The art of photographing San Francisco…
I recently had the opportunity to visit beautiful San Francisco after a speaking engagement for the Palm Springs Photo Festival. I wish I could have spent more time in Palm Springs, however San Francisco was a lot of fun. Night and the blue hour are my favorite times of the day to make pictures. Night allows me more creativity, and the opportunity to “play with light” such as creating streaks of light from passing cars as in this cable car photograph, and the starburst headlight that grabs the viewer’s attention. I photographed this night shot with the Nikon D810, and NIKKOR 28-300mm lens, stabilized with an Induro tripod. I also used a remote trigger release, essential for creating successful night shots or long exposure shots.
My favorite time to shoot means going to sleep very late… the cable car was shot after midnight, and I needed to be up before the sun to catch the beautiful light at the Bay Bridge, no rest for the weary! I love the pink reflections and softness of the clouds and water created by the 30 second exposure before sunrise. The shape of the reflections echo the shapes of the old dock pilings, a location I have always wanted to shoot in San Francisco. I used my Nikon D810 and all time favorite lens, the NIKKOR 24-70mm to capture this blue hour shot.
I liked the symmetry of this shot, using a wide angle lens (NIKKOR 16-35mm) directs the viewer to the wonderful San Francisco cityscape. Each of San Francisco’s piers are wonderful to shoot from day or night, and I can’t wait to go back again. 
I had crazy fun with my Nikon D810 multiple exposure feature which allowed me to elaborate on the cool graffiti art in the Mission District. The Mission District and Haight-Ashbury are perfect for daytime shooting with lots of colorful photo opportunities. The Mission District is unique in that the artwork is respected by the locals, and the art is “curated” by artistic director Lisa Brewer of whom I had the pleasure of meeting, along with spray can graffiti artist Crayone! I’ll be posting more photos from the Mission District soon. A very special thanks to my friends who suggested great locations to shoot, and also to dine, don’t miss the Waterbar, and the City View Restaurant!
Very striking and thought provoking images!
Thank you very much, Erik, it’s one of my favorite cities, I can’t wait to go back!
Your work is phenomenal — your eye unfailing. Some of the best shots I’ve ever seen of San Francisco. I lived there in the mid-’70s while I got a Masters in Creative Writing at San Francisco State, and then again in the late ’90’s and early 2000’s while doing consulting work for venture firms in Silicon Valley. And in all that time, I didn’t really have a great camera! I will now have a chance to return, and hope to capture a small fraction of the quality of the shots you’ve taken there. I have enjoyed seeing them immensely. Thanks for sharing your work.
Brian, thanks so much for your great comments! I’m pleased you enjoyed this post. I’m sure you will enjoy returning to San Francisco with your camera. There is much to explore and hope to return this fall. I wish you the best with your photography and creativity!
A wonderfully-written account on what is involved to photograph San Francisco! So much thought and creativity go into your images – love it!
Thanks so much Stan, it was wonderful to catch up with you, and I truly appreciate your local knowledge! I look forward to the next trip to San Francisco, there’s a lot to be covered and we’ll do it all!
I love the cable car shot.Did u use flash to freeze car? Very nice fran photos, wish I was there.
Thank you, Ron! No flash needed, the cable car stopped for a few minutes, so it was a good time for grabbing a few shots. The cars behind the cable car formed the streaks of light, San Francisco is a lot of fun and I’m sure you would enjoy shooting there!
Wow !!
how lucky for me that I happened upon your website well I was going through a list of names to add s friendsin my email.
I am so happy to add you as a friend to my email this if not if for no other reason then to find out about where to see more pictures by you. I remember when I went to San Francisco ripped out of my rented z28 and living living what I caught snorkeling and scuba diving daytoday for one whole week cuz its off of abalone by catching my daily quota and being shown how to make it into edible food by other people camping out. the life of traveling down the coast for 3 month after all I flew into San Francisco and 3 months later I flew out of San Diego and a million times I just travel all over the gorgeous California did I had read so much about and was so looking forward to moving to.
Deborah, what a great eye for art in color and colour black and whitestreaking cars reminding me so much of the pictures I took with my first Polaroid camera. They could take one 30th of a second 300 no wait I mean 3000 yes 1/3000 second. film. I would take pictures of cars racing through my neighborhood aand little side streets then pictures of cars when I would be in the back seat of dad’s Cadillac and looking at the streAking pictures of all the cars racing by us.
thanks for sharing your good taste and inspiring my memories after all it was some 59 years ago when I use my parents 106A I think it was is the 60 seconds black and white picture and then the film became 10 second film years later what a fun camera
so much for trying to edit what I wrote what I wrote above try not to look like an idiot we’re made my photography is great but my writing is that of a when I actually know how to write well just used to getting a chance to edit when I got a peek at what I wrote
oh brother
Floyd, thanks for your wonderful words and I’m so pleased that you enjoyed a journey back to the San Francisco you remember. Very cool about the Polaroid camera, I actually have my parents SX-70 which is nice for transfers and other artistic things! Thanks again for stopping by to look at my pictures and blog! Have a great day!
Very cool shots, Deb!
Thank you Klaus-Peter, that cable car is totally dedicated to you! I’m anxious to go back and shoot it again a little differently, maybe blue hour evening. Hope to make it back in November, and hope to see you soon.
Deborah, this is one outstanding collection of great images! Quite varied, all exceptionally well captured, displaying your usual amazing creativity Only have been to SF once, but would love to go back and seeing what you have been able to do with your images, I might be better prepared to make something half as good. Sounds like a super trip and thanks for sharing this awesome collection! Hope you are having a great weekend.
Thanks so much, Eric, it’s great to hear from you! I’m so pleased you enjoyed the photos of San Francisco! It’s such a wonderful place to photograph, and the food is amazing! Keep me posted if you plan on going, I wish you the best!
So happy to have stumbled upon your photos of San Francisco and the descriptions you gave of the shots. Thank you for sharing your wonderful craftwork.
Thank you Craig, I appreciate you stopping by my website and very pleased you enjoy the shots and found the information helpful. I’m happy to share what I’ve learned along the way. 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!
Hello Mrs. Sandidge,
I recently watched a presentation you delivered for B&H: the images you showed were exceptional and I think you are a very creative Photographer. Visiting your website and looking at your portfolio reinforced my first impression. One of the key aspect I learned from your presentation is the fact we can bring uniqueness and originality to photographs that have been taken and seen many, many times. I love the way you use neutral density filters and I find your pictures very inspiring. You are also a very gifted presenter: we can feel your passion behind the words and images.
I wish you good health and continued success as a Photographer.
Take care
Richard Tétreault
Thank you for your lovely comments, Richard! I appreciate your time in writing, and I’m so pleased you enjoyed my presentation. I like how you worded your sentence about bringing originality and uniqueness to commonly photographed places. My greatest hope is to inspire someone to be creative, thank you!
Oh wow i like ua creativity,very much.Come to Kenya and try out smthing new.i hope u love landscapes too.
Absolutely perfect shoots, I was born and raised in San Francisco been here till I was late in my twenties. Thanks for giving this great city what’s deserving of it. I’ve been away now for about ten years and love to visit every chance I get. I’ll be looking forward to your return for to take more shoots of my great city. (lol my city)
Hi Deborah!
I’m from Brazil and I was recently in SFO but I can’t photograph the city as it deserves.
Do you sell your photos? If possible I would like to buy and frame it to decorate my living room.
Tks
rafaellunardi@hotmail.com