Photos from a week in San Francisco

shadowfox

shadowfox

Darkroom printing lives
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One week where I can take the kind of photos that I like.

Plus, this time around I get to teach my daughter, now old enough to start paying serious attention to some basic photography concepts.

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More photos from this set here.

I used a Sony A7 (borrowed) and Zuiko 24/2, 85/2. And some from my LG G4 phone.
 
Hey Will, great images you've captured. I especially like the last two. It's nice to be able to go out and take some images for fun. I love having days off for this.
 
Love them, San Francisco is a photographers dream. But you have to crawl over the homeless to get a shot. I live close and it isn't fun to go there.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
Impressive BW!
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Thank you kindly, sir.

charjohncarter said:
Love them, San Francisco is a photographers dream. But you have to crawl over the homeless to get a shot. I live close and it isn't fun to go there.
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John, we stayed in San Mateo. With just one week, there's just enough time to visit the popular places (that I've never had the chance to visit). But I'd love to stay in the area longer to explore the beaches, back roads, farms, etc.
 
charjohncarter said:
Love them, San Francisco is a photographers dream. But you have to crawl over the homeless to get a shot. I live close and it isn't fun to go there.
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Or you could try treating them like people instead of obstacles to "crawl over"

I've repeatedly spent time in some of SF's more lively neighbourhoods, and photographed everything from street parties to methodone deals, and whilst you do need to be aware of your surroundings, just like in any large city, I don't recognise this description of it. Maybe it's because of our different approaches.
 
Lovely shots. If you visited Half Moon Bay, you were in my childhood stomping grounds. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay. I visited your site and looked through the set. Fabulous work and free of the clichéd shots one tends to see from visitors to San Francisco. Well done.

As for the homeless comment above, if you're crawling, you're doing it wrong. I live in the Mission District and yes, there are many homeless people. If you choose to think of them that way, that's your business. I shoot quite a bit around town, particularly on and around Market Street, and they're just people trying to get through life like anyone else.

Thanks for sharing your work.
 
helenhill said:
Great set... thoroughly Enjoyed 'looking' ;)
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Thank you for looking, Helen :)

robert blu said:
I like very much the first photo!
robert
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Robert, if I had some time to park myself near the mural, I think I could get some more interesting street photos around that are. The SF Chinatown looks a bit different than the last time I visited (several years ago), more murals.

BlackXList said:
Or you could try treating them like people instead of obstacles to "crawl over"

I've repeatedly spent time in some of SF's more lively neighbourhoods, and photographed everything from street parties to methodone deals, and whilst you do need to be aware of your surroundings, just like in any large city, I don't recognise this description of it. Maybe it's because of our different approaches.
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To me the Mission District has a lot of potential for documentary style photos. Plus the rows of houses that is very colorful (as in full of different colors) that is fascinating to look at how each is slightly different and yet were built using the same framework.

Wupjak said:
Lovely shots. If you visited Half Moon Bay, you were in my childhood stomping grounds. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay. I visited your site and looked through the set. Fabulous work and free of the clichéd shots one tends to see from visitors to San Francisco. Well done.
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Thank you. My wife commented that the B&W set has my "style" all over it. I'm pretty sure there's a backhanded compliment in there somewhere :D

We were planning for a drive-and-explore from Pacifica to Half-Moon Bay, but we didn't get a chance to do that in a week. If you have some recommendation of places to visit in that area, I'm all ears for the next trip.
 
I have a special place in my heart for The Mission, although it's changed so much over the last few years, even as an outsider it's very clear to see.

I've shot there, in the Excelsior, and the Tenderloin a lot, and yes there are homeless people, but the operative word in that statement is "people".

SF has a real problem with either trying to just ignore them or brush them aside, (or whatever the latest tech bro complaining article suggests), I've definitely photographed among the homeless out there.

Clearly I take care not to exploit, I also feel like ignoring them would be going along with erasing them, and I can't get comfortable with that at all.
 
I live in the Mission near Heath Ceramics. The neighborhood has changed a great deal in the last 5 years that we've lived in this building as it has in the last 25 (I spent my weekends along Valencia back in the 90s when it was not the chic home of new restaurant after new restaurant. :)).

I shoot in the Mission and along/around Market Street from 10th up to the Embarcadero regularly. I make it a priority to be extra considerate of the people who have no alternative to being on the street. It's just not ok to me to be exploitative of homeless people. I go so far as to turn the camera away so that there's no chance of being misunderstood. Least I can do.

As for Half Moon Bay: Moss Beach Distillery is a neat spot for a drink. Food isn't great, but the location is incredible. Adjacent to that is Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. The harbor is worth a walk around. Barbara's Fish Trap has the best food along the harbor, including the insipid Sam's Chowder House where everyone seems to congregate. Half Moon Bay has a nice main street. Go see Harpo at Cafe Society and check out It's Italia for lunch or brunch or dinner. There are other spots, those are my favorites. For fine dining and a bucket list restaurant, Duarte's (pronounced DOO-arts, duartestavern.com) in Pescadero is famous for its cream of artichoke soup.
 
Wupjak said:
I live in the Mission near Heath Ceramics. The neighborhood has changed a great deal in the last 5 years that we've lived in this building as it has in the last 25 (I spent my weekends along Valencia back in the 90s when it was not the chic home of new restaurant after new restaurant. :)).

I shoot in the Mission and along/around Market Street from 10th up to the Embarcadero regularly. I make it a priority to be extra considerate of the people who have no alternative to being on the street. It's just not ok to me to be exploitative of homeless people. I go so far as to turn the camera away so that there's no chance of being misunderstood. Least I can do.

As for Half Moon Bay: Moss Beach Distillery is a neat spot for a drink. Food isn't great, but the location is incredible. Adjacent to that is Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. The harbor is worth a walk around. Barbara's Fish Trap has the best food along the harbor, including the insipid Sam's Chowder House where everyone seems to congregate. Half Moon Bay has a nice main street. Go see Harpo at Cafe Society and check out It's Italia for lunch or brunch or dinner. There are other spots, those are my favorites. For fine dining and a bucket list restaurant, Duarte's (pronounced DOO-arts, duartestavern.com) in Pescadero is famous for its cream of artichoke soup.
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Golden nuggets of travel information. Thank you!!

And I agree in general with your view regarding people who live on the street. Although I believe that there are also homeless people who chose to live that way, for whatever reasoning and perspective they are currently using.
 
Wupjak said:
I live in the Mission near Heath Ceramics. The neighborhood has changed a great deal in the last 5 years that we've lived in this building as it has in the last 25 (I spent my weekends along Valencia back in the 90s when it was not the chic home of new restaurant after new restaurant. :)).

I shoot in the Mission and along/around Market Street from 10th up to the Embarcadero regularly. I make it a priority to be extra considerate of the people who have no alternative to being on the street. It's just not ok to me to be exploitative of homeless people. I go so far as to turn the camera away so that there's no chance of being misunderstood. Least I can do.

.
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It's really visible the changes to The Mission each time I'm back there if Whiz Burgers goes I'll be having all sorts of tantrums. There's still a lot interesting there, and I just really enjoy it.

Absolutely agree with everything you've said here, not being exploitative is key, I've had photos that I've taken, and been fine with in context, that I've looked at afterwards, and got second opinions on because I need to know how it feels without my relating it back to the time and place.

That's not to say that I always shy away from the unpleasant, but that's my own annoyance at how comfortable people are to ignore these issues and regard the people as somehow lesser.

If someone's actions (regardless of their social status) put across that they don't want to be photographed, then I usually make it very clear that I'm not going to, I'm not out to make anyone's day worse.
 
BlackXList said:
That's not to say that I always shy away from the unpleasant, but that's my own annoyance at how comfortable people are to ignore these issues and regard the people as somehow lesser.
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Speaking about regarding people as lesser, I just notice that since you've joined this thread, you haven't tell me what you think about my photo set? :D

Just joking!
 
Hi Will,

I enjoyed your photos above and enjoyed the ones linked at your website even more! You visited some great sites (GG Bridge, Fort Point) and I love your attention to detail. SF is endlessly fascinating for street, documentary, and landscape photography. I live up in Sacramento but try to get down to SF as often as I can. Thanks for sharing the photos from your trip!
 
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