Photographing San Francisco: Digital Field Guide

Chapter 19. Painted Ladies/Postcard Row

A view of the Painted Ladies taken just after sunset from Alamo Square on a clear summer evening. Taken at ISO 100, f/8, 1/13 second with a 70–200mm lens.

Why It's Worth a Photograph

The San Francisco Painted Ladies — also known as Postcard Row or the Seven Sisters — are a row of Victorian homes that have become synonymous with San Francisco. Painted Ladies, a term used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings, are known to be painted in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural details. About 48,000 of these homes were built in San Francisco between 1849 and 1915. They are not known for their beauty but rather their setting with the backdrop of downtown behind them. The view from Alamo Square is always stunning but never better than at sunrise, sunset, and dusk. The late nineteenth century architecture combined with the modern twentieth century skyline of San Francisco as a backdrop is simply stunning. This contrast between the Victorian and the Modern era makes the Painted Ladies worth a photograph. A photo at daybreak gives you a wonderfully colorful front-lit scene of the Painted Ladies and the city. A photo taken at sunset can offer you a beautiful backlit scene. And a photograph at night offers up a vibrant, dusky blue sky with the Painted Ladies and San Francisco all lit up.

Where Can I Get the Best Shot? ...