California Photo Scout

USS Pampanito

Photo by Uricacid

Every visitor to San Francisco visits Fisherman’s Wharf. I already examined Pier 39 and Street Photography at Fisherman’s Wharf in two previous articles, but the attractions here are plenty and it is a great joy to photograph at this location. Fisherman’s Wharf is a wonderful family destination, a culinary highlight and a photographer’s dream.

Be prepared to battle the crowds of tourists flocking here during the summer months. Keep your valuables close and your wallet safely tucked away. Use a small combination lock on your camera bag.

How to get there

Park at the Fisherman’s Wharf Lot (37°48’30.91″N 122°24’55.60″W) or at the Pier 39 Garage (37°48’29.14″N 122°24’39.25″W)! Plan your parking carefully, so that you can validate it when you have dinner or lunch. During the winter months, you can get lucky and find parking on Chestnut, Hyde and Francisco Street. The garages one block from the water are cheaper: 37°48’23.41″N 122°24’46.15″W

You can also park somewhere outside the city and take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) into the city or Caltrain from further away. In San Francisco you can get everywhere via SF Muni (Bus, Tram).

GPS position

Submarine:

• 37°48’35.78″N 122°24’59.17″W

Pier 41:

• 37°48’37.42″N 122°24’45.32″W

Hyde Street Pier / San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park:

• 37°48’32.25″N 122°25’16.28″W

How to photograph San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf

Forbes Island and Alcatraz from Pier 41

Using a tripod is detrimental to capturing dynamic photographs at Fisherman’s Wharf. This is not the place for large format photography. I usually let my mood, the crowd and the weather guide me and I like to be flexible.

It is not easy to capture good photographs here, since the area is always extremely busy. Remember that the most striking photographs are usually the simplest photographs. Sometimes all it takes is a little patience to isolate your subject. Talk to the people traveling with you and make sure they understand why you are suddenly stopping and waiting. It takes a lot of patience for us photographers, but it takes even more patience for people traveling with us. Split up if you have to, and send other members of your party shopping and eating.

Use shallow aperture to isolate subjects if you cannot remove a busy background by simply moving around or waiting it out! Look for repetitive patterns in a busy scene, like the masts of the sailboats and yachts!

What to photograph

From Pier 41 you have an excellent view of Alcatraz and Forbes Island (see picture above). Most people photograph the sea lions at Pier 39 from Pier 39, but I recommend Pier 41 instead. Use a telephoto lens and include some spectators in your picture. Check out the Pier 39 article for an example. Afternoon and evening have the best light for photos from Pier 41.

Walk towards Pier 45 and pay a visit to a World War 2 submarine, the USS Pampanito. You can climb on board and feel the claustrophobic conditions, take detailed photographs of the instruments, and get a view of San Francisco from behind the cannon. Include the moorage to guide the viewer into the picture. Include Alcatraz in your photograph and walk around the boat to vary your angle. The ship itself is hard to isolate from the busy background. Take some close-up photographs of the turret and the weapons and the hull. You do not need to include the entire boat to make a striking photograph. It is often better to fill the frame without cluttering the image.

The intersection of Taylor Street and Jefferson Street is usually very busy. Street vendors are selling fresh Dungeness crab and other seafood treats. Follow Jefferson Street and meet one of San Francisco’s celebrities between Jones Street and Taylor Street. A homeless man hides behind fake bushes, scaring unsuspecting pedestrians. He usually draws a large crowd of spectators. It is the perfect opportunity to start with street photography. The expressions on people’s faces are priceless and nobody will mind you. Read the companion article to find out how to photograph people at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Continue to the Maritime National Historic Park (entrance on Hyde Street Pier) where you can climb on board an old commercial sailing vessel. The rules of simplicity apply here too. Sailing ships are difficult to photograph because of everything going on in the frame. All the other ships around here complicate the matter, as you cannot really isolate the ship well. I prefer to shoot the ships from further away near Van Ness Street. Focus on the details on board the ships, the old instruments, details of the quarters and the planks.

I will cover the nearby Cable Car Turn-around (37°48’25.39″N 122°25’16.37″W) in a separate article on Cable Cars.

Fort Mason and Ghirardelli Square are other close popular photography destinations.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Summer is the main tourist season. If you like to photograph people and do not mind the crowds, come in summer. If you love to get better deals and do not like to bump into people with every step, schedule your visit during the off-season months. Weekends are especially busy.

The best light is just before sunset. Sunrise can be good too.

Time required

You can easily spend a full day between Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39 and Pier 7. If you have the time, I recommend you do. You need at least 4 hours to take it all in and see everything.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Normal “fast” lens with very wide aperture (to isolate subjects)
• Telephoto lens (Alcatraz, Sail Boats, Sea Lions)
• Circular Polarizer
• Spare Change for the celebrity, some snacks and restrooms
• A lock for your backpack
• Patience

Fees

$8 to step onboard the USS Pampanito

$5 to set foot on the Historic Ships of the Maritime Museum Park

Difficulty Photographing

It is not easy to find striking compositions in the busy whirl of Fisherman’s Wharf. You have to use all your skill here while being quick with your camera. Make sure you know every knob and can set your shot up very fast. Most of us, including myself, fail to practice at home and are sometimes a bit overwhelmed.

Close Locations

• Fisherman’s Wharf Street Photography
• Pier 39
• Pier 7
• Cable Cars
• Lombard Street
• Marina
• Alcatraz
• Coit Tower
• Chinatown
• Palace of Fine Arts
• Marin Headlands Views
• Lands End and Sutro Baths
• Maritime Museum

Useful Resources

• Maritime National Historic Park
• USS Pampanito Website
• Fisherman’s Wharf Website (plays sound !)
• SF Muni Transportation

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