Location Suggestions
Here my suggestions when thinking about a location for a family session:
* Your home – Always better than you think. The little ones are usually more relaxed in their home and surrounded by their toys. Plus there is usually a window or two with nice light so there are more mid-day options. Messes and size don’t matter as much as you think. Some of my best pictures of my son come from my one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco.
* Playgrounds – Ideal for action shots and catching them while playing. Need a combination of sun and shade so there are options for different times of the day. If you are looking for playgrounds, check out the Golden Gate Mothers Group List.
* Parks – With parks like Presidio, McLaren, Beuna Vista, Glen Canyon and Golden Gate just a few minutes from anywhere in San Francisco you have some amazing choices. Since these really arean’t “play” these make for great shots of the family walking and playing together.
* Beaches - Three main beach options in San Francisco – Crissy Field, Baker and Ocean. All gorgeous in their own right. Best for sunset/evening shots.
Panhandle Playground
For anyone that lives in the Haight/Nopa/Western Addition/USF Area, I’m sure you are familiar with the rather infamous Panhandle Playground. The playground itself isn’t bad with sand, a couple play structures and swings. Bonus points for being fenced which helps contain the little ones. Biggest challenge with the playground is that is attracts some unsavory characters in the forms of rodents and folks that have done seriously same hard living. Best I can tell is that they are attracted to left over baby food. Good reason to head the “pick up your food” sign at the gate. Fortunately, there is an active parents groups that keeps a watchful eye on the playground.
The park is the great light this time of year. Lots of shadows and reflections from the buildings, play structures and trees but enough light gets through to keep the photographer happy. Right now you can shoot almost all day but the best times would be in the 9-11 and 2:30-4:30 range. Spend some time in the play area and them roam around the grass and trees.
These shots are from a trip with Lucius and his nanny share buddies Laura and Blake. Laura definitely has her hands full with these little ones. The little, little one is Weston – he was there for the first time with his dad Gary and was quite intrigued by the camera.
Samples below and all photos here (don’t miss the dog at the end).
Lucius and Bern at the Bay Area Discovery Musem
Spent the afternoon at the Bay Area Discovery Museum with Lucius and his good friend Bern. What a great place – lots of rooms, trees, and mazes to explore. The various educational rooms are awesome, but Lucius loves the outdoor area in the back. He and Bern spent a good couple hours rolling the trucks, climbing the stump stairs, and exploring the maze. Definitely worth a trip whenever possible.
Photographically speaking, the shadows, the reflections and high octane children make for a challenging place to shoot. But definitely worth it. There are so many opportunities to catch a great smile or expression as the little ones run, jump and explore.
Not really a place for a family shoot but ideal for a play group, a couple of friends or siblings.
A few samples below and all photos are here.
Alamo Square
Alamo Square is best known for the Painted Ladies, incredible city views and loads of dogs. I’d been there a million times and never noticed the playground nestled between the trees and the tennis courts. There are two play structures, a couple swing sets, and plenty of things to explore. Also, all the parents I met were super friendly and I met a friend that I hadn’t seen in over 10 years. Definitely worth checking out.
Photographically speaking, Alamo square is a gold mine. If you can get there for the afternoon light there is plenty of options – playing on the swings, strolling along the paths and sitting in the grass. These shots are all of Lucius. I have more of another family but I’m waiting for their permission before posting the pictures.
Enjoy.
Julius Kahn
Nestled between Pac Heights and the Presidio, Julius Kahn is another gem of of a playground with two large play structures, a large spinning tree, swings, sand, tennis and basketball courts, a grassy field and a club house you can rent for birthdays and other parties. The playground is in a dip of sorts and surrounded by trees which makes it a bit difficult for lighting. Hard to get early morning or late night light. Good news is that the structures and trees make for enough shaded areas that you can still get nice shots of kids in action.
Here are a few samples…
Alta Plaza Park
Located at the top of Alta Plaza Park is a great playground complete with sand box, mechanical “digger” arm, and slide structures for little and not so little ones. Alta Plaza Park is in Pac Heights between Jackson and Clay at Steiner. Beautiful views and if you are feeling the need for the a little heavy breathing, running the stairs makes for a memorable workout.
Loads of different places for photo shoots. I’ve only been there twice with a camera and that is no were near enough time to go through every area. A couple places I liked:
* Tree line above the play ground – nice for mid day shots since the light reflects off of the playground into the trees. Makes for a nice reflector.
* Any of the stairs with the sky line in the background – needs to be shot at in the last couple hours before sunset. That would light up their faces and the skyline
Have fun and good luck.
Crissy Field Photos
Hard to believe its only been 10 years since Crissy Field went through an amazing transformation from air field to grassy mecca. I’m sure many people share my sentiment and can’t imagine San Francisco without the amazing views, great running path and endless possibilities at Crissy Field. It’s a special place for sure.
And a great place for photos. Early morning, late afternoon, mid-day – you can get great shots any time of the day. Here are a few samples.
