Photo Journal – San Francisco: Golden Gates and Bad Wardrobe Choices

I’ve been to San Francisco before for client work, but this was my first time visiting the city purely for photography. No sightseeing, no shopping, just a camera, a packed itinerary, and a maybe-too-optimistic sense of how the weather would behave.

I was joining a four-day photo workshop led by photographers Serge Ramelli and Craig Alexander. The itinerary was stacked, the instructors were top-notch, and the potential for iconic shots was high.

But in true Tim fashion, I forgot one crucial thing: San Francisco in the summer is basically fog in hoodie form. I checked the weather app before flying out like a responsible adult. It said highs of 65–70°F. “Perfect,” I thought. “Short sleeves, a light jacket, maybe a sweatshirt or two.”

Wrong.

Apparently, the app forgot to mention the 40 MPH coastal winds, the steep elevation climbs that drastically altered the weather, and the general sense of betrayal you feel when you're trying to change lenses with frozen fingers at 5:00 AM.

And those 5:00 AM shoots? Yeah, they required 4:00 AM wake-up calls. Every. Single. Day. Combine that with late-night city shots, and let’s just say sleep was more of a suggestion than a reality.

Still, I came away with some great shots (and some great stories), and I wanted to share a few of both. If you've got an affinity for Fine Art Photography in San Francisco, are considering one of these workshops, or just want to enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at what it's really like chasing the light in the City by the Bay — read on.

“There’s no such thing as bad weather — only poor packing choices.” – Me, shivering on a beach in soaking wet jeans

Day 1: Rogue Waves and One Pair of Shoes

The workshop officially kicked off with a 3:00 PM meet-and-greet at a charming meeting space on Market Street. Everyone was friendly, enthusiastic, and probably underdressed — a theme that would echo throughout the week.  We exchanged pleasantries, discussed our photography gear, and Serge discussed what we could expect during the workshop.  With that out of the way, it was time to get shooting!

Our first shoot was sunset at Baker Beach. The beach was packed, the wind was howling, and the waves were... enthusiastic. I showed up in jeans and my only pair of shoes. "This’ll be fine," I thought — right before a rogue wave soaked me to the knees as I composed a shot.

Camera bag: barely safe. Shoes: absolutely not. Sand, water, and shame would follow me for days.

Despite the chaos, I managed a few nice compositions of the bridge lit up in golden light. Crop out the beachgoers, and you'd think I had the place to myself.

Day 2: Fogged Out and Familiar Faces

Day 2 began at the Battery Spencer overlook, where we watched the Golden Gate disappear into fog just as the light got good. We tried again at Fort Point — same story.  I snuck in a couple of mostly-obscured photos, but nothing to write home about.

By evening, we headed to Alamo Square for a sunset shoot with the famous Painted Ladies — those cheerful Victorian homes you probably know from Full House. Yes, that theme song immediately gets stuck in your head the second you see them.

🎶 “Whatever happened to predictability...” 🎶 (You're welcome.)

The park was lively but crowded, and the sky didn’t offer much help. Still, it’s hard to beat that view.

Later that night, we ran (literally) into traffic on California Street trying to get long exposure shots of the cable cars and city lights. I didn’t get any usable frames, but I did get my cardio in.

Day 3: The Pier That Delivered

Finally, a win. Pier 7 gave us a peaceful, fog-free morning with beautiful golden light reflecting off the Bay Bridge. The symmetry of the pier, the empty benches, the skyline behind us — everything just clicked.

I shot bridge angles, city reflections, and even turned around to get a few minimalist skyline shots. No fog, no chaos. Just that rare moment of quiet that photographers dream about.

Later, we hit the Ferry Building for sunset on Pier 14. Still no clouds, but I used long exposures to pull out warm tones in the water and buildings.

We ended the night with a walk along the Embarcadero, chasing reflections, street lights, and waterfront glow. Nothing groundbreaking, but a solid night with good light and lots of potential for creative edits.

Day 4: Battery Spencer, Take 2 + Treasure Island

We gave Battery Spencer one last try — and this time, it delivered. The bridge was crystal-clear, the light was warm, and the skyline behind it glowed just enough to make the early wake-up worth it.

That night, we planned a Treasure Island skyline shoot... after dinner at Catch (which, while delicious, took its sweet time). We arrived late, missed golden hour, and ended up shooting in blue hour — but the city looked gorgeous and the water was still.

I stitched together a few panorama shots since none of my lenses were quite right. Lightroom worked its magic, and I came out with a decent shot. It didn't make the gallery cut, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

“Photography Rule #42: When in doubt, pano it out.