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Thread: Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Verona, Italy
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    Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

    Hi everybody,
    I`m in the States for my honeymoon.
    We are three, actually: my wife, my 4x5" camera and me.
    Next week we`ll be in San Francisco, then fly to Maine and drive down to New York (where we`ll spend a week).
    Here`s my question: are there any particular restrictions on taking pictures with a tripod in public places, in SF or NY? I mean, for example in Italy you cannot use tripods into railway stations... Any similar silly rules in SF or NY? Anything I should know?
    Many thanks in advance!
    Giovanni

    p.s. Just been in the Death Valley: what a great place! if only survival time under a dark cloth was more than 2 seconds, over there...

  2. #2
    Drew Wiley
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    SF Bay area, CA
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    18,337

    Re: Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

    I'm not aware of any restrictions per se. On busy sidewalks in some neighborhoods
    like Chinatown it would be quite difficult not to have your gear bashed unless you
    were working early morning or at night. And sometimes you get someone lecturing
    you not to do this or that. But around the Presidio, Park areas, or Beach you should
    have no problem. Don't forget to cross the Golden Gate bridge to the Marin headlands - once you get past the usual crunch or Bridge photograhers you'll have
    some elbow room.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Re: Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

    Thank you Drew,
    I appreciate that.

  4. #4
    Louie Powell's Avatar
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    Sep 2003
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    Saratoga Springs, NY
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    Re: Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

    Giovanni -

    First - congratulations on your marriage, and on finding a wife who would allow you to take your LF camera along on your honeymoon.

    OK - I live in New York, and I was photographing in San Francisco last week with my 4x5 camera. The bottom line is that there generally aren't a lot of restrictions, and those that are pertain mainly to the concern that the tripod could create a hazard for folks walking around you as your are photographing.

    I photographed extensively at Fort Point with my 4x5 two weeks ago today - a few tourists were surprised to see that camera, but it didn't seem to be at all unusual for the folks who actually work at the Fort. Likewise at Point Lobos State Reserve a few days later, and also in the Carmel Mission.

    I have also done some street photography in both San Francisco and Boston using the large camera with no restrictions. In fact, I would have to say that rather than being restrained by prohibitions on the use of a tripod, I was more self-restrained out of concern that someone might knock over my tripod.

    In New York City, there are restrictions on the use of a tripod on sidewalks - again, the concern is that the sidewalks are very congested. But that's as much a matter of common sense as it is regulation. If you are in a public park (Central Park, Union Square, Washington Square) and step off into the grass (provided you don't step into an areas that fenced off to protect the grass), I don't think anyone will bother you.

    You will occasionally find places that have no-tripod rules. Usually (but not always) those rules are posted on the web site. Many museums forbid tripods, and not far from where I am, Fort Ticonderoga doesn't allow tripods. Do a little advance research, and then follow the rules. Any by the way, it doesn't hurt to ask - we visited Filoli (just south of San Francisco) a couple of years ago, and I had seen a notice on their web site that tripods weren't allowed. But my wife wasn't satisfied, and asked - and it turns out they had changed their rules. In fact, the change was so recent that some of their staff didn't even know about the change.

    Enjoy your honeymoon!

  5. #5

    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    nyc
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    498

    Re: Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

    in nyc:

    there is plenty to shoot in nyc. some places are less crowded and easier to shoot on weekends. for instance: downtown (wall street canyons), midtown (flat iron building, empire state building), and dumbo in brooklyn (between manhattan and brooklyn bridges).

    other places are less crowded and easier to shoot during the week: central park and coney island.

    any of the places i mentioned can be gotten to using mass transportation. if you have a car, you can explore areas outside of manhattan.

    don't worry about using a tripod. it is usually not a problem.

  6. #6
    Eric Woodbury
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
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    1,637

    Re: Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

    I have had no problems in SF except in the plaza of one building. I had moved off the sidewalk onto the building property and I was quickly asked to move off their property and onto the sidewalk. No biggie. Lots of buildings to go around.

    Sunday morning in the biz district and you have it to your self. Have fun.
    my picture blog
    ejwoodbury.blogspot.com

  7. #7
    Is that a Hassleblad? Brian Vuillemenot's Avatar
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    Jan 2002
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    Marin County, California
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    837

    Re: Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

    I've never had any problems shooting LF in SF, but I usually shoot at dusk/early night when the light is right. I recommend shooting off the end of the many piers on the east side of the city (NOT Peir 39, which is a tourist trap, but Peir 29 or something like that) for a view of the skyline and interesting architecture. On top of Twin Peaks is another great spot to get a panoramic night shot of not just the city, but the bay and looking off into Oakland as well. And to shoot the GG bridge, the Marin Headlands on the north side of the bridge has some great sites to photgraph from.

    I did have a friend who tried to set up his Hassleblad at the base of the Trans-America building and was hassled by rent-a-cop not to take pictures, but that's never happened to me. I've taken plenty of shots of that building (SF's tallest and most famous, that is an elongated 4-sided pyramid that tapers to a point), just from farther away.
    Quote Originally Posted by Giovanni Peretti View Post
    Hi everybody,

    p.s. Just been in the Death Valley: what a great place! if only survival time under a dark cloth was more than 2 seconds, over there...
    Survival time is considerable longer in the Fall/Winter or early Spring. I usually go the week between Christmas and New Year's- the weather and lighting conditions are ideal- a fantastic way to end the year. Trying to shoot an LF camera in Death Valley in July or August may well be suicidal...
    Brian Vuillemenot

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Re: Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

    Thanks guys!
    Louie, actually I didn`t tell my wife about the view camera, it was my little surprise. She`s so patient anyway, she doesn`t mind waiting for my polaroids to develop even in the Death Valley (developing time is VERY short over there, anyway).
    Pete, Eric, thanks for the tips. Notes taken! In fact I`d love to take some night photography, maybe in the Big Sur. We`ll see.
    Brian, thank you too. Jokes apart, I HAVE taken some LF photos in the Death Valley. After focusing under the dark cloth I looked like the Elephant Man.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Jun 2002
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    9,487

    Re: Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

    Good luck combining your photography with your honeymoon. That is probably a larger challenge than using the tripod.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
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    2,474

    Re: Shooting LF in San Francisco and New York

    Quote Originally Posted by Giovanni Peretti View Post
    Hi everybody,
    I`m in the States for my honeymoon.
    We are three, actually: my wife, my 4x5" camera and me.
    ...
    Quote Originally Posted by Giovanni Peretti View Post
    ...
    Louie, actually I didn`t tell my wife about the view camera, it was my little surprise.
    ...
    Hmm. Happy honeymoon...!

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