. Horn moved her gallery from the Russian River to a contemporary and bright new spot located between Sebastopol and Guerneville. Visitors may stop by on the way to the Russian River or the coast and picnic in the sculpture garden. Other available events include artist receptions, gallery talks and musical performances.

Tim Porter
637 Lindaro St
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 816-3030
photography.timporter.com

Hours: Vary, Call ahead before visiting

Tim Porter's diverse work appears in Marin Magazine almost monthly. He photographs and writes on everything from Mount Tamalpais and boats in Sausalito to the view of a cancer patient from inside the MRI chamber. Check out his website for the latest experiment with red sunglasses. His most exuberant expressions seem to be over shooting loud rock bands up close and personal. He gives compelling and entertaining back story to most photos on his Facebook page, so check it out to compare your interpretations against his.

Related: Best Family Photographers in the South Bay 

Tom Chown Photography
5220 Fulton Road, #10
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 573-2861
tomchownphoto.com

Hours: Call ahead to make an appointment

Tom Chown's favorite wineries are Paradise Ridge winery in Santa Rosa and Bella Vineyards in the Healdsburg Dry Creek Valley, the setting for many of his photo shoots. A big trend now is to hire a photographer who works as a team shooter with a second photographer on site, as he does. Another trend is keeping the formal family portraits to a minimum, as this allows the bride and groom to spend more time with their guests. Chown books most work a year to six months in advance. He travels around the San Francisco Bay area and can provide a bid to clients who are planning destination weddings. However, if you would like to see his work in person, make an appointment and visit his gallery. His personal work has been exhibited in many fine-art journals and art galleries for over 30 years. You can view more of his work on his Facebook fan page under Tom Chown Photography.

The Image Flow
Photography Gallery and Learning Center
401 Miller Ave, Suite F
Mill Valley, CA 94941
(415) 388-3569
theimageflow.com

Hours: Mon to Fri - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sun - Closed

Commercial photographer Stuart Schwartz owns the Image Flow and presents new photography exhibitions every three months or so. He features local artists with subjects as diverse as Yellowstone, landscapes, portraits from India, Roman ruins, musicians, group shows and his own "A Taste of Havana." If you feel inspired and like taking your own photographs, Schwartz offers classes, workshops and summer camps for all levels. Experiment with black-and-white photography, digital photography, Photoshop, lighting and story telling.

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Cindy Warner is a freelance writer and a San Francisco Bay Area native. Cindy has covered SF theater and opera for Examiner.com via her bicycle since January 2009. Check out her work on Examiner.com.