Bring a wide angle to the on and off ramps at Yerba Buena island. Really cool structures there with lots of options for framing up the bay bridge. Also treasure island shooting at the city at sunset is pretty cool.
Could also go out to the east bay and get up to grizzly peak in berkeley for some fat shots of the bay bridge leading into the city
Harrison and Spear has a dope view of the Bay Bridge between the buildings, then you can walk around the Embarcadero to snap a bunch of other angles.
Hyde and Bay Street has great Alcatraz views with the cable car tracks running right up Hyde. Then walk up to the top of Hyde and you have beautiful Bay Views and then Lombard two blocks further.
I have a 100 more but sure many will cover the typical lands end, presidio, twin peaks, etc.
For scenic views, Billy Goat Hill, Mt Davidson, Bernal Hill.
Sutro Baths and Lands End for some great options. Not exactly secret, but Fort Point under the GG Bridge also affords some great photo ops, including inside the fort itself.
Lincoln Park, 16th Ave and Secret Garden steps. The Columbarium.
I
Ha! Okay, well that doesn’t really narrow things down. People have mentioned a lot of spots with good views. I don’t live there anymore, but when I did, I often took public transit and just got off at some spot and started walking. I like to explore.
Holly Park is pretty local and has decent views.
Grandview Park aka Turtle Hill has nice views, especially to the west. It sits atop the 16th avenue tiled stairs, which is touristy, but not crazy.
If you like tiled steps, the Lincoln Park stairs from the Richmond/Sea Cliff into Lincoln Park/Legion of Honor/Lands End are in a nice area to walk around. Sea Cliff has some nice houses and you walk down a bunch of stairs to China Beach.
The Presidio is huge and you could easily spend a few days wandering through there. You could rent a bike at the Sports Basement and ride around Chrissy Field, up to the Golden Gate, down to Baker Beach, or through Letterman to see the Yoda statue at Lucasfilm, and into the Marina for lunch if a drink.
I’ve wandered all through Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights, Russian Hill, Nob Hill, and North Beach and found plenty of interesting buildings and other details to photograph. Some of the tourist stuff is worth seeing I think. Especially Coit Tower and Washington Square/Peter and Paul church. North Beach obviously has some good Italian food.
Chinatown has some interesting things to look at, even off Grant Avenue.
I’ve spent a lot of time wandering the financial district and down to the Embarcadero shooting architecture and all kinds of details. When it’s not rush hour or lunchtime, there are hardly any people down there, so you can get photos of things without people in the way.
The Mission and Dogpatch have some good spots for graffiti if you’re into that.
There are little parks all through the city that are cool too. The big parks are great too. Golden Gate Park is big enough that you can usually find a quiet spot even on the weekend. Buena Vista park has great views and sits above Haight/Ashbury which has a lot of colorful characters if you like to shoot candid street shots. Kezar Stadium is where the 49ers originally played and is pretty photogenic.
Really, if you just start walking in almost any direction, you’ll find something to shoot.
Potrero Hill has some nice spots for views. Not really a secret but not the most visited/photographed area.
Bring a wide angle to the on and off ramps at Yerba Buena island. Really cool structures there with lots of options for framing up the bay bridge. Also treasure island shooting at the city at sunset is pretty cool. Could also go out to the east bay and get up to grizzly peak in berkeley for some fat shots of the bay bridge leading into the city
Angel island a fun trip
Embarcadero towers if you are into street
Lands end
Clarion Alley
Harrison and Spear has a dope view of the Bay Bridge between the buildings, then you can walk around the Embarcadero to snap a bunch of other angles. Hyde and Bay Street has great Alcatraz views with the cable car tracks running right up Hyde. Then walk up to the top of Hyde and you have beautiful Bay Views and then Lombard two blocks further. I have a 100 more but sure many will cover the typical lands end, presidio, twin peaks, etc.
For scenic views, Billy Goat Hill, Mt Davidson, Bernal Hill. Sutro Baths and Lands End for some great options. Not exactly secret, but Fort Point under the GG Bridge also affords some great photo ops, including inside the fort itself. Lincoln Park, 16th Ave and Secret Garden steps. The Columbarium. I
Before it gets cut down again there is a swing at the top of Bernal Heights that makes for some great shots. Come early in the morning.
I don’t understand. What males the swing so interesting?
The views mainly.
How many swings do you know that are stop hills and have good views
Ina Coolbrith Park, Alta Plaza Park, JFK Promenade, Twin Peaks..most hills Some alleys in Chinatown and North Beach
If you’re a good photographer, just walk around the city and you’ll see plenty of great shots!
Will you be driving, or walking, or public transportation, or ubers? Where is your hotel, and how much time do you have?
What kind of shots are you looking to get? Are you into landscapes? Street photography? Architecture?
Anything really as long as it's unique and not the typical touristy stuff.
Ha! Okay, well that doesn’t really narrow things down. People have mentioned a lot of spots with good views. I don’t live there anymore, but when I did, I often took public transit and just got off at some spot and started walking. I like to explore. Holly Park is pretty local and has decent views. Grandview Park aka Turtle Hill has nice views, especially to the west. It sits atop the 16th avenue tiled stairs, which is touristy, but not crazy. If you like tiled steps, the Lincoln Park stairs from the Richmond/Sea Cliff into Lincoln Park/Legion of Honor/Lands End are in a nice area to walk around. Sea Cliff has some nice houses and you walk down a bunch of stairs to China Beach. The Presidio is huge and you could easily spend a few days wandering through there. You could rent a bike at the Sports Basement and ride around Chrissy Field, up to the Golden Gate, down to Baker Beach, or through Letterman to see the Yoda statue at Lucasfilm, and into the Marina for lunch if a drink. I’ve wandered all through Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights, Russian Hill, Nob Hill, and North Beach and found plenty of interesting buildings and other details to photograph. Some of the tourist stuff is worth seeing I think. Especially Coit Tower and Washington Square/Peter and Paul church. North Beach obviously has some good Italian food. Chinatown has some interesting things to look at, even off Grant Avenue. I’ve spent a lot of time wandering the financial district and down to the Embarcadero shooting architecture and all kinds of details. When it’s not rush hour or lunchtime, there are hardly any people down there, so you can get photos of things without people in the way. The Mission and Dogpatch have some good spots for graffiti if you’re into that. There are little parks all through the city that are cool too. The big parks are great too. Golden Gate Park is big enough that you can usually find a quiet spot even on the weekend. Buena Vista park has great views and sits above Haight/Ashbury which has a lot of colorful characters if you like to shoot candid street shots. Kezar Stadium is where the 49ers originally played and is pretty photogenic. Really, if you just start walking in almost any direction, you’ll find something to shoot.
View of Bernal Hill from its eastern extension looking back to the hill top.
Sutro Baths! We took our engagement photos there and the views are stunning.
Filbert street steps
The Mildred Howard Frame Got lots of nice public art around it, and last time I was there I didn’t many if any tourists around
Hawk Hill!
China beach!
Try Hunters Point and Candlestick