San Francisco
By Don Scott
Three times a year I travel from my home in Tucson, Arizona to San Francisco, California. In my city, there are two main streets in the downtown area. Sometimes, especially when the summer daytime temperatures are over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, there aren't many people on the streets. San Francisco, on the other hand, has many streets and they are usually teeming with people. In the morning, down in the financial district when people are walking to their offices, there are more people on one street corner than are on the downtown streets of Tucson at any given time.
San Francisco is a street photographer's paradise. The architecture is a mixture of modern buildings and historic buildings. Over 80% of the buildings in San Francisco were destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and the fires that followed it. Some buildings built in the mid-1800s still stand today.
There is such a wide variety of people on the streets. There are tourists from all over the world. As I walk around the city I hear people speaking in many different languages.
Each morning I set out from my hotel, camera in hand. I have breakfast at a small cafe and then hit the street. I usually walk down to Powell Street. This street has a major line of the famous San Francisco Cable Cars. These cars have been operating since 1873. Powell Street is usually filled with tourists. It is one of my favorite spots for photos.
I walk down Powell Street to Market Street. Market Street has a long history going back to 1847. Market street is very wide. This is typical of streets constructed around this time in the western part of the United States. Wide streets allowed horse-drawn wagons to turn around easily.
Today Market Street is a thriving main artery of the city. I walk up and down this busy street looking for interesting scenes. The street is usually filled with tourists from around the world. Market Street has a wide variety of parades throughout the year, such as the St Patrick's Day parade and the San Francisco Pride Parade. I love the atmosphere that surrounds the Pride Parade. There is a palpable feeling of joy and acceptance in the air.
As I walk I am often struck by the disparity between the Haves and the Have-nots in San Francisco. The wealthy and the poor pass each other on the sidewalk every day. San Francisco, like many major cities, has many homeless people. It is not uncommon to see a homeless person on the sidewalk outside of stores such as Dior
I have noticed a lot of disparity between the Haves and the Have-nots in San Francisco. The wealthy and the poor pass each other on the sidewalk every day.
On some of my trips to San Francisco, I have visited their Museum of Modern Art. This museum allows visitors to take photos of the art. Many museums do not allow cameras. I can roam the museum freely, my camera out and ready.
I have found many quirky scenes in San Francisco. Serendipitous moments that are humorous or puzzling.
