California Photo Scout

Alamo Square Victorian Houses with Skyline

San Francisco is home to over 14,000 Victorian houses with a surprising variety. The most famous are the “six painted ladies” at Alamo Square that are in stark contrast to the modern skyline of Downtown San Francisco. Victorian houses were built in the 19^th century with redwoods from the Marin Headlands. They fell out of style later and are now priceless properties.

We have to thank the hippie culture of San Francisco for the colorfulness of those houses, since the hippies repainted the dull green or white mansions. Today the colorful painted houses are as much a landmark of San Francisco as the many other attractions.

How to get there

Your best choice is to take the car to Alamo Square. Although parking can be a bit challenging at times, I have always been able to find something within a one-block radius on all of my visits.

A decent map of the city or a GPS with turn-by-turn directions are essential. I took the shot at the top of this page near the intersection of Hayes Street and Pierce Street.

GPS position

• 37°46’32.69″N 122°26’1.34″W

How to photograph Alamo Square in San Francisco

Westerfeld House

Take the “classic” shot of the Victorian houses with the skyline in the background by using a telephoto lens. Do not stand too close to the Victorian houses, but walk up the hill a little bit. This way you get to see more of downtown in the background and you get to zoom in further to compress the distance between the houses and the skyline.

On sunny days, there are always people out on the lawn. Include them in the foreground by zooming out a little further. Incorporate whatever they do into your picture. I like to use people looking into the scene I am about to photograph. This will lead the viewer into the picture by following their line of sight. Walk around a little to find the best composition with people. This will require some patience and trial and error to get it right, unless you are asking someone to pose. Watch your step as this is a dog park!

There are other Victorian houses around the park and in side streets. Take some time walking around the park and into the streets and look for interesting angles.

The houses are often impossible to photograph in their entirety. Do not forget to take photos of details like ornate doors and stained windows to complement your portfolio.

You can see the dome of City Hall from Fulton Street. Use Fulton Street as a long leading line toward City Hall.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

This is a great location for good weather photos. Fog only dampens the impact of the pictures. This is a wonderful destination for photography during the summer months.

The light is better on afternoon visits since you will be looking east when you take the photo of the Victorian houses.

Time required

For the shot of the Victorian Houses and the skyline, you need only 30 minutes. Plan for 90 minutes to explore the side streets and get shots that are more intimate.

Equipment

• Short to Medium Telephoto Lens
• Normal Lens
• Tripod
• Models (ask your fellow travelers to model for you)
• Circular Polarizing Filter and Warming Filter

Close Locations

• Buena Vista and Haight Ashbury
• Twin Peaks
• San Francisco Mission and Mission District
• Golden Gate Park: Japanese Tea Garden
• Stow Lake and Botanical Garden
• Civic Center with City Hall
• Golden Gate Park West Side
• The Presidio of San Francisco

Useful Resources

• Flickr Page for Alamo Square

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