Seal Rocks at Ocean Beach

I took this photo of Seal Rocks at Ocean Beach on the terrace next to the Camera Obscura & Holograph in San Francisco. There are a few ways to get to this location, but I recommend driving. First, park along any of the many parking spots along Point Lobos Ave. Then head south along the building and onto the concrete balcony. Seal Rocks will be directly west into the ocean when you stand on the concrete balcony. Direct your model to go down to the shore and reference the GPS coordinates to stand in the same place I did to get this west-facing perspective.

You can photograph Seal Rocks at Ocean Beach during any month of the year. Before visiting, be mindful of and try to avoid fog, which can roll in any time of year—especially in the summer. Fog will make this composition difficult because it always hits this part of San Francisco first.

During sunset, the sun will dip behind Seal Rocks, creating some nice dynamic lighting conditions.

Do not leave anything in your car when you park. Break ins are common in San Francisco, especially in this area.

I recommend using a wide-angle lens to photograph a similar perspective of Ocean Beach.

You can also shoot with a telephoto lens, which can be used to capture how long the beach is as it extends south down the coast.

Bring a friend with you to have a prominent focal point in the shot. It'll also add a sense of symmetry to place them in the middle of the photo.

Look for other rocks to use as foreground to frame your image.

Check out Sutro Baths, which is a 19th century-built public bathhouse that's now in ruins. It's just north of Seal Rocks and can be visited any day of the week.