I’d been envisioning a moonrise behind Levi’s Stadium for some time. When the opportunity finally came, I hiked a new trail to chase the alignment. It didn’t work out exactly as planned in PlanIt Pro, but I was able to find a higher-elevation vantage point along the same axis, where I captured this image.
As you can see, a low cloud layer obscured visibility at the crest of the foothills. At the moment the moon was expected to clear the ridge, a faint glimmer appeared in the clouds, and soon the moon emerged—partially hidden, veiled by drifting cloud cover.
Was waiting for the Snow Moon rise from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. From my vantage point, the new SkyStar Wheel was juxtaposed with the Eastern Span of the Bay Bridge. As the full moon appeared, it centered on the peak of Mount Diablo before ascending into the night sky. The SkyStar Wheel is a recent addition to Fisherman’s Wharf. Previously, it was located in Golden Gate Park near the de Young Museum. At its new location, you can enjoy aerial views of Fisherman’s Wharf, Coit Tower and Alcatraz Island.
I took advantage of a relatively clear, winter night to take a long-distance photo of the Bay Bridge curving in front of Coit Tower. From this perspective, the path to the Eastern Span appears to take a sharp turn. However, on a map, the angle is closer to 135°. This effect occurs because the bridge is quite far away from the camera, resulting in some depth compression. The curve in the photo appears similarly when viewed with the naked eye — at this distance from this location.
Potrero Hill is a vibrant neighborhood nestled on the eastern side of San Francisco, known for its panoramic views of the city and the Bay. Characterized by its steep hills and colorful homes, Potrero Hill offers a mix of residential charm and industrial history.
This view of Potrero Hill features Berkeley in the background. Sather Tower (a/k/a The Campanile) was illuminated in blue and gold that night.
At night, the iconic Sutro Tower in San Francisco transforms into a mesmerizing beacon. Its towering structure, adorned with pulsing lights, casts an ethereal glow that can be seen from various vantage points across the city. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Sutro Tower will be lit with laser beams, courtesy of Illuminate. This runs from July 4-8, 2023.
During the holiday season, San Francisco City Hall and Fox Plaza are illuminated in red and green colors at night in celebration of Christmas. City Hall was also in blue and while in recognition of the first night of Hanukkah as well as red, green and black in recognition of the first night of Kwanzaa.
At night, Mission Dolores Park offers an impressive view of the San Francisco skyline. On special occasions, San Francisco City Hall will be illuminated in a custom color pattern. On this night, City Hall displayed rainbow lights while displaying sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilt from the Mayor’s balcony. Prints Available from fineartamerica.
After the Golden State Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks, I decided to pay a visit to Chase Center. This magnificent building is quite large. Without much room to back-up, I needed a wide-angle lens. I took a vertical panorama at 24mm and still clipped the top of the building. Next time, bring an even wider lens or shooting a multiple row panorama.
This corner of the Portola District sits at the junction of 101 and 280, the two major highways connecting cities up-and-down the peninsula. From this vantage point, we can see the busy flow of traffic as well as the houses of those who live in the community.
The Bay Bridge connects San Francisco and Oakland. While it doesn’t have the same international reputation as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge is nonetheless remarkably beautiful, especially at night when both the older western and new eastern spans are brightly illuminated. From this vantage point, 101 carries traffic up to Downtown San Francisco before 80 takes them across the Bay Bridge. The building on the bottom right is the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
