The Flickr Sanfranciscocoast Image Generatr

About

This page simply reformats the Flickr public Atom feed for purposes of finding inspiration through random exploration. These images are not being copied or stored in any way by this website, nor are any links to them or any metadata about them. All images are © their owners unless otherwise specified.

This site is a busybee project and is supported by the generosity of viewers like you.

Ocean Beach by dalecruse

Available under a Creative Commons by license

Ocean Beach

This peaceful sunset scene along San Francisco’s Ocean Beach captures the quiet majesty of the city’s western edge. A simple wooden bench sits unoccupied, facing the Pacific, framed by a bed of coastal succulents and the curved concrete sea wall that lines the Great Highway promenade. Above it all, the sky blazes in layers of amber, gold, and slate gray—painting a moody yet serene backdrop as the sun dips below the horizon.

Ocean Beach is known for its dramatic skies, chilly breezes, and broad sandy expanse that stretches more than three miles from the Cliff House to Fort Funston. This particular moment, likely captured in the Outer Sunset district, exemplifies the unique sense of solitude and space that San Francisco rarely offers elsewhere. It’s a favorite for locals who walk their dogs, meditate, or simply sit and watch the light change.

The view is timeless and cinematic—no billboards, no skyline, just surf, sky, and the echo of waves. The worn wood of the bench and salt-stained concrete suggest decades of similar sunsets, quietly witnessed by residents and visitors alike. This is the westernmost edge of the city where stories pause and contemplation begins.

Whether you're a photographer chasing light, a runner seeking rhythm, or a dreamer looking for a place to think, Ocean Beach never disappoints. And with scenes like this one, it’s easy to understand why so many San Franciscans consider it their sanctuary.

China Beach by dalecruse

Available under a Creative Commons by license

China Beach

Tucked below the cliffs of San Francisco’s Sea Cliff neighborhood, this quiet stretch of Pacific coastline is China Beach—one of the city's best-kept secrets. Nestled between the bluffs of Lands End and the mansions of Sea Cliff, China Beach offers visitors a peaceful refuge with panoramic views of the Marin Headlands, distant cargo ships, and the iconic Mile Rock Lighthouse peeking out in the surf.

Unlike the often-crowded Ocean Beach or the Golden Gate-framing Baker Beach, China Beach tends to attract locals and in-the-know travelers seeking tranquility. The small beach is sheltered by rocky cliffs and shaded by Monterey cypress, giving it a cozy, tucked-away feel even on foggy afternoons. Its namesake comes from the 1800s, when Chinese fishermen once anchored their boats here and called it home—an overlooked chapter in San Francisco’s rich maritime history.

On any given day, you might see neighbors walking their dogs, couples taking in the dramatic Pacific sunset, or children digging in the soft brown sand while ships drift silently on the horizon. Despite its seclusion, the beach is easily accessible via a short trail down from the Sea Cliff neighborhood, rewarding visitors with a quiet soundtrack of waves and seabirds.

Photographers and landscape lovers alike cherish this beach for its ever-changing skies, soft golden light, and unspoiled natural beauty. It’s one of those rare San Francisco spots where nature, history, and luxury real estate all coexist—making it a must-visit for those seeking coastal calm with a dash of exclusivity.

Photoshop Basics for Photographers Course San Francisco Coast by greslephotography

© greslephotography, all rights reserved.

Photoshop Basics for Photographers Course San Francisco Coast

Photoshop Basics for Photographers Course
San Francisco Coast
(Nucly Tutorial)
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www.GreslePhotography.com
www.facebook.com/GreslePhotography
www.facebook.com/GresleGraphics
www.instagram.com/greslephotography/
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#photoshop #GreslePhotography #GresleGraphics #create #design #tutorial #Nucly #masterclass #sanfranciscocoast #skyreplacement #protectedbypixsy

© COPYRIGHT
The work contained in my gallery is copyrighted. My work is not stock and it may not be reproduced, copied, edited, published, transmitted or uploaded in any way without my written permission.

Smoky surfing | San Francisco by kate beale

© kate beale, all rights reserved.

Smoky surfing | San Francisco

Fallout from the Northern California wildfires seen along the San Francisco coast at Ocean Beach

“Always keep it flying high in the sky 🎶” by Stephen G. Valera

© Stephen G. Valera, all rights reserved.

“Always keep it flying high in the sky 🎶”

buddy system. by kate beale

© kate beale, all rights reserved.

buddy system.

Off San Francisco, California, coast

Got the weekly recommended dose of beachtime yesterday at Fort Funston, the dog park wonderland where cute creatures heal human souls. by seanflannagan

© seanflannagan, all rights reserved.

Got the weekly recommended dose of beachtime yesterday at Fort Funston, the dog park wonderland where cute creatures heal human souls.

serenity by Chrystee G

© Chrystee G, all rights reserved.

serenity

San Francisco coast by marina wainwright

© marina wainwright, all rights reserved.

Bridge watcher by Dmitri007

© Dmitri007, all rights reserved.

Bridge watcher

Taken from Marshall beach near Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco. I had to use a slow exposure to get the nice flow on the water, but also hope my tripod would not be moved by the swarming water. This try came out right. Thank you for views and comments. All rights reserved.

Seal Rocks by m43rds

Available under a Creative Commons by-nc license

Seal Rocks

November sunrise at Golden Gate bridge by Dmitri007

© Dmitri007, all rights reserved.

November sunrise at Golden Gate bridge

Toda's sunrise from the Marina headlands lookout. It glowed nice for about 15 minutes. 4 images merged to bring out the color in this high contrast scene.

China camp rocks by Dmitri007

© Dmitri007, all rights reserved.

China camp rocks

Last month I went to the China Camp park intrigued by a couple of images of a tiny island I saw on flickr.com (example: Mike Shaw www.flickr.com/photos/75899207@N00/5971677419/
or maxxsmart www.flickr.com/photos/maxxwellsmart/6022169816/ ). The light was not all that great, and there was a boat parked right next to it, which would get in the frame. I figured it is really more of a morning shot (if you want to get the foreground rocks lit up) and was drawn to the old pier remains just around the corner. So I got stuck photographing it for a while. I had to get my rubber boots and get in the water for this one, just a little bit. Beware though, those rocks are slippery, and it is easy to lose balance if you slip. Also, it was foggy all morning, but then it started breaking up. So, I waited a little to get a piece of a blue sky into the frame just in case I do a color image. Guess what, I ended up liking the color one more, so I choose the one with a little bit of blue sky in it :) I guess you never know for sure what you will get and like in the end.
Thank you for views & comments.
Tech info:
Canon 5D mark 2
Canon 17-40 L
33mm
f16,
ISO 200
57 seconds
B+W #110 ND
Hitech 3 stop soft edge GND,
Lee filter holder

Purple fog, Sausalito CA by Dmitri007

© Dmitri007, all rights reserved.

Purple fog, Sausalito CA

Part of getting great pictures is being flexible and adjust to conditions. Last Monday there was a lot of fog and wind around San Francisco. I decided to drive to the Sausalito area to photograph these old pilings in the fog, because the city in the background would be hidden, emphasizing the foreground element. Originally I was going for a black and white image. By the time I got there and set up, it was sunset and the sky was turning purple and pink a little. I used long exposure to get a clean foreground. When I got home and checked out the images, I was surprised to see how much color from the evening sky has soaked in and colored the fog. So, I decided to have the final image processed with color to emphasize the fog that reflected the purple and pink colors of the sky above it.
Thank you for viewing and commenting.

50mm adventure #1 - pier of the China camp park, CA by Dmitri007

© Dmitri007, all rights reserved.

50mm adventure #1 - pier of the China camp park, CA

OK, here is another fruit of using B+W 10 stop ND filter. This is a picture of the pier at the China camp park. Note, if you get there and look for this angle, you will have to get under the pier and get to the right side of it. Also, do it in before 1 pm or so - this way the nice morning light lights up this side of the pier. This was actually taken way after the sunrise, around noon. See, it was cloudy all morning, and then the fog was starting to burn off, leaving nice patches of the clear sky shine through. It was also moving away, which is what gave the clouds swooshy look during the long exposure.
Tech stuff:
Single exposure, no HDR.
Canon 5D mark 2
Canon 17-40 L lens at 28mm
ISO 50
f18
Exposure - 41 seconds
B+W 10 stop ND
Hitech 3 stop soft edge GND rotated 45deg.
and, of course, rubber boots to get in the water :)

Pebbles of San Francisco by Dmitri007

© Dmitri007, all rights reserved.

Pebbles of San Francisco

I finally decided to get a 10 stop ND filter, and last Thursday it finally arrived. Originally I really wanted to give Lee's Big Stopper a shot, but after I found out about the worldwide shortage, and heard from their rep. it would take 2 months or so to get, I did not want to wait that long. So, I ended up with this one from B+W www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/752928-REG/B_W_1066186_77m...
I have their multi-coated circular polarizer and it is a very solid piece of glass. I read good reviews about it and the company has great reputation for optical glass products. Anyway, instead of shooting the full moon above the city, I headed over to the Land's End trail and down to the coast to catch a promising sunset. Ended up there 10 minutes before the sunset, so did not have much time to scout the location.
I did get a chance to try out my new toy. In fact this image was captured WITHOUT it, and I will explain why. If you want to see the very first and only shot with the new B+W 10 stop ND that took over 2 minutes and produced a nice warm color cast, go here:
500px.com/photo/1200943
I recently joined this website, and will be posting some images that are different from flickr. Please check it out and vote if you like it.
Anyhow, I set up the camera, chose a fairly balance composition and metered the scene without the 10 stop ND filter. Then I used an iPhone up called NDcalc (link: itunes.apple.com/us/app/ndcalc/id300699192?mt=8 ) to calculated the exposure time with the BG (black glass). I ended up with 140 sec. at ISO 50, f16. I also used a 4 stop Hitech GND filter to tame the sky brightness a little. I made the exposure, while patiently waiting for the camera to capture the image, while being nervous because I am loosing the sun light. The image came out good, just a tad underexposed. I decided to take the filter off and shoot without it, because very long exposures like that means fewer captures, so less chance of a cool shot. Do not get me wrong, I do like the effect a lot, but figure I need more practice to make sure I get good shots and not waste precious time to screw around with the filter and exposure time calculations and trials. So, I only took one shot with it and it has a totally different feeling than this one. Check it out at 500px.com - look for DmitriFominphotography.
Thank you for viewing.

PS - Canon 5d mark 2, Canon 17-40 L lens at 20mm, ISO 320, f14, 0.8 sec., Lee filter holder, Hitech 1.2 (4 stop) soft edge GND. No CPolarizer. Also, not that I bumped up ISO to 320, because I wanted to shorten the shutter speed to around half a second, with small aperture.

headed home by Kim_13_

© Kim_13_, all rights reserved.

headed home

IMG_1218_72 by kirgamby

© kirgamby, all rights reserved.

IMG_1218_72

Coast in fog above San Francisco.

On Top of the World by pollydanger

© pollydanger, all rights reserved.

On Top of the World

Rugged SF Coastline by K. Menzel Photography ( on and off)

© K. Menzel Photography ( on and off), all rights reserved.

Rugged SF Coastline

What I love so much about San Francisco is the diversity, from Cityscape views to rugged coastlines to gorgeous hiking trails along the pacific Ocean, to gorgeous Golden Gate Park, to quaint European streets lined with gorgeous Victorians, I fell in love with this city when I moved here 27 years ago, and continue to love it just as much, if not more so all of these years later. This city never ceases to amaze me, and I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to live here for as long as I have. I will forever have left my heart in San Francisco. This shot was taken at Point Lobos, the pacific side of SF. Shot with my old Canon Point and Shoot!
To all of my regular contacts, if I have missed some shots or have commented less please forgive me, I have had a touch of the flu therefore much less energy than normal and am pretty much "out of it" LOL
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