A Photographer’s Lifestyle Guide to San Francisco, USA

San Francisco is one of those cities that has everything. Located right on the California coast, it has both historic architecture and modern skyscrapers, as well as a beautiful natural setting. With its history in the California Gold Rush, there is no shortage of iconic landmarks and places you can take your film camera!

Ever heard of Ghirardelli chocolate? Its birthplace is right here in San Francisco in the historic Ghirardelli Square. Enjoy the views of the water then stop by for an ice cream sundae or bag of chocolate. Photo by paulsager

900 North Point St F301, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA

You can’t visit San Francisco without walking across the Golden Gate Bridge. And why not bring your very own Lomomatic 110 Golden Gate edition along!? Make sure to load it with color negative film to bring out the bridge’s iconic orangish-red tones, set against the San Francisco Bay. Head to the Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point for a stunning vantage point. Photo by primula

Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point, San Francisco, CA 94129, USA

Stop by the Ferry Building Marketplace located along the Embarcadero to shop local merchants, artisans and restaurants. An iconic and historic building constructed in the Beaux-Arts style and a perfect location for some fresh-caught seafood. Photo by lilithmoon

San Francisco Bay Trail, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA

Nestled inside Golden Gate Park, the De Young Museum is the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. It has a little bit of everything, from ancient Greek sculptures to some amazing photography. Located just near it is the Japanese Tea Garden with tranquil grounds and beautiful foliage. Combine the two for a serene day! Photo by bonzye

50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA

San Francisco has a plethora of great film stores to choose from, but we would recommend stopping by Photoworks, a one-stop shop for film development and testing new film gear. Photo by koduckgirl

2279 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94114, USA

Chinatown in San Francisco is the largest outside of Asia and is the oldest Chinatown in North America. With a rich cultural history, as well as amazing food, temples and museums, there is no shortage of experiences here. Take your favorite Lomography camera with LomoChrome Metropolis Film to capture the urban scenery with pops of saturated reds! Photo by thanigosky

Stockton St Tunnel, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA

Pier 39 is one of the best spots in the city for seafood. If you head towards the harbor, you might even see a sea lion or two! Given that it is a waterfront experience, take your Lomography Fisheye with you for a fun shot! Live music is common here as well as some funky souvenir shops. Photo by notolomo

The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

Looking to get out of the city? The Muir Woods National Monument is 12 miles north of San Francisco and part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is home to some big Redwood and Sequoia trees, so take your Sprocket Rocket for the perfect shot of one of these beautiful giants. This area is also home to several great hiking trails if you are feeling adventurous! Photo by gepo1303

Mill Valley, CA 94941, USA

Haight-Ashbury is the birthplace of the 1960s counterculture movement. A fun, hippie neighborhood full of vintage clothing stores, bookstores, bars and record shops. Stop in an antique shop and search for a film camera! Grab your favorite camera and seek out some of the beautifully-preserved Victorian homes, like the Grateful Dead House. Photo by mcpnicolas

Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA

Museums, Art, Photography and Culture in San Francisco

We’ve curated a list of our favorite museums, art galleries and cultural landmarks in San Francisco to give you an exhaustive guide to the best creative hot-spots to visit on your trip.

Asian Art Museum
This museum houses one of the most comprehensive collections of Asian art in the world. The permanent collection is world-renowned, and always has amazing new exhibitions to check out.

San Francisco MoMA
Located a few blocks away from the Montgomery St. BART station, this museum houses an expansive contemporary art collection, as well as being an architectural masterpiece in itself. It is a must-see if you are in the city.

Alcatraz
Also known as “the Rock," Alcatraz was once one of the most secure prisons in the United States. In the middle of San Francisco Bay, it no longer operates as a penitentiary but as a museum, and is just a ferry ride away from the city. Criminals such as Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly were among those sent here. There are also rumors that it is haunted so take your film camera and maybe you will capture a ghost or two.

Street Photography & Lomography Film Community Scene in San Francisco

The wealth of knowledge and experience that comes from the Lomography Community is simply unrivaled. In this section we share some of our community’s top-tips about San Francisco. This includes their favorite locations for visiting and photographing and some invaluable tips on shooting in analogue. We will also showcase some of our most inspiring San Francisco-based LomoHomes and Partners.

Sutro Baths
Originally constructed as a recreational swim house, the Sutro Bath Ruins are now a public park at the edge of the city. Explore the stone remnants at sunset and take your Lomo LC-Wide for some stunning wide-angle shots of the coastline.

Peephole Cinema
This public cinema is the tiniest movie theater in the world. Located in the Mission District, it play silent films 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The dime-sized peephole is perfect for cinephiles looking for a fun viewing experience.

Painted Ladies
These Victorian and Edwardian houses are a famous symbol of the California Gold Rush. With the newfound wealth generated during this time, these grand homes were constructed to show it off. From the Alamo Square Park you’ll get an amazing view of the city as well. The contrast between the old and new makes the perfect photo as well!

Union Square
Known as the commercial hub of San Francisco, there are a large variety of shopping choices, restaurants and galleries. At the intersection of Powell and Market streets, you can also see the manual cable car turnaround.

Lombard Street
This one-block of road claims to be the "the crookedest street in the world," and was built to increase the safety for homeowners along it. Located in the eastern part in the Russian Hill neighborhood, you can drive down it, or admire it from the bottom at the intersection of Leavenworth St. and Lombard St.!

Cable Car
The world’s largest manually-operated cable car system is right here in San Francisco. The city is considered the hilliest city in the United States, and is built on between 50 to 70 hills, and cable cars are one of the most fun ways to traverse them!

Alemany Farmers Market
Open on Saturdays, and the oldest farmers market in California, stop by and pick up some fresh produce! It is also known as the "people’s market" and played a key role in the opening of farmers markets in California.

Anything missing?

Got a favorite photo gallery, hidden photo spot or local tip we haven’t covered in this city guide? Help us make this the best analogue travel companion! Send your suggestions to travel@lomography.com and we’ll take a look.

Explore Stunning Photos from This City Amongst 17+ Million of Photos Uploaded

Tips from Lomography Magazine

Ryan Tatar's The Outer Sunset
written by basterda on 2011-11-21

LomoAmigo Ryan Tatar, surfer and film photographer from California, takes us to an analogue exploration of an offbeat surf culture in the outer sunset district of San Francisco. See his utopian cross-processed shots after the break.
3 22
Yameen on Capturing Symmetry and Balance with the LC-A Cameras and Lomography Films
written by kaylalew on 2021-09-27 #gear #people

San Francisco-based photographer Yameen discusses his love for film photography and his eye for capturing symmetrical and balanced compositions.
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Behind the Curtains: Documenting Ballet on Film with Maggie Carey
written by alexa_alexiades on 2024-02-20 #culture #people

Maggie Carey is here to take us behind the scenes in the busy lives of ballet dancers using Earl Grey B&W, LomoChrome Purple, and Lomography 400 35 mm film.
2 8
Thomas Galli-Magerl's LC-A Photos On Display for 2019 Art + Pride Exhibit
written by birgitbuchart on 2019-07-09 #news #people

The Stonewall riots are marking their 50 year anniversary this year. In honor to that and the whole contemporary LGBTQ community, the Harvey Milk Photo Center in San Francisco curated a special exhibit: 2019 Art + Pride.
9
@pixleepics on Discovering Analogue Photography and His Love of 110 Format
written by rocket_fries0036 on 2024-02-28 #gear #people #places

We talk to one of our top new comers from last year @pixleepics on how he discovered analogue photography, his love for 110 format and what he has in store for his second year of film photography.
5

Tips from the Lomography School

Will X-ray machines at airports ruin my film?

Traditional x-ray machines are unlikely to affect film of ISO 800 and lower. However, the new and more powerful CT scanners can damage any and all film. We recommend always asking to have your film inspected manually.
What type of film camera is best for street photography?

Any film camera can be used for street photography and can give you excellent results. However the most popular are automatic point-and-shoots cameras.
Which Lomography cameras are recommended for Landscape Photography?

Glass-lens and wide-angle film cameras are great options for capturing landscape photographs.

Lomographers from San Francisco

koduckgirl
32,433 Photos · joined 2012-05-31
A self-declared Shutterduck "There's nothing like film, there's nothing like film, there's nothing like film" she says clicking her shutter 3 times... LomoGuru-Me http://www.lomography.com/magazi …
oldstandby
3,005 Photos · joined 2012-04-10
pixleepics
3,314 Photos · joined 2023-04-22
Based in San Francisco & Oakland. Talk to me about cameras or D&D. Canon Rebel 2000 Canonet 19 Fujica AX-5 Fujifilm Instax Mini 99 Holga 120N Kodak Vigilant Six-20 LomoApparat Lomography D …

Get in touch with me for: Film Swaps, Sharing My Hobbies, Sending Postcard Prints & Casual Hangouts
sixsixty
1,770 Photos · joined 2011-12-30
I know I packed away my film somewhere around here. I hope I find it again soon.
hxloon
1,650 Photos · joined 2010-10-03
wildestwickedweirdo
theleanover
2,710 Photos · joined 2020-11-23
https://linktr.ee/thesameerproject
lshields
1,211 Photos · joined 2021-12-23
I take pictures of life around me and live in San Francisco with my dog and wife. This is a collection of moments I've taken as I walk around my city and travel the CA coast. Say hi! My little ph …
solidsevn
708 Photos · joined 2009-06-16
Shooting analog since the early 2000's - Mostly Lomography cameras - IG: https://www.instagram.com/solidseven/
biondapiccola
774 Photos · joined 2010-04-10
My blog: http://holgamydear.com My Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/biondapiccola/

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