Top 5 places to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge

The secret to getting great photographs of the bridge is finding interesting points of view. Here are five location-aware tips of places to help you see the bridge in a new way, and come home with better photos. The original list of tips is set up on Foursquare and is visible in the mobile app whenever you are near each location. You can add them to your 4SQ to-do list using your phone or by clicking the “save” button” next to the location title on this web page. You can also of course checkin to the location.

If you complete the tip, i.e. take the photograph, then you can mark it as done and it shows up on your profile seen by your friends. Foursquare also tracks how many people list and complete each tip and the once most followed are more prominently displayed. Users can also “follow” the entire list and share it with their friends.

Golden Gate Bridge

When walking across the bridge be sure to look up and explore different angles of the towers and cables. You’ll find lots of intriguing compositions and abstracts. Early evening the light is best.

Hawk Hill, Marin Headlands

To get the bridge with the city of San Francisco in the background, pull over about half way up Conzelman Road. There’s one spot where the Trans America Pyramid lines up with the North Tower.

Fort Point National Historic Site

This Civil War fort offers a unique view from directly underneath the bridge. The intricate girders contrast with the historic brickwork. Shoot in the late afternoon from the top level.

Marshall Beach

To get the classic shot of the bridge from the ocean side, park at Baker Beach and walk along the shore to Marshall Beach, where you can frame the scene with surf on the rocks in the foreground.

Berkeley waterfront

In the winter you can get a great shot of the sunset behind the Golden Gate Bridge. You’ll need a long lens and a tripod. Move back and forth until you get a pleasing composition.

If you like these and are interesting in additional photo tips, or just want to connect on Foursquare you’ll find me at @davidsanger