Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Trip Location Advice & Meet-ups | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2014 · San Francisco in August.

  
 
unclemikey
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · San Francisco in August.


I will be visiting San Francisco in August for about 4-5 days as my wife has a convention there and I am going along to off gas from a years worth of work. This is not the typical what kit should I pack as I've been a pro photographer for more years then I can remember but I haven't been to San Francisco in about 20 years. I would take advice as to wide
or long zoom though.

My question to you local folks or those who travel to SF regularly is what can I see and where should I go. My style is more journalism and landscape, structure, then pure art as many of you are into.

I'll be staying at the Hilton Hotel Union Station, 333 O' Farrell St. I have from 9:00AM until about 5:00PM to be alone with my kit and no one to tell me what to do. Also, I would appreciate if giving instructions with walking tours not to make them too long as my legs don't have what it takes any more. I know I want to see China Town and Fisherman's Wharf. What else can you suggest for me to see or photograph?

Thanks in advance.



Jun 13, 2014 at 12:42 PM
gdanmitchell
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · San Francisco in August.


I'm just back from a morning shooting in San Francisco. :-)

If you like city and street stuff, you will be able to just walk out your door and do a whole lot of photography. San Francisco is a very walkable city—despite a few very steep hills—and I love to just grab my camera and head out and shoot. From your location you can easily walk to the Embarcadero waterfront areas, to much of the downtown area, and more. If by "structure" you mean buildings and forms and what not, there's plenty of that sort of thing everywhere in the City

Given your 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM time frame, it might even be that urban shooting will be your best bet.

If you are going to shoot landscape during those hours (realizing that both earlier and later would likely be better), you might watch for fog and perhaps head for places that are close to the fog/sun boundary. In August, depending on the weather that shows up when you are there, you could have clear skies but you are more likely to have fog at the coast that works its way inland at night and remains into the early morning before it pulls back to the ocean. (The September-October time frame is more likely to be fog-free, though with the odd weather we've had this year... who knows?)

Dan



Jun 13, 2014 at 04:01 PM
Greg Campbell
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · San Francisco in August.


IMO, the best parts (by FAR) of Fisherman's Wharf are the Maritime Museum and USS Pampanito display. IMO, all else is tourist bait and is best skipped. Avoid the nasty, overpriced restaurants unless a local resident has a specific suggestion.

If you're looking to escape thundering herds you might try the Marin Headlands. Great cliff and ocean views and a number of old, large gun emplacements that might appeal. As suggested, add fog for moody effect. Sorry, I'm not sufficiently familiar to offer specific advice - the terrain is fairly steep in places, but there are also numerous subjects close to the road.

Don't know if an 8 hour day allows time for all three destinations, plus 'whatever comes up.'



Jun 13, 2014 at 04:47 PM
gdanmitchell
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · San Francisco in August.


Greg Campbell wrote:
IMO, the best parts (by FAR) of Fisherman's Wharf are the Maritime Museum and USS Pampanito display. IMO, all else is tourist bait and is best skipped. Avoid the nasty, overpriced restaurants unless a local resident has a specific suggestion.

If you're looking to escape thundering herds you might try the Marin Headlands. Great cliff and ocean views and a number of old, large gun emplacements that might appeal. As suggested, add fog for moody effect. Sorry, I'm not sufficiently familiar to offer specific advice - the terrain is fairly steep in places, but there are also numerous subjects close
...Show more

Marin Headlands has many possibilities. The Conzelman Road view is a classic, and you have probably seen photographs of the Golden Gate Bridge from there. Head out to the end of the Headlands to visit very interesting old gun emplacements that were set there to protect the Bay from a possible sea attack.

Muir Woods is a good visit, but I did not recommend it due to your 8:00-5:00 specification. It is a hugely popular tourist destination... best visited very early in the morning.

Don't go negative on San Francisco restaurants! Yes, there are some overpriced tourist places... but San Francisco has either the most or the second most restaurants per person in the US, and it is a tremendously vibrant and diverse food scene. If you like good food, you'll have a ton of fun in The City—all the way from the food truck events, through just about any sort of ethnic food you can imagine, right on through to totally first class places.

Dan

One photo from the morning in SF that I alluded to above:

http://gdanmitchell.com/gallery/d/8420-3/SFShorelineAbandonedDockBayMornLightBW20091218.jpg



Jun 13, 2014 at 08:55 PM
Greg Campbell
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · San Francisco in August.


Oops, that wasn't phrased as well as I'd have liked. My restaurant critique is limited to the F.W. area. Generic, canned chodwer served in soggy faux-sourdough bowls does not appeal! A few years back, a friend and I visited Alioto's, which was actually rather good, but was also stupidly, absurdly, absolutely, totally, and in all other ways, INCONCEIVABLY expensive!



Jun 14, 2014 at 09:01 AM
gdanmitchell
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · San Francisco in August.


Alioto's, at Fishermans Wharf, is sort of on the tourist circuit. Well, actually, remove the words "sort of" from that! ;-)


Jun 14, 2014 at 12:10 PM
unclemikey
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · San Francisco in August.


Guys thanks for the recommendations. Dan, nice shot. Now when you say "expensive" what are you talking about. This is a relative term if the food is really good. Is this the place that offers up the Dungenes Crab and king crab legs?


Jun 16, 2014 at 02:18 PM
StephenS_CP
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · San Francisco in August.


I was able to get to Ft. Point last August. I went fairly early in the morning and spent several very pleasurable hours there with not too many people in the way. Good for structure and some landscape. Ft. Point itself is small in size (minimal walking req'd) but it is at the far end of the waterfront under the Golden Gate Bridge.


Jun 17, 2014 at 04:50 PM
unclemikey
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · San Francisco in August.


StephenS_CP wrote:
I was able to get to Ft. Point last August. I went fairly early in the morning and spent several very pleasurable hours there with not too many people in the way. Good for structure and some landscape. Ft. Point itself is small in size (minimal walking req'd) but it is at the far end of the waterfront under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Thanks for the input, I'll give that consideration. Not much walking...a good thing.



Jun 18, 2014 at 08:54 AM





FM Forums | Trip Location Advice & Meet-ups | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.