You might want to consider the Anza Borrego State Park east of San Diego.
700,000 acres of beautiful desert views.
Countless hiking or 4 wheel drive trails.
The Park extends from the eastern side of the Laguna Mountains down to below sea level
on the desert floor.
Spring bloom is remarkable but I'll take the desert any time of year.
A little farther east the Salton Sea offers some interesting sites.

Catalina Island would be a good place. You could take pics of the whales and dolphins to and from on the boat trip. Once on the island take the bus ride to the top of the mountain, incredible view.

Get up early and head out to Garnet Peak for the sunrise. Search Garnet peak on the sandiegoreader site for more information. Take your coffee and sit and wait. Fantastic site on a clear morning.

Your in for some visual treats then! Bring lots of memory cards haha I shot 52 GB when I traveled around there for two weeks back in the summer of 2010 :)Some of the best landscape photography I ever shot.

Thank you guys:) I'm college student, so I'm limited in budget (gas of course...) and can't leave too far away from Socal... But those places you guys mentioned are quite interesting. And Kanuck... Unfortunately I haven't been there yet but fortunately you've told me about it :) I think I'm gonna make plans to visit there. Thanks!!

Wow are you ever a lucky guy! My favourite places to shoot are in Nevada, California, Utah, and Arizona and I've traveled all over the World! Have you ever hit the highway and found some old broken down vehicles, old ghost towns, barns etc? They always make for great landscape shots especially with a nice dramatic sky with it. You've probably been to Joshua Tree National Park? I'm sure you have its quite the amazing location. The Wind Energy Farm in Palm Springs is spectacular at sunset and sunrise. The windmills make for great silhouttes except you have to mind the damn fencing. The Coachella Valley preserve, and Indian Canyons also have never disappointed.

Will you travel out of the SoCal region? I'm sure you have numerous times for your photography^^ Damn your lucky I'd love to retire in one of these aforementioned four states or at least have a vacation home.

Malibu Canyon, Cajon Pass, Point Dume is perfect this time of year (next month is the only time you can walk around the point because of the tide.)

I've probably went to most popular places in SoCal already. (i.e Yosemite) I want to get some recommendations for places that are not well known. I'm not a professional photographer, but I love to travel for photography. I like taking landscape and all things nature photos. I may bring my girlfriend alongside with me, so I would prefer places with great sight seeing... Anything would be great still. Thanks!

Look into the Contax645. for 1K

You can get a film mamiya 640 for $800

http://www.mamiya.com/

You don't have to spend 20K to shoot large format. You can get a film body from Mamiya for 2K and a digital body for 6-7K

Nice! Well, I don't see myself making 100K for photography, but anything is possible. I do want better quality with my enlargements though.

I was merely Kidding :) ... As a photographer who does large prints(and needs a MF camera) the hasselblad is visibly superior than a Dx format camera, and as a street photographer the leica is unnoticeable and often can foil as a Point n shoot but, If you want to go out and just take great pictures (like the ones you have)a Nikon is perfect. There are real photographers that have used a $2.00 disposable film camera to get a good shot, and others are making money off their D40's so it says your camera doesn't make you a serious photographer, although it helps.

On a sidenote I have always told people If you want clarity, get a Leica. If you want speed, get a Canon. If you want durability, get an Olympus. If you want image quality, get a Sony. But if you want it all in one package and more... Get a Nikon!

Well, if you made $100,000 from your photography its not unthinkable to have such a camera.

I thought perhaps you were, but I just talked to a photographer last week who feels this way. It's hard to see myself ever paying 20k+ for a camera.

I was being sarcastic. ;-)

I am looking to get in to large format for serious stuff since I shoot mostly landscapes. Does this make me less fake, or does it still have to be a Leica or Hasselblad? I used to shoot 35mm when I was a kid, gave it up to pursue an art career and have gotten back into photography with digital. Now I'm really seeing the limits and am dissatisfied. Not that I don't love my gear though. My D300 still makes me very happy. I always thought it was just snooty-esque who were Hasselblad or nothing.

Agreed with PB PM

So I'm told.

If you were a real photographer you'd shoot with a Leica or Hasselblad.

If you were a real photographer you would. ;-)

Oh, and I don't shoot ND filters hand held. I guess I could with the 18-200VR, but obviously never would with the 10-stop.

I'm not too much of a technical photographer when it comes to using math for my ND which may not be to my benefit. I've always been more of a "feel" artist.

heartyfisher said:
"and esp with a ND filter, I've had to crank up the ISO (hand held) to compensate."
Doesnt makes sens to me... Isnt the whole idea of ND filter is that the lowest ISO is not low enough? so if you need to crank up the ISO just remove the ND filter and keep the ISO low..

yeah I confuse myself with that as well. . .I use the ND for the "silk" effect with water/clouds, and in certain instances, have been in pretty low light. . .hence cranking the ISO. . .still confusing. . .

Thanks jonnyapple and shivaswrath. I don't ever use long ex NR, but I do have Noiseware Professional, which I think does a pretty good job if I absolutely need noise suppression. For the most part I try to stay away from high ISO if possible and find I don't need the noise filter too much. It's nice to have though.