Fort Mason roofs and Palace of Fine Arts

Located on a small hilltop overlooking the entrance to San Francisco Bay, Fort Mason was the obvious choice for defensive fortifications. In the age of high tech weaponry, Fort Mason still makes a formidable base for high tech shooters of a different kind, photographers.

Throughout the years, the fort was home to Spanish and American troops and earthquake refugees and served as a port of embarkation for World War II.

Fort Mason is divided into the upper Fort, where attractive white wooden buildings house the Golden Gate National Park Headquarters and a Hostel, and the Fort Mason Center, which encompasses the covered piers and warehouses, now transformed into venues for every imaginable occasion. The pavilions, theaters, and meeting rooms host a number of cultural highlights, tradeshows, and galleries.

How to get there

Fort Mason is in walking distance from Fisherman’s Wharf. The closest Muni station is located on the intersection of Fillmore Street and Bay Street.

You can park at Fort Mason for $1 per hour. On weekends, you can park free at Van Ness Avenue. If you do not mind the short walk, you can park free at the Marina near 37°48’25.67″N 122°26’9.60″W.

GPS position

• 37°48’28.03″N 122°25’40.26″W

How to photograph Fort Mason

Fort Mason Cannon and Golden Gate Bridge

Fort Mason is less photogenic than other destinations in San Francisco, but it offers a couple of interesting options. It is an attractive location because less people visit, but you have to work harder for your pictures. You can find a couple of unique viewpoints to take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge. The battery (image above) makes a good foreground, but trees cover most of the views. Choosing a vertical composition allowed me to use the stones of a walkway to draw the viewer into the picture, toward the cannon. The cannon points toward the Golden Gate Bridge, therefore connecting foreground and background.

I found another good view of the Golden Gate Bridge at 37°48’26.12″N 122°25’56.37″W, which includes the yachts of the Marina in the foreground.

McDowell Road, on the cliffs of Upper Fort Mason, follows the outline of the water. I used a telephoto lens to photograph the Palace of Fine Arts with the red roofs of Lower Fort Mason (image at the beginning of the article). The telephoto lens compresses the large distance between the roofs and the Palace, bringing everything close together.

Fort Mason House

The chapel and the colonial style houses on top of the hill, around Franklin and Funston Streets are worth checking out. Use a zoom lens to isolate the houses from the distractions of the neighborhood or to isolate an interesting feature. A circular polarizing filter will help you to enhance the colors of the grass and the sky and will give your photos more pop.

If you did not already come this way, take the stairs from Franklin Street to the Municipal Pier. From the stairs, you have good views of downtown San Francisco and Alcatraz. Use the crescent shaped pier to draw your viewers in or to define the corners of a downtown shot.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Morning to mid afternoon on a sunny day is best.

Time required

About one hour is sufficient time for a pleasant stroll and a few quick photos.

Equipment

• Telephoto Lens
• Zoom Lens
• CP Filter

Fees

There are no entrance fees to see the park. The seasonal exhibitions of Fort Mason Center are not free and parking costs $1 per hour. On weekends, you can find free parking on Van Ness Avenue near the municipal pier.

Close Locations

• San Francisco Maritime Museum
• Palace of Fine Arts
• Cable Cars
• Pier 39
• Fort Point
• Presidio Views
• Presidio’s Main Post
• Golden Gate Bridge
• Baker Beach
• Alcatraz

Useful Resources

• Official Website
• Fort Mason Center

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Alcatraz Cellhouse Broadway

Alcatraz, the infamous penitentiary, is visible from the hills and beaches of San Francisco. It is San Francisco’s second most famous tourist destination, after the Golden Gate Bridge. Deceptively beautiful from a distance, the sheer cliffs, icy cold water, and treacherous currents made escapes from “The Rock” a futile attempt.

Authorities sent only the hardest criminals to this maximum-security facility. Among its famous residents were former Chicago mobster Al “Scarface” Capone, murderer George “Machine Gun” Kelly, and snitch Theodore “Blackie” Audett. The design of “The Rock” served to intimidate the criminals while it simultaneously reminded them of their lost freedom, due to the close proximity to San Francisco.

Today, Alcatraz still grips morbidly fascinated visitors, while offering unique opportunities for photographers. The dark dungeons of the cellblock let you create spectacular images that set a gloomy tone. The absence of natural predators like coyotes makes the island a preferred breeding ground for sea birds. The colorful wildflowers provide an unexpected foreground for the decaying concrete and steel buildings.

Alcatraz offers more than you might expect. It is therefore vital to prepare and get the most from your trip. Board the ferries and get ready to discover a piece of American history.

How to get there

You can only reach the island by boat. I recommend booking with the official provider, Alcatraz Cruises, who are under contract with the National Park service (see resources below). Avoid third party providers, who will resell those tickets. Book your tickets well in advance, since the tours fill up fast. If you are serious about your photography, you need to take the early bird tour, which sells out the fastest, often weeks in advance.

Park your car at Pier 27, on the “Priority Parking” lot. Nobody beats their weekend rate of $10 for 12 hours. From here you can walk to Pier 33, the Alcatraz Cruise terminal, in less than 10 minutes. Weekdays are just $15.

The parking lot across the street from Pier 33 charges a hefty $25.

Alcatraz Map (click to enlarge)

GPS position

• 37°49’36.65″N 122°25’16.45″W

How to photograph Alcatraz

Alcatraz from the Ferry

Your photography adventure starts the moment you step on the ferry. You will have good views of downtown San Francisco, Coit Tower and Fisherman’s Wharf including the SS Jeremiah O’Brien. Use a telephoto lens, preferably with image stabilization, and a circular polarizer. Get a place on the top deck of the ferry. Do not worry where you sit. As soon as the ship leaves, people are up and about, moving around the boat. The port side (left) of the ship offers the best views on the way to Alcatraz.

Alcatraz Broadway shot with Fisheye Lens

Once you are on the island, the park rangers will give you a short introduction. This is a good time to buy the $1 brochure “Discover Alcatraz”. The tour to the main cellblock will lead uphill to your right. Stay to the right and start walking uphill as soon as the rangers give the command. The whole mass of people usually moves with you. As long as you are with the first few people you will be fine.

The rangers hand out audio tours at the entrance. The audio tours include instructions where to go and what to see. Fortunately those instruct visitors almost immediately to stop and observe some plaques. Keep moving ahead and walk through the cutoff into the main hall, called Broadway. You will have this hall to yourself for only a few minutes until the audio tour catches up with you. Use a wide-angle lens (image at the top of the article) or fisheye lens (above) to give the halls even more depth.

Make sure you bump your ISO high enough to avoid camera shake. Since you have only a limited amount of time, I recommend erring on the high side to avoid blurry images. I simply set my camera to aperture priority mode to guarantee sufficient depth of field and used Auto ISO mode. Sometimes I set my camera to manual mode to guarantee depth of field while ensuring a maximum exposure time. Auto ISO mode takes care of the rest. The digital grain (noise) usually works well with historic subjects.

Alcatraz Library Black and White

Moving along the route of the tour, you will pass the library (above). The library is just an empty room with many windows. Taking advantage of the spotlight on the floor, this scene works well either completely empty or with a lonely person sitting on the bench. Use a wide-angle lens and leave some room on the side to allow perspective correction on the computer. This is a common problem with wide-angle lenses that you tilt up or down.

The administrative section is very interesting but not very photogenic. Leave the building toward the warden’s house and the lighthouse. From here you have the best views of San Francisco, the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. Walk down the stairs and to your right on West Road to the historic gardens. Since 2008, a colony of white egrets has made this area their home.

Egret in flight

With some patience, you can sometimes catch the birds flying across the trail to the garden area to forage for food or nesting material. The birds are graceful in flight and comics in nature. Arguing over resources, the animals make almost human sounds, while at the same time sounding just outright hilarious. If your camera has a video mode, this would be a good time to use it.

To photograph the birds, set your camera to high speed shooting mode, select the center focus point, and use the focus servo mode to track them. You probably need several trials to catch them whizzing across the trail.

Alcatraz Garden

In spring you can see the gardens in full bloom. The bright colorful flowers contrast with the dull and lifeless concrete walls of the prison. You can take a docent lead garden tour Friday’s and Sunday’s at 9:30 am. The tour includes gardens that are off-limits to visitors, like the Rose Garden. The photographs on this page are all from publicly accessible areas. The picture above shows the west-side gardens with the cell house and the water tower in the background. I took the poppy photograph on the trail between the guardhouse and the Post Exchange.

California Poppies at Alcatraz

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Crowds at the Dock

I recommend the early bird tour, since this is the only time of the day where you can get the cellblock shots without massive amounts of people in your way. The light in the evening is best for photographing San Francisco, which creates a small problem, forcing you to wait or prioritize.

Summer can often be foggy and winter can be rainy. Spring and fall are the best seasons to visit the park, while spring offers the best shooting options. The white egrets nest in spring and the wildflowers add a wonderful touch of color to the bleak, barren island.

You need to book in advance, and thus have little control over the frequently changing weather. Even gloomy days offer good shooting, enhancing the mood of the dark prison cells theme, while sunny days offer exceptional views of San Francisco.

Time required

Once on the island, you can stay as long as you want. The ferries run on regular intervals. We spent the whole morning here, returning about 1pm. This gave us sufficient time to see every location multiple times.

You could arrive in the morning and wait for the light to change toward the evening, but you will run out of things to do and since there are no food services anywhere on the island you need to prepare yourself for the trip accordingly.

Equipment

• Tripods: Contrary to information posted in some internet forums, you can bring your tripod. If you plan to shoot San Francisco during the late afternoon, you probably should. Although the lighting conditions inside are less ideal, I prefer not having a tripod. This gives me more flexibility to deal with the crowds and quickly take advantage of an opening. Ultimately it comes down to your preference.
• A wide-angle lens is indispensible in the tight cellblocks.
• A fisheye lens will give you even more field of view to photograph inside a cell or create grossly distorted views.
• A telephoto lens is necessary to shoot the birds and San Francisco. Image stabilization will be useful to avoid the tripod and to photograph from the boat.
• A circular polarizer brings out the colors in the flowers and the buildings, especially if you continue shooting until mid-day when the light is harsh.
• Food and drinks are not available on the island. Bring your own.
• Bring a jacket, even in warm weather. The conditions on Alcatraz are unpredictable. Wear shoes suitable to climb the hills and stairs of the island.
• Charge your batteries and bring sufficient storage / film to last all day.

Fees

A ticket with Alcatraz Cruises (the official operators) costs $26. This includes the boat ride to the island and entrance fee as well as the audio tour.

Difficulty Getting There

You can only get to Alcatraz on a ship.

Difficulty Photographing

The crowds make photography difficult. The early bird tour offers the best option.

Close Locations

• Ferry Building Farmers Market
• Pier 7
• Fisherman’s Wharf
• Fisherman’s Wharf Street Photography
• Pier 39
• Treasure Island
• Financial District
• Coit Tower
• Embarcadero Center
• Maritime Museum
• Chinatown
• Lombard Street
• Fort Mason
• Tiburon

Useful Resources

• Alcatraz official website
• Alcatraz Cruises (reserve your trip here)
• Alcatraz Gardens (and garden tours)

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Point Reyes Lighthouse is perched on a steep cliff in the windiest place on the Pacific Coast and the foggiest place in California. Despite the unusual weather, the lighthouse is a favorite destination for visitors. Located on the westernmost outcrop of Point Reyes National Seashore, the lighthouse is also the best location for whale watching from land.

Chimney Rock is a similar outcrop, on the opposite side of the tip of Point Reyes’ peninsula, at Drakes Bay. It is a narrow stretch of land of unbelievable beauty. Surrounded by deep blue and turquoise sea, this small peninsula is vividly colorful during spring, when carpets of wildflowers cover portions of the lush green pastures.

It is not a secret how picturesque this portion of Point Reyes is. Consequently, you will have a lot of competition for your photographs. Despite the large number of visitors, both locations still are exceptional photographic treasures that you shouldn’t miss.

How to get there

California Highway 1 leads through Point Reyes Station, north of San Francisco. In Point Reyes Station, you will see a sign to Point Reyes National Seashore and Inverness. Signs are posted in the northbound and southbound direction. Following the signs will lead you to Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Follow this road through Inverness, all the way to the lighthouse parking lot.

To get to Chimney Rock, follow Pierce Point Road, which branches off to the right shortly after Inverness. Stay left on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.

GPS position

Lighthouse

• 37°59’44.86″N 123° 1’22.77″W

Chimney Rock

• 37°59’24.65″N 122°57’55.71″W

How to photograph Point Reyes Lighthouse and Chimney Rock

Point Reyes Lighthouse

Lighthouse Stairs

Using the long flight of stairs, which lead to the lighthouse in a graceful curve, results in an esthetically pleasing composition. No wonder most photographers end up with an image just like this in their portfolio. The proportions and the flow are perfect. The viewer follows the stairs to the reward, the main subject, at the end. It puts the lighthouse in perspective. The fog helps to emphasize the distance and the length of the stairs. It also adds tension, since the lighthouse seems to stand at the edge of a deep abyss. The image gives no clue of what lies beyond, but somehow it seems as if we are meant to walk down the stairs to find out.

There is no bad weather for photography. Especially fog can greatly enhance the mood of any picture. Avoid including too much sky in your pictures and use your exposure correction, since cameras tend to underexpose in these conditions.

Lighthouse

It is no secret that the spectacular location makes the lighthouse so popular. You can find many interesting details and even some unique views down here, but the views from the stairs are simply the best. Unfortunately, those are also the most photographed, so don’t expect to come up with something entirely new. The picture in the introduction shows a different and much less photographed view of the stairs, facing in the opposite direction.

The exhibition inside the lighthouse provides a plethora of detail shots waiting for your camera and the perimeter has good views of the original lighthouse, standing on the ledge that workers blasted into the granite rock face over 100 years ago.

Danger! Charge!

After you say goodbye to the lighthouse, you still face the arduous task of climbing the stairs back up. Take an occasional breather and turn back for another view. Sometimes the weather changes quickly and the lighthouse may look better on your way up than it did on the way down.

Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock is the most spectacular hike in Point Reyes. The Pacific Ocean foams on one side and Drakes Bay lies on the other side of the narrow land bridge leading out to Chimney Rock. The beach beneath is a popular hangout for cool seals and the meadows above are dotted with wildflowers. Just like the lighthouse, this hike is often very windy.

Fish Docks

Do not let the wind distract you from the extraordinary views and superb photography. Look for seals at the beaches and keep an eye open for whales blowing in the distance during spring. The most famous view is from the Headlands overlook trail (two pictures above). Chimney Rock is a small offshore rock that is not particularly photogenic. The trail makes up for it though and I recommend walking the trail to the very end, where California suddenly ends and the vast Pacific Ocean begins. This would be the perfect place to use a fisheye lens and photograph the curvature of the earth, including the Chimney Rock trail.

From here, you can also hike down to the historic lifeboat station via the Underhill Trail. Due to the heavy fog, even the lighthouse could not completely prevent shipwrecks. This station saved many lives, yet the nearby cemetery also tells the story of those that were not lucky enough to catch a ride on the boat in time.

Tanks

Keep an eye on the beaches and you may be lucky to spot seals taking a sunbath. Watch out for other subjects that can enhance your landscape photographs. Point Reyes is also home to a large population of deer, Tule Elk (not here, but further north), and mountain lions. Attach your telephoto lens during hikes and preset your camera (Exposure speed, Auto Aperture, and Auto ISO) so you are ready when you have to be.

Enjoy your trip!

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The stairs to the lighthouse are open from 10am to 4:30pm. If wind speeds exceed 40mph, the stairs will be closed. During the whale-watching season (last week of December to mid-April) and on weekends you will have to take a shuttle bus on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard (the road leading to the lighthouse and Chimney Rock). Spring (April and May) is the best time for a visit, since you can drive here directly and you will be able to find a large number of wildflowers.

Time required

Driving out to Chimney Rock and the Lighthouse from Point Reyes Station takes about one hour. Walking down the stairs to the lighthouse and back up takes about the same time and hiking the 1.6 miles out to Chimney Rock and back will cost you at least one hour. Together that is already three hours, without taking a single photograph. Since both locations provide exceptionally good opportunities, you should plan your entire day around this visit, maybe combined with a stop in Inverness.

Equipment

• Telephoto lens (whales, deer, sea lions)
• Zoom lens
• Fisheye Lens if you have one
• Tripod
• Polarizing Filter and UV filter
• Point and Shoot Camera
• Sweater and Windbreaker
• Snacks to get you through the day

Try to keep the load light for the climb down to the lighthouse.

Fees

Although there is no entrance fee for Point Reyes National Seashore, the shuttle bus (see Best Time section) will cost $5 / person.

Difficulty Getting There

You cannot drive to the lighthouse between the last week of December and mid April. You need to take the shuttle bus and plan accordingly.

In order to get to the lighthouse, you need to climb 308 stairs down and then back up. If you are in reasonably good physical condition, this is not a major obstacle, but it takes time and costs energy.

Lastly, the parking lot is notoriously overcrowded. You may need to park further away and walk.

Close Locations

• Tomales Bay State Park
• Pt. Reyes Tule Elk Reserve
• Pt. Reyes Coastal Trail
• Inverness and Earthquake Trail
• Fort Ross
• Bodega Bay and Bodega Head
• Bodega Dunes
• Bodega Cliffs
• Mt Tamalpais
• Muir Woods
• Point Bonita Lighthouse
• Secret Views of Marin Headlands
• Marin Headlands Bay Views

Useful Resources

• Lighthouse page on nps.gov
• Lighthousefriends page
• Chimney Rock hike

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Labeling San Pedro as Long Beach’s ugly neighbor would be unfair to the busy port city that offers more than a few good photo spots. However, San Pedro is not the first choice of tourists, unless they are heading for one of the cruise ship terminals.

I felt the atmosphere change in the car after we crossed over the Vincent Thomas Bridge from Long Beach into San Pedro. Dani unintentionally became tenser when we drove through some of the economically depressed areas in search for good photo spots. She knows I take my scouting seriously, but I could tell she was wondering why I decided to stop here. Her doubts mounted when I dropped the car in a shady side street, with our belongings in the trunk, to investigate the cruise ship terminals and look for a good place to photograph the bridge. Eventually, we discovered some places that are worth the tour through San Pedro.

Point Fermin, a charming coastal bluffs park, seems to struggle with decay, trash, and overuse in this depressed neighborhood. The Korean Friendship Bell overlooks the city from atop a hill with gorgeous views. These and a view other sights make the trip worthwhile, but the apparent lack of tempting restaurants and hotels inform you clearly to leave before sunset.

How to get there

You can take the I-710 and I-110 freeways to San Pedro.

Take I-710 south to Seaside Freeway and Vincent Thomas Bridge. Cross the bridge and take exit 1A to Gaffey Street, toward San Pedro. Follow N. Gaffey Street for about 2.6 miles until you see the Korean Friendship Bell on your right.

Take I-110 south until it turns into N. Gaffey Street. Follow it about 2.6 miles to the Korean Friendship Bell.

GPS position

• 33°42’38.44″N 118°17’36.82″W

How to photograph San Pedro

Vincent Thomas Bridge

You cannot miss the cruise ship terminal as soon as you get off the bridge. A water fountain at the intersection of S. Harbor Boulevard and N. Front Street and the shining cruise ship behind it immediately drew my attention. While I was preoccupied with the possibilities, I did not consider the area much until I returned. Instead, I dropped the car at the commuter parking lot on N. Beacon Street and headed to the fountain.

The fountain shoots water into the sky in short intervals. Lacking an appealing background (cruise ships do not count), I took a few photographs but I was not very delighted with the result. Then I walked past the cruise ship on N. Front Street for a better view of the Vincent Thomas Bridge (above) and a closer view of the containers (in the introduction). If you continue on this path, you will get to the SS Lane Victory, a WWII transport ship now serving as a museum.

Point Fermin Lighthouse

I chose not to wander on deck and into the bowels of an ancient bucket and decided to see what Point Fermin had to offer. The park itself is a bit scruffy, but the lighthouse looked interesting and the views from the cliffs are good. Unfortunately, you cannot photograph inside the lighthouse, a deal breaker for me. The lighthouse that could be at home in an upscale New England beach community looks good from the outside too. I used a wide-angle lens for this shot and corrected the perspective distortion in Photoshop.

You have good views of communities to the north and with a telephoto lens, you can photograph the Los Angeles Harbor (Angel’s Gate) Lighthouse from up here.

Korean Friendship Bell

The views from the Angels Gate Park are also good. The main attraction of this park is the Korean Bell of Friendship. The massive bronze bell is housed in a shrine with typical Asian architecture, pretty but difficult to photograph. After a wind gust caught me, I lost balance and nearly fell of the stairs and flat on my nose. I tried to compose a picture with the ocean in the background, but the light was not good, so I settled on a composition that included the San Pedro Hills in the background, taking advantage of the small opening in the dull sky.

Harbor View

Just one block north of the Bell on S. Gaffey Street is a viewpoint for the Los Angeles Harbor. The size of this transport hub is hard to comprehend and show in pictures. This is the best spot to get an overview of the harbor, but it is dull to photograph this place. From here, I spotted the Cabrillo Beach Park that connects to the Angels Gate Lighthouse (below).

Angels Gate Lighthouse

I entered the park and discovered California’s most depressing beach, facing the Los Angeles Harbor, and an ugly concrete pier that had a decent view of the lighthouse. The grey weather did not afford me a good photograph and sent me off with the same gloomy impression we had when we got here. I am sure there are more things to explore in San Pedro, but California has too many beautiful places to warrant a return visit to San Pedro.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Any day is equally good to see what I saw. I recommend not staying past sunset. I would leave even sooner so that I could see the sunset in Belmont Shore or any other more appealing place.

Time required

Two hours are probably more than you can stand unless you are a hardcore industrial photographer.

Equipment

• Telephoto Lens
• Wide-angle lens
• Haze Filter
• Warming Filter
• CP filter

Fees

Visiting the Korean Bell and Bell Pavilion is free. The lighthouse asks for a small donation. Parking at Cabrillo Beach Park is free for the first 20 minutes; then $1/hour with a maximum of $9/day.

Close Locations

• Shoreline Village
• Queen Mary
• Russian Foxtrot Submarine
• Belmont Shore
• Point Vicente
• Naples Island
• Huntington Beach
• Newport Beach
• Santa Catalina Island
• Crystal Cathedral
• Disneyland
• Downtown Los Angles
• Huntington Library

Useful Resources

• San Pedro attractions (map)

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Shoreline Village is a testament to America’s favorite pastime activities – shopping, snacking, and sailing. The colorful amusement park style shops offer everything you do not need and will buy regardless, things you should not eat but definitely will, and overpriced restaurants that are full no matter the cost. Spending money is easy in the tourist trap that the locals love so much.

The candy colored buildings, seabirds, and views of the natural harbor with the ocean liner Queen Mary make this place a good photo opportunity, as long as you do not leave your loved ones alone with the vacation fund. Look beyond the kitschy façade and you will discover that Shoreline Village has more to offer than ways to spend money. It is a pleasant oasis near a busy harbor. If it were not for the ticking parking meters, I could spend an entire day here relaxing in the warm Southern California sun.

How to get there

Shoreline Village Map

Take I-710 south to Long Beach, then take exit 1C toward the Aquarium. Merge onto W. Shoreline Drive. After 1.8 miles, turn right on Shoreline Village Drive.

GPS position

• 33°45’36.94″N 118°11’21.69″W

How to photograph Shoreline Village

shoreline aquatic park

Start your tour at the Shoreline Aquatic Park on the west side. The main focal point is the Lion’s Lighthouse for Sight, built in 2000. It stands atop a small mound, from which you have good views of Shoreline Village and Parkers Lighthouse (image below) across the water and the skyline and paddlewheel steamer behind the lighthouse. The lighthouse itself is difficult to photograph from the park. It towers too high when you are on the small hill. I took the picture above from the path west (outlined on the map). Other good places to photograph the lighthouse are on the Pier off Pine Avenue (see map) and on the small visitors dock next to Parkers Lighthouse (image below).

I prefer the photograph above, since it incorporates the walkway, leading to the lighthouse, inviting the viewer deeper into the picture. As it gently slopes ahead, it leads us straight to the lighthouse.

Parkers Lighthouse

I incorporated a seagull in the foreground of the Parkers Lighthouse image that I took from the small hill. It conveys a sense of the marine landscape and fits well into the composition.

The required depth of field between the distant building and the close bird is difficult to master. I also used a long focal length to draw the background and foreground closer together, which further complicated the depth of field. Keeping the foreground and the background in focus would result in an extremely small aperture, which would cause diffraction problems. I therefore chose to trade foreground sharpness for a sharper background. That is acceptable, due to the larger relative sizes of foreground subjects and the way our brain perceives images as sharp, even if not all parts are equally sharp.

Different rules apply to the egret that I discovered on the dock near Parkers Lighthouse. Obviously, the bird needs to be sharp and the surrounding environment should not distract too much from the main subject, the bird. I purposely placed it on the right side of the picture, to have it look into the picture rather than out. It is paramount to leave sufficient space in the line of sight of animals or people from the edge of the frame. I focused on the bird itself and kept a medium aperture setting.

egret

Egrets are notoriously difficult to photograph. They occupy a relatively small space in the frame and since the camera tries to average exposure throughout the frame, it overexposes the bird that is often much brighter than the background. Use spot metering and/or exposure compensation to compensate for this effect! Review your histogram and make sure it does not clip on the right! The pixels to the far right are usually the white birds. Direct sunlight compounds this issue, making it very difficult to photograph egrets on sunny days.

Obviously, you cannot count on finding birds in the same spot, but there are a number of them around. If you move quietly, you maximize your chances of spotting them.

Queen Mary

From the narrow outlet that shelters the marina, you have a good view of the ocean liner Queen Mary that now serves as a hotel and tourist attraction, as well as cruise ships that may anchor in Long Beach. You could work an angle on the Long Beach Skyline incorporating the yachts in the foreground or look for egrets and seagulls to spice up your shots.

On a sunny day, the narrow land is always good for a pleasant stroll away from the hectic city life, a picnic or just to relax and spend some of the best hours of your life. You could even forget the parking meter, since the maximum is still affordable. This place is worth it after all.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The weather in Long Beach seems to be sunny, interrupted with a few rare but strong storms in winter. Avoid stormy and windy days, especially those causing high surf. Otherwise, there is no bad time to visit this area. If your time is limited, you can come here during the day and go somewhere else for your sunset shots, seeing that you can create good photos throughout most of the day.

Time required

Two hours near Shoreline Village, thirty minutes in Shoreline Aquatic Park (the location of the tall lighthouse) and 20 minutes on the pier are about the minimum time you should spend here.

Equipment

• Image stabilized lens
• Wide-angle lens

Fees

Parking rates are $2 per 20 minutes, with a maximum of $8. With minimum purchase, you can validate parking for up to 2 hours and $1. During special events, like 4th of July, there may be a flat rate of $10, but you could park in the lot with self service parking machines.

Close Locations

• Queen Mary
• Russian Foxtrot Submarine
• Belmont Shore
• San Pedro
• Point Vicente
• Naples Island
• Huntington Beach
• Newport Beach
• Laguna Beach, Treasure Island
• Santa Catalina Island
• Crystal Cathedral
• Disneyland
• Downtown Los Angles
• Huntington Library

Useful Resources

• Long Beach Marina
• Everything LB: Shoreline Village

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Morro Bay is a delightful fishing town with a sheltered harbor. At the entrance of the harbor towers Morro Rock, a volcanic granite dome and Morro Bay’s most prominent feature.

I used to bypass Morro Bay on my travels after I first moved to California. From a distance, it did not seem to offer much and the three smoke stacks of the local power plant are still an eyesore to me. Since then I have come to appreciate Morro Bay. The fishing boats, the sea life, and the dramatic sunsets that backlight an equally dramatic landscape have won me over. I love coming to Morro Bay and I am never short on excuses for another stop at Morro Bay. After all, it is conveniently located at the confluence of Highways 1 and 101.

Do not miss Morro Bay, a fantastic family destination with countless photography choices.

How to get there

Morro Bay is located about 13 miles north of San Luis Obispo on Highway 1, about 17 miles west of Atascadero on Highway 41 and about 20 miles south of Cambria on Highway 1. Morro Bay is impossible to miss if you take any of these roads.

Morro Bay is located at the coast, almost at the exact halfway point between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

GPS position

• 35°22’0.67″N 120°51’13.42″W

How to photograph Morro Bay

Morro Bay State Park

Heron at Morro Bay State Park

The saltwater marsh at the northern end of Morro Bay State Park is a perfect location for bird photography. All kinds of sea birds come here to hunt and congregate. The blue heron above just caught his lunch.

You will need a telephoto lens of at least 300mm for the birds. If you have a shorter lens, you can still photograph the birds, but you may have to crop your images. Alternatively, you can capture a few vertical images with the sand spit and colorful kayaks in the background.

The Estuary in the southern part of the park should make a perfect sunset location. You can capture the reflecting sunlight in the arms of the water tentacles from South Bay Boulevard. The park also has a small marina where you can rent a kayak and explore the bay in greater depth.

Bayshore Bluffs and Tidelands Parks

Bayshore Bluffs Park - Morro Bay

Just north of the State Park is the small Bayshore Bluffs Park. At first glance, it looks underwhelming, but then I discovered the stairs at the southern end of the park. The stairs lead to a small beach that is completely covered in oyster shells. Boat owners land their small craft here, which make a fantastic foreground for the bay.

I used a medium range lens and stepped several meters back from the boat to avoid dwarfing Morro Rock in the distance. This meant that I needed a very small aperture to get the boat and the rock sharp at the same time. I used f/14 on my 7D, which means I would get a small amount of diffraction, un-sharpness caused by light bending. In post-processing, I sharpened the image.

Tidelands Park, just north of Bayshore Park, is another good place to photograph the boats anchored in the harbor and the cheeky squirrels waiting for handouts.

At the docks

Ye Olde Man

Most visitors to Morro Bay come to the docks and the shops and restaurants just south of them. This is where most of the tourist activity takes place, the bustling heart of Morro Bay. I took the sunset picture from the introduction here and countless other images. Most of my images are from this area, since there is simply so much to see here.

Sometimes, seals rest on the docks or goof around in the water. Colorful storefronts and playfully excited children are also good motives if you are not shy. The old weathered fishing vessels moored at the docks add an authentic flair to the entire area that you cannot find anywhere else.

On the Breakwater

Surfers

If you take a drive to Morro Rock, you will get a different perspective on the city and Morro Strand State Beach to the north. The latter is a popular surfer destination. You need a long lens to capture the action. Alternatively, a shorter focal length will give you a scenic postcard view of the waves, the surfers, and the northern fringes of Morro Bay, nestling in the foothills.

Morro Bay at night

A good place to end your day of photography, before settling down for a fresh seafood dinner, is Coleman Park. The best time is about 15 to 30 minutes after sunset. Increase your ISO setting slightly to keep the exposure times below a couple of seconds. Otherwise, the boats will look slightly blurry, due to the motion of the water.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Morro Bay has something for every season. Sunsets are more dramatic in winter, while the weather is more pleasant and predictable in summer. Summer brings more fog, which can add to the atmosphere of your images. Spring and fall are also good, since you will have less competition from other travelers.

Time required

Depending on the depth of your visit, you need between one hour and one day. If you have only a short amount of time, stay near the docks and the restaurants.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Normal Lens
• Tripod and Cable release

Fees

There are no fees to pay, but you should sit down in one of the countless seafood restaurants along Embarcadero or Front Street.

Close Locations

• Montana de Oro State Park
• Avila Beach
• Shell Beach
• Pismo State Beach
• Guadalupe Dunes Park
• Point Sal State Park
• Hearst Castle
• Santa Maria
• San Luis Obispo Mission
• Cambria and Cayucos
• San Simeon Pier and Seals
• San Miguel Mission

Useful Resources

• Morro Bay Brochure (pdf)
• Morro Bay Website
• State Park Page

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Avila Beach is a secluded, charming beach community, hidden from the traditional tourist routes but close enough for a short side trip, if you know where to look and if you find the only access road from the highway.

The town has the best beach in the area. It is located in a natural harbor sheltered by mountains from three sides. The beach is the main attraction for most visitors, but it has a lot to offer to us photographers as well. I learned that this is also a favorite location of a fellow photographer, Bob Towery, who has produced some of his most astonishing work here; a fact that made it infinitely more difficult for me to write about this heavenly small vacation town.

I am thus just going to give an account of my impressions and instead encourage you to come here and discover this place yourself.

How to get there

Take exit 195, Avila Beach Drive, from US-101, just north of Pismo Beach and south of San Luis Obispo. After about 2.5 miles, you will reach the city of Avila Beach.

GPS position

• 35°10’44.20″N 120°44’3.37″W

How to photograph Avila Beach

Avila Beach Pier

We pulled into the best parking spot in town, right at the intersection of Front Street and San Miguel Street, hopped out of the car, and took a stroll along Front Street. Soaking up the atmosphere, I was reminded of times I spent in Spain at the Mediterranean Sea. The beaches were empty that day and the first lunch guests arrived at Custom House, the restaurant I immediately picked for our lunch later that day. The customers who sat outdoors on this winter morning seemed happy with their choices and enjoyed the warm weather. A perfect summer’s day that just happened to take place in winter.

A pier is usually a good choice to start your photography and I often make this my first destination. It did not take much to convince Dani for the short stroll. From a distance, we discovered a frothy wave that moved around the fishing boats anchoring in the bay. As we got closer, we discovered the real reason behind those waves was a flock of seals that playfully circled the boats, chasing each other and the fish.

Seals

In one swift motion, I flipped my backpack around, unscrewed my wide-angle lens and flipped the telephoto lens onto my camera. Dani is used to these jerky motions and knows how to avoid the flying backpack from hitting her face. It was not difficult at all to take a few quality shots of the seals in their element, once I had the long lens set up.

We even discovered a gray whale blowing in the distance, just at the edge of the horizon and beyond the reach of my camera.

Above our heads circled swarms of pelicans, in numbers unlike I have ever seen before. Occasionally one of them broke loose and dove headfirst into the water from a high altitude, diving for fish. This happened so fast, that I could barely focus my eyes fast enough on it. I still had to attempt to capture the kamikaze birds in action.

Pelican Dive

I am like a gunslinger with my camera. I am very fast to pull the camera up, aim, focus, and pull the trigger. I still was not very successful at hitting my target. There were simply too many birds and their dive happened too fast and was too unpredictable.

I changed my strategy. I set my camera to focus tracking mode, spot metering and center focus point and followed one pelican around that looked hungry enough to go for a dive. It took me a few minutes, but eventually I got the shot I was after.

I spent a few more minutes photographing the boats, the pier, and Pismo Beach in the distance, before we decided to walk back and sit down for lunch.

Spiral

Lunch did not happen the way I anticipated. A giant and noisy biker horde suddenly invaded town and took over my restaurant of choice. I normally do not mind a bawling pack of mid 50ies who never grew up, but it ruined the Mediterranean flair for me. Instead, I decided to stick around for a few more photographs and to seek refuge in a seafood restaurant in Morro Bay later.

Fantasy Land

I found a few more interesting places, like this corner of newly developed candy colored houses that I could use to spice up my portfolio and some beach shots and wave shots that looked interesting, but nothing brag worthy and nothing like the work Bob has shown. When we saddled the hybrid horse, we were exhausted and somehow dried out from the hot Avila Beach winter sun, leaving a little piece of heaven behind, and vowing to come back in the near future on one of our next trips through this remarkable stretch of California Coast.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The amount of birds, seals, and distant whales we saw during our visit in November was astounding. Avila Beach should be good throughout the year, with its pleasant climate and laid back beach atmosphere. I usually prefer the off-season in these towns, since they tend to become overcrowded in summer.

Time required

This is not the place to rush things. Take your time and sit down for a meal if you can to get in the mood and to relax first. Nonetheless, you can spend two hours just on the pier, beach and along Front Street.

Equipment

• Telephoto Lens (birds)
• Normal Lens
• CP Filter
• Fast camera with accurate focus

Fees

Avila Beach is a free slice of heaven.

Close Locations

• Point San Luis Lighthouse
• Shell Beach
• Pismo State Beach
• Guadalupe Dunes Park
• Montana de Oro State Park
• Morro Bay
• Point Sal State Park
• Santa Maria
• San Luis Obispo Mission
• La Purisima Mission
• Otters and Seals of San Simeon
• Cambria and Cayucos
• San Miguel Mission

Useful Resources

• Avila Beach Website

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Bulls Eye, San Francisco Maritime Museum

Ahoy Sailors and Photographers! Step on the historic Hyde Street Pier vessels and back in time. Discover a piece of California’s marine history at San Francisco’s Maritime National Historic Park.

San Francisco’s history is that of a seafaring people. Ships brought the first conquistadores, the gold diggers, and the settlers and hauled goods back to the old world. The Maritime Park aims to preserve this history and educate interested visitors. The easy access to these photogenic ships makes this also a prime location for photography. Even better, your fellow travelers can stay busy while you shoot a feature every travel photographer highly values.

Soak in the spirit of adventure and learn about the difficult and often romanticized lives of the sailors who roughed it around Cape Horn without our modern-day creature comforts. Marvel at the fascinating machinery of a steam tugboat over 100 years old. Tour a paddle steamer ferry that holds a surprise in its belly and see a different face of the city by the bay.

How to get there

The Maritime Museum is located on Hyde Street Pier. The visitor center is located at the intersection of Hyde Street and Jefferson Street.

If you arrive in the morning on a weekend, you can usually find free parking on Van Ness north of Bay Street.

GPS position

• 37° 48.538’N 122°25.269’W

How to photograph the San Francisco Maritime Museum

Balclutha Figurehead and Golden Gate Bridge

The large sailing vessel Balclutha, a square-rigger, is visible from many hills in the city. It is the centerpiece of the Museum and capable of luring large crowds.

Get on board of the Balclutha and discover the front and aft decks. You can find many appealing compositions with the city skyline in the background and parts of the ship in the foreground. The bow deck offers the best views. You can juxtapose the Transamerica Pyramid and the Coit Tower against the Bowsprit, the pole extending forward from the vessels prow.

Don’t forget to capture some detail shots of the moorage, anchor and ships bell.

The stern deck’s wooden planks form a perfect foreground. Using a wide-angle lens, you can augment it and include large parts of the ships rigging, giving viewers the impression of standing on board the ship themselves.

Barrels in the storage of the Balclutha

The fun doesn’t stop here. You can explore the lower decks as well, discover how the crew and the captain lived, and see how they stored cargo and kept inventory.

Photography on the lower decks is challenging due to the low light. This forces you to increase ISO speed and use wider apertures. With a wide-angle lens, you can increase your exposure time while shooting handheld and you can still achieve good depth of field with wider apertures. A lens with image stabilization is a definite advantage. Increase your ISO speed, so that you can shoot safely without getting blurry images. Noise is never as bad as blurry, unprofessionally looking images.

You are probably aware that your exposure time should be shorter than 1/(focal length) to avoid blurry pictures. I have found that you can go a bit slower, but you have to take many images. Camera shake is random in nature. When you take many images, you increase your chance of getting a steady shot. Throw away the blurry ones and keep the one good photograph.

Doors of the Hercules Tug Boat

The Hercules is a steam-powered tugboat from 1907. Its characteristic red smokestack and superstructure set it apart from similar ships. The beautifully restored boat is operational and you can tour it. Getting a good composition is difficult though. Too many other boats and the landing stage are in your way. They create cluttered compositions.

The image above is a tight composition of the doors, deliberately leaving out clutter. The bulls-eye photograph at the top of the article is another example. Old brass clocks and parts of the machinery also work well.

The Eureka, a paddle steamer ferry, holds classic trucks and cars on its lower deck. You will face similar lighting conditions as in the cargo hold of the Balclutha. Using flash, even just a hint of fill-flash, is even less desirable when you photograph old cars. Reflecting flashlight from the chrome parts can cause unsightly highlights.

Balclutha and Coit Tower

Take a stroll along the Aquatic Park Beach out towards the crescent shaped Municipal Pier. From the beach, you will have a better view of the entire Balclutha than you have from Hyde Street Pier. Continue onto the Municpal Pier to position the ships next to or against the San Francisco Skyline. The crescent shape is ideally suited for photography. You can walk further out and thus move the respective positions of skyline and ships, to line them up just the way you like it.

You will also have one of the best land-based views of Alcatraz. The long side of the prison is visible from here, making it look much more imposing than the view you see from Pier 39.

If you still have time, you should consider walking up Hyde Street for a few blocks. Between Chestnut Street and Francisco Street, at the steepest portion of Hyde Street, you will have an excellent overview of the entire Hyde Street Pier and the vessels below.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

The views with San Francisco in the background are better during the afternoon. You can get good photographs of the vessels throughout most of the day. Photograph the ships first and the views last to take advantage of the suns movement.

Time required

About 3 hours for photography, more if you also browse the museum at the visitor center and take a tour.

Equipment

• Wide-angle lens
• Image Stabilized Lens
• CP filter for outdoor shots
• Cell phone (self guided audio tours are available via a toll free number)

Fees

The entrance fee is $5. Since they are part of the National Park Service, your National Park Pass is also valid here.

The first Sunday of every month is free.

Close Locations

• Fisherman’s Wharf
• Fort Mason
• Cable Cars
• Lombard Street
• Pier 39
• Pier 7
• Coit Tower
• Fort Point
• Views of Presidio
• Presidio historic walk
• Palace of Fine Arts
• Marina and Crissy Field
• Alcatraz

Useful Resources

• NPS Website for the Maritime Museum
• Sailing Ship Terminology

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Only the advent of affordable transatlantic flights put an end to the dominance of the great ocean liners. The Queen Mary, larger and more powerful than the Titanic, crossed the Atlantic Ocean 1,001 times. During one of these crossings during World War II, she carried American Troops establishing a record of the most people ever carried on a vessel that still stands today.

Impressive size, stateliness, and scenery still characterize this impressive ship, even after its conversion into a Long Beach hotel. You can tour the ship and discover the magic of the great ocean liners, of an area where the wealthy traveled in style.

Allegedly haunted, the ship also offers a variety of ghostly encounters and tours that will let your blood freeze in your veins should you believe in such mumbo jumbo. For the rest of us, the ghostly tours are still first rate entertainment and bugbears.

Ship Ahoy skippers! Step aboard one of the last grandiose ocean liners and preserve the memory in your photographs.

How to get there

Simply take the Long Beach Freeway (710) south from Los Angeles, Highway 5, Highway 405, or Highway 10. Take exit 1A toward Queen Mary and follow the signs to Queen Mary, on Queens Highway.

GPS position

• 33°45’11.41″N 118°11’25.90″W

How to photograph the RMS Queen Mary

Queen Mary

You can see the Queen Mary from the pier, but the number of possible compositions is very limited, with no good view of the ship. The Foxtrot class submarine and the hotel additions take away from the grand appearance (see image). A better place to photograph the ship is from the long walking pier of the Marina Green Park on the opposite side of bay.

Using a wide-angle lens, I was able to incorporate the moorage of the ship to draw the viewer into the distance, toward the ship. At first glance the submarine is not visible and does not interfere much with the composition. The space between the stones and the line frames the reflection of the ship, with the image opening up toward the top, which also draws our gaze to the ship.

Swimming Pool

You can pick one of several tours. I opted for the self-guided tour, since that gave me the freedom I needed to explore the areas that interested me. This way, I could outwait any potential disturbances. The general admission includes the guided “Ghosts and Legends” tour. The tour is funny, but kept mostly in the dark. It takes you to the indoor pool (above), boiler room and forward section of the ship where you get to witness a simulated crash with water entering the ship (image below).

Simulated Accident

The lighting is very bad in those places. The pool and the water have some light, allowing you to take a couple of shots, but if photography is your main goal and your time is limited, I recommend skipping this part of the tour. In the boiler room, a simulated steam blowout surprised me, bathing my camera in a wet fog.

Engine Room Steering Wheel

Walking toward the rear of the boat, you can pick up the audio tour. However you have to surrender your ID as collateral. I usually just skip the audio tour in favor of more freedom to explore. The rear lower decks include the propeller box, anchor and engine room. In the rear part, above the engine room, we found this steering wheel hidden behind a panel of instruments. The lighting in this area of the ship requires a very high ISO setting. Avoid flash whenever you can. It produces unsightly reflections off the brass and it produces flat unnatural looks.

Ship Propellor

The propeller box is an attachment to the ship, just above the waterline, to view one of the ships massive propellers. The lights and the blue/green tint of the water produce a surreal look, causing people who enter the room to gasp. I chose to include the waterline and some of the ship above the water, to give a better perspective.

Queen Mary Bridge

The bridge of this powerful vessel is yet another fun area to explore. Countless dials and levers in brass housing, two brass wheels, and the brass audio tubes give this bridge an antique elegance. The beautiful instruments are fun to photograph.

From the starboard (right) docking wing, next to the bridge, you can see downtown Long Beach. Use the small window at the end to frame the distant Villa Riviera or photograph the long row of lifeboats.

Behind the bridge you will be able to catch a glimpse of the officers and captains quarters as well as the wireless room.

Lifeboats

The large ship has many more fascinating areas that you can explore. The Queen’s Saloon on the Promenade Deck offers a glimpse into an unimaginable world of splendor, while the Main Hall (below) could easily be located on a modern cruise liner. Each section of the ship has its own appeal, so make sure you take your time and explore each area. Don’t forget to venture into the hotel area on Deck A. The long corridors are mind boggling and provide another good and often missed photo opportunity.

Main Hall

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Since many attractions of the Queen are indoors, you can come here during any weather. Check the schedule for special events, which may limit access to some areas.

Time required

Two hours are more than enough to photograph most interesting parts of the ship. Add about 45 minutes if you take the Ghosts and Legends tour.

Equipment

• Image stabilized lens
• Wide-angle lens

Fees

Parking fees are $12. If you just came for a quick peek and can manage to leave in less than 30 minutes, you don’t have to pay. Parking for up to 1 hour is $3.

General Admission tickets are $24.95 for adults, $21.95 for seniors and $12.95 for children. This is the most economical way to see the ship. More complete packages and special haunted tours are also available.

Close Locations

• Russian Foxtrot Submarine
• Shoreline Village
• San Pedro
• Palos Verdes
• Point Vicente
• Naples Island and Belmont Shore
• Crystal Cove State Park
• Huntington Beach
• Newport Beach
• Santa Catalina Island
• Crystal Cathedral
• Disneyland
• Downtown Los Angles
• Huntington Library

Useful Resources

• Official Website
• History of the QM

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Star of India steering wheel and engraving

The San Diego Maritime Museum captivates mariners, photographers, and casual visitors alike. The impressive collection of historic vessels, the fabulous exhibits, and the premier downtown location make the museum a fantastic lifetime experience.

The museum preserves the ships in a seaworthy state and even offers the occasional cruise. You can book a harbor cruise or explore the moored ships with your camera. The excellent weather and the fantastic shooting opportunities make a trip to the museum a guaranteed success for your next shooting adventure.

Step aboard the old ships and replicas and discover the age of sail, the age of steam, and the silent submarine service era of the Cold War!

How to get there

San Diego Maritime Museum Map (click to enlarge)

The San Diego Maritime Museum is conveniently located in Downtown San Diego at 1492 North Harbor Drive. Please find parking information in the resource section below.

GPS position

• N 32° 43.248’ W 117° 10.404’

How to photograph the San Diego Maritime Museum

The Star of India

Star of India mess hall

The Star of India is the undisputed star of the museum. She is the oldest active sailing ship and dominates the pier, stretching her masts 7 meters into the sky. She started her life in 1863 as Euterpe, and later became the Star of India.

On board the Star of India, you can experience the age of sail first hand and photograph the classic ship up close.

Climb below deck to discover exhibits detailing the life on sailing vessels like the Star of India. The exhibits are interesting and educational, but they take up all space worth photographing below deck. The stern living quarters on the other hand contain the passenger quarters and the captain’s space (image above) which are preserved in their original state and very photogenic.

The best place to photograph the entire ship is from the bow area of the HMS Surprise. From there, you can position the Star of India in front of the San Diego Skyline, which looks especially spectacular during the late afternoon or early night. .

HMS Surprise

HMS Surprise Cannons

The HMS Surprise is a replica of an 18^th century Royal Navy frigate. 20^th Century Fox used the ship to film the movie “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” and then sold it to the San Diego Maritime Museum.

Below deck, you have a chance to see the expertly arranged display of cannons and the captain’s quarters. Use high ISO settings and keep from using flash to avoid unnaturally flat looking images. Crouch down beneath the canons for a better-looking perspective (image above).

Above deck, it is hard to make sense of the confusing ropes and countless props. Additionally, you have to deal with busy backgrounds. You can only isolate the ship from the pier, right in front of the bow. Place the ship to the right in your frame to keep other ships out of the picture and avoid cutting them in half at the edge of the frame.

B-39 Russian Attack Submarine

B-39 torpedo tubes

An original Soviet attack submarine, the B-39 saw active military duty for over 20 years in the North Atlantic. The crude but effective Foxtrot class ships constituted the bulk of the Soviet submarine fleet. The Russians sold the boat after the cold war and the San Diego Maritime Museum eventually acquired it, adding it to its fleet of exhibits.

The best outside view of the B-39 is from the stern of the HMS Surprise.

The inside tour is claustrophobic, but worth the hassle. Torpedo tubes, cramped living quarters, bulkhead doors, hydraulic machinery, and an astonishing amount of levers, knobs and dials paint a grim picture of submarine life and provide you with exceptional shooting opportunities.

Sometimes I did wedge into a corner to let people behind me pass by. Staying patient, in the face of potential anxiety below the water line, is worth it to get good shots.

The red battle illumination in one area of the boat helps to create the right mood in your pictures.

Steam Ferry Berkeley

Engine room of the steam ferry Berkeley

The ferry, once operating in the San Francisco Bay, now houses the Maritime Museum headquarters and museum. The restored steam engine in the bowels of the ship is the most interesting. The lighting of the huge machine is superb for photography.

Simplify your compositions! It is easy to create confusing images in this giant room filled with metal, but it is just as easy to look for simple forms, symmetries, and unusual lighting to create pleasing photographs.

Climb up to the bridge to gain an overview of the San Diego Bay, before heading over to the USS Dolphin!

USS Dolphin Deep Dive Submarine

USS Dolphin deep dive submarine

The Dolphin holds several submarine records and firsts. The most significant is the deepest submarine dive ever recorded. Although decommissioned fairly recently, the Dolphin and the B-39 Soviet submarine both were in service during the same period of the Cold War, yet the Dolphin’s crew quarters appear much more livable than those of the Soviet boat.

True to her nature as a research submarine, the Dolphin is packed with equipment.

Don’t forget to try out the periscope, it works and turns!

Smaller Boats

Californian

The Californian is the only ship to hold the title “official tall ship of the State of California.” She is a replica of a mid 19^th century cutter, a sailing ship, and was launched during the 1984 Summer Olympic Games.

The ship is cramped and hard to photograph. With a wide-angle lens, you can take a couple of decent shots under deck.

Steam Yacht Medea

The Medea is a sleek yacht built in Scotland at the turn of the last century. The stylish upscale interior and the engine are the most attractive areas on the boat.

Best Time of the Day and Best Season

Fortunately, extreme heat and rain are rare in San Diego, making a visit to the museum pleasurable throughout most of the year.

During the Festival of Sail, held every three years, all sailing vessels are sailing the bay. The star of India sails each November. A good overview location for these events is Point Loma in the southwest (see map above and photograph below). You will need a telephoto lens.

Star of India sailing

Time required

You need at least two hours to see most of the ships and skip over most of the exhibits of the museum (inside the Berkeley). Since your ticket is valid for the entire day, I recommend a morning tour and another stop just before sunset. This allows you to take advantage of the best light in all directions.

Equipment

• Wide-Angle lens
• Image Stabilized Zoom Lens

Fees

Tickets cost $14 for adults, $11 for seniors and active military personnel, and $8 for children older than 6 years.

Close Locations

• San Diego Night Tour
• Aircraft Carrier USS Midway
• Seaport Village
• Coronado Island
• Hotel del Coronado
• Santa Fe Depot
• Balboa Park
• San Diego Zoo
• Old Town
• San Diego Mission
• Point Loma
• Cabrillo NM
• Mission Bay
• Pacific Beach Crystal Pier

Useful Resources

• Official Website
• San Diego Downtown Parking Spaces

• San Diego attractions

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