where to go for street photography in SF?

[speanut]

Hi

I'll go up to San Francisco for thanksgiving week and wonder the place where you guys usually go for street photography.

Any recommendation would be greatly appreciated ^^

 

[35mmdelux]

Around Union St, Columbus Street (restaurant row), North Beach (at night).

 

[Bingley]

I strongly recommend the Haight, starting at the end of the Panhandle and working down Haight St for 4-5 blocks. The Ferry Building, Embarcadero, and lower Market Street are also good. So is North Beach, along Columbus Ave. and around St. Peter & St Paul's. There is a lot of pedestrian traffic, and the sidewalk cafes present interesting photo ops (and don't forget Cafe Trieste, one of my favorites). I would also check out Mission St., working from SF MOMA up to the Metreon Center and beyond. One other area I quite like is Union St. (NOT Union Square, which I find boring).

 

[Papercut]

There's good opportunities throughout the city, wherever there are people out and about, really. All the places mentioned thus far are good. Others that might be worthwhile are the beaches and Crissy Field (depending on weather, which might be dicey around Thanksgiving), Filmore and Chinatown -- all depends on what sort of subjects and environments you're looking for. I'm usually in downtown (Mission St., Market St., Embarcadero, Yerba Buena Gardens and SFMOMA area, Union Square, and Chinatown) but that's mainly because those are easy public transportation for me.

 

[agi]

Anywhere in town really.

 

[agi]

There's good opportunities throughout the city, wherever there are people out and about, really. All the places mentioned thus far are good. Others that might be worthwhile are the beaches and Crissy Field (depending on weather, which might be dicey around Thanksgiving), Filmore and Chinatown -- all depends on what sort of subjects and environments you're looking for. I'm usually in downtown (Mission St., Market St., Embarcadero, Yerba Buena Gardens and SFMOMA area, Union Square, and Chinatown) but that's mainly because those are easy public transportation for me.

Hey whatcha doing here K - ha 🙂

 

[Papercut]

hehehe John ... I'm everywahare! ;-) i always forget that you're on RFF too!

 

[cmogi10]

Hang out in the Loin, meet some characters, while you're there stop by my apartment and enjoy the good air.

 

[agi]

Carl nice seeing ya..where ya been? Oh I second the recommendation at the Lion. Nice interesting things to shoot there.

 

[cmogi10]

I've been staying with a friend up north in Weed on Mount Shasta. It's been beautiful and I've been working in his darkroom for days on end.
That being said I'l be taking the greyhound back down tommorow night. Looking forward to feeling that city energy again.
How ya been? life been swell?

 

[speanut]

wow! thanks for the tip. I hope I would get a great decisive moment in there.
My darkroom just hungry for decent film ^^
Thank you all

 

[agi]

I've been staying with a friend up north in Weed on Mount Shasta. It's been beautiful and I've been working in his darkroom for days on end.
That being said I'l be taking the greyhound back down tommorow night. Looking forward to feeling that city energy again.
How ya been? life been swell?

Life's been good. I'm jealous about your time in the darkroom. It would nice to hold a wet print again...been too long.

There's a group of us that have been hanging out....shoot a little, have a few beers and talk gear. Would be great if you join us. You on Flickr?

 

[januaryman]

A better question would be where not to go. The place is the streetlife capital of the world, I do believe!

 

[summaron]

Market Street at Fourth and Stockton seems to be the 57th and Fifth Ave of San Francisco. There's where the Bruce Gilden types hang out. Unlike New York, though, people are somewhat more private in San Francisco and don't wear their roles-in-life on their sleeves. It seems to require a quieter shooting style, more so than even for Los Angeles.

 

[cmogi10]

Life's been good. I'm jealous about your time in the darkroom. It would nice to hold a wet print again...been too long.

There's a group of us that have been hanging out....shoot a little, have a few beers and talk gear. Would be great if you join us. You on Flickr?

Glad to hear it. I'm working on starting up a darkroom/studio somewhere near Downtown San Francisco. Something small that a half a dozen people can work in comfortably. There's enough cool cats around that need a place to print that it might just work. It's still in the works now but it's going to be happenin. Until then I'm setting up my closet. When it's up and running you're welcome to stop by and print, hang out.
Keep me posted on the beers. I'm always down.

 

[chut]

I spent the afternoon yesterday shooting at the newly reopened Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. It's a fascinating building by the Italian architect Renzo Piano. Both the aquarium and rain forest are incredible. Lots of kids around which make for great subjects. You can go up on the roof and see all across the park. If you do go, try to go on a weekday as on the weekends it gets too packed.

Right next to the Academy is the De Young Museum, which was completed only a few years ago by the Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron. I found the content to be less compelling, but the building is very intriguing.

I like photographing people in museums. It combines two of my favorite things, street photography and architecture. I believe Elliot Erwitt has a whole book dedicated to this genre.

 

[35mmdelux]

The "Loin" district can be a dangerous place if your not used to the street crowd -- no offense meant to the previous post. Use caution and keep moving.

 

[cmogi10]

The "Loin" district can be a dangerous place if your not used to the street crowd -- no offense meant to the previous post. Use caution and keep moving.

I agree that the TL can be a little much and while it might be a little intimidating I've found it to be pretty harmless.There are horror stories but I've lived in there for over a year now and have spent many inebriated night marching up jones with my headphones on at 3 in the morning and only get head nods from the shadows. Don't be stupid and you'll be fine.my tip is to buy a pack of smokes to bum out and make some friends.

 

[summaron]

I agree that the TL can be a little much and while it might be a little intimidating I've found it to be pretty harmless

It's a lot different living in an intense area and developing a comfort level and being familiar with its characteristics and being a part of the goings on against coming in as an outsider to take pictures. And the Tenderloin is really a neighborhood with its own rules not a "Street" like Market Street where lots of different worlds freely blend together.

Right next to the Academy is the De Young Museum, which was completed only a few years ago by the Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron.

The tower at the deYoung Museum is not to be missed--not for photographing people but for seeing the layout of San Francisco in a way you never thought you would. It really looked like a different city to me. It's as if they had brought in another hill.

 

[MikeL]

Most of the physical confrontations I've seen both in Tenderloin and the 'Point have been between 'friends' or 'business associates'. Fairly safe if you treat everyone with respect, and steer wide of folks with headphones on and an M8 around his neck at 3 AM.