Rocco Basile: Gilroy Among California’s Most Photogenic Cities

It was a little more than a year ago that Rocco Basile set out to visit the remaining regions of California he had yet to view through the lens of a camera. A professional photographer who runs an art gallery and photography studio in the southern part of the state, Basile embarked on a four-month journey that began near the Mexican border and traversed the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, the Redwood National Forest, and the Central Valley before returning him to his home in Santa Barbara.

After taking the time to review the photographs taken at these oft-overlooked parts of the state, Basile selected several cities he felt were every bit as photogenic as California’s more recognizable locales, including aesthetically pleasing cities such as San Francisco and Basile’s home of Santa Barbara, both of which reliably attract so many tourists each and every year. According to Basile, Gilroy, a Bay Area community often overshadowed by neighboring San Francisco, easily ranked as one of the most photogenic cities in all of California.

During his trip to the area, Basile purposefully spent a few days in San Francisco before setting out to explore Gilroy in earnest. The photographer was surprised to learn that Gilroy’s position within the Santa Clara Valley meant that it was largely immune from the ever-present fog that permeates the area’s coastal cities and obscures a great deal of the scenery found in the region.

“Although there is a uniquely ethereal and almost otherworldly quality rendered by the coastal fog, I found myself moved by the sharp contrast created by the clarity of vision available just a short distance away in the Santa Clara Valley,” explained Basile. “The area has this unmistakable vibrancy shining through in each and every photograph, and there is a kind of depth that seems to compel you to take a closer look.”

Due to the improved level of clarity in and around the Gilroy area, Basile was able to secure photographs documenting the unique flora and fauna of the valley itself as well as that of the Santa Cruz and Diablo Mountain Ranges bordering the area. Basile was also impressed with the city’s “urban forest,” especially since the photographer is quite fond of depicting seemingly contrasting elements existing in harmony with each other.

Following the completion of his four-month venture, Basile selected a total of 15 cities and revisited each one several times during the intervening months in order to experience the manner in which each season influences the different cities’ respective scenery. Due to the recent volume of rainfall and the brilliant return of the California poppy -- along with a host of other vibrant wildflowers -- Basile felt that the unique natural surroundings he found in Gilroy set it apart from every other entry.

In the months that follow, the Southern California photographer plans to host an exhibition at his gallery featuring the imagery documented during this experience. Basile also hopes to eventually create a traveling exhibition that includes stops in every region of the state, including Gilroy’s own stretch of the Central Valley.