What I'll Miss About the Bay — Photographer Edition
Hellooooo everyone! As we know, 2020 has most certainly been a very trying and disheartening year, but I hope you are all getting through it, staying healthy, and still able to find joy in the little things. Now, quick life update. [Drumroll pleaseee] Due to a combination of factors that would take too long to explain here, I’ve decided to relocate to the LA-Orange County area for the time being. READ time being — this is the case for now and hopefully for as short as possible.
I’ve lived in the Bay Area since 2013: Four years in Berkeley while I attended Cal (GO BEARS) and then three years later in the peninsula for work. The time spent here plus the relationships I’ve developed with the people I’ve come across have played a major role in shaping who I am today (and still becoming). Needless to say, I’ve really found not only a home but also my tribe of friends/people and, most importantly, myself in the Bay.
Will you miss it? OF COURSE! It’s only been three days in SoCal, and I already miss it. Where/what are you gonna shoot now? I DON’T KNOW YET, but I thought I’d share what I’ll miss the most (for the time being!) in a blog post — with all the places I’ve been, all the people I’ve met, and all the memories I now have, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t write one. ♡
So read on for what a photographer (aka I) would miss the most if she wasn’t based in the Bay anymore! And if you’re wondering why you should bother reading, I’ve included many spots (that you might not even know about or need a refresher) to shoot in the Bay. Take a quick glance at the sixth bullet point for example. [; So keep scrolling to the end!
Proximity & access to SO many natural wonders beyond the Bay
Funny how the first thing on this list is what’s outside of the Bay, but it’s true! Yosemite, the Eastern Sierras, Tahoe, Avenue of Giants, Shasta, Big Sur, and basically anywhere along Highway 1 and the Pacific coast. Not only are these some of the most beautiful places in the state (Yosemite will always have my heart), but they are also about 3-5 hours away from the Bay. That is such a plus and one of the (if not the) best things about living in the Bay Area as a photographer. I loved the ability to hop in the car and drive 3+ hours in any direction to get to somewhere outdoors, secluded, and epic. It’s the best way to unplug, slow down, and step away from the hustle of the tech empire of the world, even just for a weekend.
Here are some of my favorites shots of the beauty around the Bay:
FOG FOR DAYZ
Ever heard of “Fogust” or “Faugust?” Welcome to San Francisco in the summer, or fog city as I call it. In fact, according to the World Atlas, San Francisco is ranked the seventh foggiest place in the world. When I first started doing photography, I despised the fog. It always ruined my sunset plans, especially in the summer. Not only was I unable to shoot, but the fog also made everything gloomy, dark, and flat. I never liked any of the photos I took in the fog.
However, all of that changed when I discovered the secret is to get above the fog. Fog chasing is a thing in the Bay, and if you’ve been doing photography for a while now, this isn’t news to you. Although it is an emotional roller coaster to predict and shoot fog (especially deck level low fog at the Golden Gate Bridge), it is such a rewarding feeling when you get to capture it.
The area around my neighborhood
I don’t like the city. Yes, you read that right. I don’t particularly like cities even though I lived close to one. (This shouldn’t be a shock as you’ve all seen my feed.) I like a quiet, cozy place to come home to, somewhere I feel safe enough to walk around in the evening as a sole female, and as little commute to work as possible — and the peninsula was the answer to all of that! Plus, it was also more green, more spacious, much prettier, less hectic, and you don’t have to fight for parking.
Since we went into shelter-in-place/stay-at-home orders earlier this year, I’d been running up this hilly open space behind my backyard instead of my usual route. I was so very glad to have those hills so close to me where I can not only get a decent workout/run in but also be outside as much as possible. Because of the 700+ feet elevation gain in ~1.5 mile part of my run, my legs have definitely become stronger and my endurance even better. In a way, doing this run every other day in the past four months has trained me for much longer and steeper hikes, and I can’t wait to conquer my next peak!
Privilege to shoot sunset after work (or sunrise before work)
Remember how there are so many gems outside of the Bay? Well, turns out there are also a lot of beautiful spots to shoot close to home too. Depending on where you live, you can get to some spots within 30 minutes and most spots in around an hour or so (without traffic). Photography spots-wise, Half Moon Bay was the closest to me, and Mt. Tam was the farthest — but I would so make that ~90min drive anytime the fog looked promising. (Have you seen the photos above yet?)
In between those two spots, there are many places in SF that will give you a nice (and different) view of the city: Twin Peaks, California Street, Lombard Street, Harrison Street, Pier 7, Painted Ladies, Mt. Davidson, Corona Heights Park, Bernal Heights Park, Ina Coolbrith Park, Grandview Park, Alice Marble Tennis Courts, and so many more (that I haven’t been to some of the ones I just listed!). In the Presidio, there’s also Palace of Fine Arts, Lovers’ Lane, Sutro Baths, and the Dutch Windmill. (The spots where you can see the Golden Gate Bridge are discussed in detail further in this post.) Along and down the coast, you’ve got Ocean Beach, Fort Funston, Mori Point, Devil’s Slide, Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Davenport, and Shark Fin Cove. Told you there are A LOT of places in the Bay for photography — and we’re not done yet! Out over in the East Bay, let’s not forget the infamous Treasure Island and lovely Grizzly Peak, which I think has the best view of the city skyline.
The weather
For most of the year, the Bay Area has such great weather. Sure, it might be foggy and super windy in the city (another reason to not live in San Francisco), but the rest of us are able to enjoy the very pleasant weather. Besides those few weeks that are burning in the peninsula and South Bay in the summer (and mostly because my apartment didn’t have an AC) and those beginning months that are wet and chilly every year, the Bay really has one of the best climates in the world. (It certainly is better than the +100°F temperatures I’m experiencing in SoCal right now.)
Many different viewpoints of the Golden Gate Bridge
Prefaced briefly earlier, there are SO MANY viewpoints of the Golden Gate Bridge for not just photography but also for a neighborhood walk as well. Are you ready for another list? So on the San Francisco side, you have the Overlook, Marshall’s Beach, the Postcard viewpoint (this is what’s on Google Maps), Baker Beach, Lands End, Fort Point, and Crissy Field. On the Marin side after crossing the bridge, you have the Vista Point, Battery Spencer, Kirby Cove, Fort Baker, Slacker Hill, and Hawk Hill.
Okay, so I lied earlier. There is one thing I like about the city of San Francisco itself, and that’s the Golden Gate Bridge. The majesty of it gets me every time, especially from the Battery Spencer viewpoint because of how close it is. I might not have photographed the bridge from all the spots I listed, but check below for the ones I did so you know which spot is which!
Coffee shops
Blue Bottle Coffee, Philz, Starbucks Reserve, and my go-to coffee shop in Redwood City: Cyclismo Cafe — I will miss them all. Like photography spots, there seems to be an abundance of local coffee shops and chic cafés around every corner of San Francisco and the rest of the Bay. I know I can still find the first three in other cities, but it won’t be the same. Coffee is not the only thing I’ll miss from them; I will miss my coffee dates/catch-ups with Kasey and those cozy afternoon editing sessions when conditions weren’t ideal for shooting.
P.S. If you go to Blue Bottle, get the New Orleans with oat milk. It’s SO good!
280
You’ve heard of the saying “Take the scenic route,” and the 280 is exactly that. It’s a much smoother and prettier drive compared to the 101. Luckily, I lived close enough to both freeway entrances/exits so I could pick which one to take when going up to the city. Most of the time, I took the 280 because there was usually less traffic and it was just much nicer (and faster). On the note of traffic, I am definitely not looking forward to heavier traffic as well as the scarier, more impatient drivers here in SoCal.
All my friends I’ve met through photography
Last but definitely not least, I will miss all my friends who I’ve met through photography in the last two years or so. My adventure squad / road trip crew, you know who you are. Thanks for all the epic sends we’ve had, making sure we get up for sunrise, keeping me awake (or trying to) on long drives through the night, plus all the memories (and classic Eva moments haha!) in between. I will miss going on short day trips around the Bay (all those morning and afternoon fog chases, last-minute burners, etc.), but that doesn’t mean I’m not down to adventure anymore! We just have to meet up somewhere midpoint or in different states. This is not a goodbye, and I’ll be back as soon as I can.
To everyone whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting or shooting with, thank you for making it so awesome every time! The photography community in the Bay is truly something special and filled with many talented and fun creatives. I will miss you all. But hey, if you ever find yourself in LA or Orange County, you know who to hit up! [;
What’s Next
So, now that you know I will be based in the LA / Orange County area for now, let’s shoot! If you’re also in the area, I would love to shoot with you! If you’re not in SoCal but know of other photographers or adventurous people in the area, please send them my way! If we follow each other on IG but haven’t talked in a while, I might be hitting you up. If you follow me and we haven’t talked before, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line. I’ve never photographed SoCal before, never, ever. So I will have much to learn and explore!
As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or comments. Thank you for reading my love for the Bay and see you on the next post! Can’t wait to get out there and start exploring the new area soon!