Nighttime shooting is some of the most challenging yet rewarding photography there is. To see a night scene come to life is really an incredible experience.

The first stop on Aperture Academy’s "Night Owls" workshop was the Palace of Fine Arts located just outside of the Presidio. This gorgeous building looks like something straight out of Ancient Greece. When we arrived at the palace, there was still a little bit of blue left in the sky. This is my favorite time to shoot at this location because due to the complementary color scheme that is created between the deep blue sky and the warm orange lights. I gave the group some settings to try out and encouraged folks to experiment a little bit because that is the best way to grow as a photographer.

After about a half an hour or so of shooting, we packed up and headed to the famous Lombard Street switchbacks. I hiked the group down to my favorite corner and we waited for the cars to come. This is one of the most exciting stops on the workshop because each car’s headlights are different, so no two images are the same. Once the group had the opportunity to try out a few different compositions we continued on with our photographic adventure.

The luminous Bay Bridge was the next location on our itinerary. This bridge is the largest LED art installation in the world! It is by far the most iconic location in San Francisco at night! After showing the group a few things to look out for, I let them get to work at making their masterpieces.

The final stop of the night was Fort Baker. Fort Baker offers a really nice view of the Golden Gate bridge from below. Many people overlook this location but I think it's a pretty incredible view and well worth the trip to photograph it. Before long it was past our bed times and it was time to conclude the workshop back in Sausalito.

Until Next Time,

Mike and the rest of the Aperture Academy Team

P.S. If you'd like to join us at one of our workshops, you can find the schedule/sign up here.

We provide the best photography education experience on the planet -- Hear What Our Customers Say or Leave Us a Review.