Five Frames from San Francisco

In April 2017 I was loose in San Francisco with my Canon 6D and the Canon 50mm f1.8. I packed light for the trip so my only lens was the 50mm. I’ve never considered this a particular hardship. I spent years in film photography with only the normal lens for the particular camera I was using. So the sharp, light, and handy 50mm seemed like just the thing for a six-hour stroll over the hills of San Francisco.

View from the Pier

I found this family on Pier 41. That’s Alcatraz in the background, top right. I like the way the tops of their heads form a straight line. I also like the colors. They are casually engaged in gazing at the bay. I had to pay that gull the equivalent of six bucks in corn nuts to fly through the frame.

Into the Light

I took this shot inside the 1890 steam ferryboat Eureka, which is part of the San Francisco Maritime National Park. The gentleman in the doorway is just stepping out into the light. I like the creamy look of the columns and of the ribs in the ceiling.

Up

This is the intersection of Powell and Washington. It is where the Powell-Hyde cable car line cuts down Washington from Hyde street to join the Powell-Mason line. That’s a cable car starting down the hill at the top of the photo. My walking expedition around San Francisco took me from my hotel near Union Square up Powell and over Nob Hill toward Fisherman’s Wharf. I got very familiar with the “up” aspect of San Francisco.

John’s Grill

This is the sign for John’s Grill, a San Francisco institution. It is mentioned in the Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. The detective Sam Spade dined on lamb chops, potatoes, and tomatoes on the last night of the novel. Today, Sam Spade’s Lamb Chops are on the menu – $36.95 as of this writing. I’ve eaten at John’s a couple of times, but I’ve never had the chops. I’ve always had a steak. It was always good.

Office with a Window

Who doesn’t want an office with a window? This gentleman has it all: computer, large coffee, cool hat, and… a window. He is intent on that computer. It’s the new age: our homes, coffee shops, and offices are now… offices. Did we win or lose?