Robert Coleman
July 2025 - San Francisco Skyline at Night
Original
About the Image(s)
This was shot from our hotel window. I was traveling without a tripod, so I balanced the camera on top of a suitcase and used the camera’s timer to get the shot. I tried multiple shots at different exposures. This shot was the best of the series.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor Z 24-200 at 52 mm. 1/8 sec, f/8.0, and ISO 12800. Sharpening and noise reduction in DxO Photolab 8 and further editing in Lightroom.
11 comments posted
Robert, I think you made some wise decisions when you took this photo. The use of the suitcase and timer, plus the high ISO and slow shutter speed made the most of the distant bright lights of the city. I appreciate your cropping out the foreground building and creating a more panoramic view. The blue tower becomes the center of interest for me. Nice job with this nighttime scene, Robert. Posted: 07/05/2025 22:38:09
Thanks! Posted: 07/07/2025 17:47:47
Robert,
I an a nearby resident of San Francisco, so I have seen many night shots of the city. You have done your best taken from where you were and cropping out the stuff on the left was crucial. I am wondering why there are so few lights defining the city, usually you can catch more windows lighted. That next time you go to SF, try shooting earlier in the evening when there is still the blue light. . The building with the blue is the Salesforce Building which is th tallest in SF. Maybe cropping in even more would brighten out more lights. As is, the photo looks a little soft to me, but my eyesight is not good, so it could be that Posted: 07/07/2025 17:45:17
I an a nearby resident of San Francisco, so I have seen many night shots of the city. You have done your best taken from where you were and cropping out the stuff on the left was crucial. I am wondering why there are so few lights defining the city, usually you can catch more windows lighted. That next time you go to SF, try shooting earlier in the evening when there is still the blue light. . The building with the blue is the Salesforce Building which is th tallest in SF. Maybe cropping in even more would brighten out more lights. As is, the photo looks a little soft to me, but my eyesight is not good, so it could be that Posted: 07/07/2025 17:45:17
Thanks. A little tighter crop on the Salesforce building. I'll try your suggestion to take the shot earlier in the evening the next time. My son and his wife live there. Posted: 07/07/2025 17:50:50
Robert, I like this tighter crop that you did. It draws attention to the color of the lights. Posted: 07/13/2025 20:06:25
Thanks. I couldn't decide which image to submit. Glad that you like the tighter crop on the Salesforce tower. Posted: 07/14/2025 23:10:48
Nice job Robert. I like the overall feel of the photo and your crop is spot on. A great night shot. Andres Posted: 07/10/2025 23:06:07
Thanks Posted: 07/14/2025 23:11:03
Robert, I like taking photos from hotel windows....sometimes the best views can be captured. I really appreciate the tighter crop version. The focus is on the Salesforce building and there is also so much more detail that comes out such as the street with lights on the left. and I can see into the lit windows of the buildings in the foreground which tells a story of living in the city. Very nice capture. Posted: 07/15/2025 23:07:54
Thank you! Posted: 07/15/2025 23:28:43
Hi Robert,
The San Francisco skyline at night is beautiful! The tallest building with the blue top floor immediately draws my eyes there and captures my attention.
I agree with other comments that a tighter crop would make the image stronger. If you plan to do a night shot again, I'd recommend to capture it at the blue hour so that the buildings stand out more from the background, and with a small aperture (F16) to get more depth of field for the scene. Nice shot! Posted: 07/19/2025 22:13:46
The San Francisco skyline at night is beautiful! The tallest building with the blue top floor immediately draws my eyes there and captures my attention.
I agree with other comments that a tighter crop would make the image stronger. If you plan to do a night shot again, I'd recommend to capture it at the blue hour so that the buildings stand out more from the background, and with a small aperture (F16) to get more depth of field for the scene. Nice shot! Posted: 07/19/2025 22:13:46