Some of the best hangs for engagement photos in San Francisco*
If you haven’t already checked it out, I have a guide on what to expect and how to plan engagement sessions down below. While this list does select a few of my favorite nooks and crannies San Francisco has to offer, I always advise people to stay true to their own lives and stories. Shooting in and around your own neighborhoods/homes will memorialize your lives much better than a jaunt in a space you rarely go to. If you aren’t from the area and want to explore anyway, I’m always happy to play tour guide. I hope you find this little list helpful in whichever way it can, go be tourists in a place I love!
1. Horseshoe bay
Horseshoe bay offers the opposing view of the Golden Gate, pointed out toward the ocean. It’s a small area that can be explored in 30 minutes or so, with a large parking lot and easy access to the beach and piers. This spot tends to be a bit quieter than any of the more popular tourist areas for viewing the bridge. It’s a unique marina space with a sweeping background. There is very little overhead coverage, everything will be in bright light so plan your shoot for earlier or later in the day. Sausalito is just north, offering a quintessential CA downtown beach front location, great for wandering and taking photos with a more upscale feel.
2. Marin Headlands
One of the best spots to get good views of the Bay Area in its entirety is the Marin headlands. This area is huge, and obviously not in the city, though it does deserve a mention since you can cross the Golden Gate Bridge and find a million overlooks very quickly, climbing all the way up to the tip of Mt. Tamalpais. Essentially anywhere you pull off the road will have decent spots, though some of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge are from Eagle’s Point. some honorable mentions in this are Kirby Cove and Black Sands Beach. Coming from the city you’ll want to exit on Alexander Ave, it comes up quick once you cross the bridge so stay aware!
3. Bakers beach
Bakers Beach is P-O-P-U-L-A-R. There’s very few times when the beach isn’t crowded with people, though it’s an easy trek up into some of the bluffs just south of the golden gate. From there you can see little pockets of the bridge, obscured by a low forest of gorgeous Monterey Cypresses. Since this is on the west side of the city sunset here is unobstructed (if the fogs haven’t rolled in). It’s a great spot to finish a session, especially as the bridge looks beautiful when lit up at night.
4. Crissy field
Crissy field is a long stretch of land just to the east of the bridge. I love this area, it feels like stepping back in time to the early 1900s in San Francisco. A forest of eucalyptus backs the beachfront views, with the San Francisco city skyline peaking around a corner and the Marin headlands rolling across the bay. This area offers a lot of opportunities for a unique variety of photos; nature and urban infrastructure blended in complimentary ways.
5. Pier 7
Pier 7 is the less popular little brother of pier 39. Honestly, I hope it stays that way forever. With a view of treasure island and the bay bridge it’s a quiet, calm space when the sun starts to go down. There are so few people on this pier each time I go, which is incredible seeing as there are views in 360* around you. As the skyline lights up so do the streetlamp along the pier, creating some fun lighting both in the foreground and the background.
6. Conservatory of flowers
Golden Gate Park is much larger than it appears on a map. This well designed city park has an assortment of hidden away gems, though my favorite would be the conservatory of flowers. With free admissions on Tuesday it’s much more relaxed than you might think, with aisles of flowers for wandering and benches for taking a quiet moment to yourself. It doesn’t hurt that each room has a different feel, ranging from the tropics to the desert. The exterior of this building is classic, reminiscent of the world fair.
7. Financial District
The Financial District is a standard fare downtown area, pockmarked with alleys and parks alike. If you know a few things you can make it to the rooftop gardens on some buildings, sneaking away from the busy city streets below. Otherwise, it’s time to search for some sunbeams passing through skyscrapers. Since the towering buildings block much of the light once the sun gets lower this is a great space to start a session earlier in the day. Visually there are sharp clean lines intersecting with shadows everywhere, it’s a fun place to get some more creative portraits.
8. the Mission
The Mission is a busy busy space, streets are crowded and traffic is heavy. If you get slightly off the beaten path however there are an assortment of storefronts, street art, and alleys made for photos. Clarion Alley’s mural project makes for different backdrops every ten feet, there’s something creative and fun both in the day and night everywhere you look.
9. The Dogpatch
The Dogpatch is located right next to some of the old San Francisco shipyards. There’s a few newly renovated parks in the area, though the real treasure is the assortment of old buildings mixed with new. Brick facades are found everywhere, while the city bumps right up against the ocean. Since this area is so hilly it’s easy to climb up a bit and get some street views of the city. This is a neighborhood space that shows off San Francisco a bit further away from the city center.
10. Bernal heights
Bernal Heights is one of the many large lumps of ground found across San Francisco. This particular lump overlooks the Dogpatch and much of the city. While it is a bit further from the main city space it offers some stunning views, along with a very cute swing spot. These swings can be found throughout San Francisco, but this one tends to be my favorite.
