I lived in San Francisco for eight years. Eight years of working in the city, seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, but not appreciating it for what it was. I didn’t know much about Battery Spencer, and, frankly, I never went.
It took moving to Australia and flying back on a work trip to finally do it.
The Friend Who Made It Happen
I’d stayed in touch with a mate from the BMW car club I was part of back in my San Francisco days. A chef, a photographer, and just generally a good human being. The kind of person who, when you’re back in town for a few days and mention you’ve never been to Battery Spencer, says, ‘Let’s go tonight.’ He’s since visited me in Australia. He’s one of those guys you can not talk to for a while, but when you do, you’re right back to where you left off.
So we went out of our way. It was a work trip, and I’d actually left my tripod at home. We drove across the bridge, wound up Conzelman Road into the Marin Headlands, and parked around the corner in the dark.
The Moment It Hit Me
I didn’t expect much from the walk up. It’s not far from the car park to the overlook, just a short climb in the dark towards the old battery walls. But somewhere along that path, the top of one of the Golden Gate’s towers started to appear over the edge of the battery in front of us. Just the tip of it at first, glowing orange against the night sky.
That was the moment. Not through a viewfinder. Not on a screen in the edit. Just there, on foot, in the dark, watching one of the world’s most iconic structures reveal itself over a wall I’d never bothered to walk up to in eight years of living so close.
Getting the Shot Without a Tripod
The view from the top is everything the reputation promises. The full span of the bridge, the city glowing behind it, the bay stretching out below. I set up and realised immediately that without a tripod, a long exposure was going to require some creative thinking.
I found a flat section of the old battery wall and used it as a makeshift support. Camera balanced, remote trigger, thirty seconds of exposure. The light trails from the cars crossing the bridge streaked orange across the frame. The city settled into a warm glow behind. Stars appeared in the upper right corner that I hadn’t even noticed were there.
Sometimes the constraints make the shot. I’m not sure I’d have found that particular angle if I’d been fussing with a tripod.
Eight Years Too Late. Worth Every Minute.
The drive back across the bridge that night, I kept thinking about how close this had always been. The same bridge I’d crossed countless times before, but not appreciating it for what it was.
If you’re in San Francisco, visiting or living there, go to Battery Spencer. Cross the bridge northbound, take the Alexander Avenue exit, and follow Conzelman Road up into the headlands. Go at night. Bring a tripod, or find a wall.
And if you’ve been meaning to go for eight years, don’t wait for a work trip to make it happen.
Photography Notes
- Long exposure: 30 seconds captures the light trails from bridge traffic and lets the city glow settle into the frame
- No tripod: Find a flat, stable surface. The battery walls work well. A remote shutter release or self-timer prevents camera shake
- Timing: Blue hour gives you residual sky colour. Full dark gives you the city lights at their brightest. Both are worth trying and both have fantastic results.
- Lens: Wide angle to capture the full span of the bridge and the skyline behind it
