Leaving San Francisco
离别旧金山
Dejando a San Francisco
Leaving San Francisco — this image was captured from a harbor tour boat departing San Francisco on June 6, 2025, just after we crossed beneath the Bay Bridge. It was that rare moment when the sun broke through heavy clouds and fog, casting a warm farewell light over the city skyline. As people continue leaving San Francisco due to high living costs and shifting lifestyles, this photo quietly echoes that motion — both literal and emotional. 离别旧金山 — 这张照片拍摄于2025年6月6日，从奥克兰港口游船离开时拍下。正当我们穿过海湾大桥，阳光穿透厚厚的云层与雾气，洒在城市天际线上，像是一次温柔的告别。在高昂生活成本和生活方式转变下，越来越多的人离开旧金山，这张照片以一种安静的方式捕捉了那份离去的情绪，无论是身体上的，还是心理上的。 Dejando San Francisco — esta imagen fue tomada desde un barco turístico saliendo del SAN Francisco el 6 de junio de 2025, justo cuando cruzábamos bajo el Puente de la Bahía. Fue ese momento raro en que el sol rompió entre las nubes y la niebla, iluminando la ciudad con una luz cálida de despedida. A medida que más personas abandonan San Francisco debido al alto costo de vida y los cambios en el estilo de vida, esta foto refleja silenciosamente ese movimiento — tanto físico como emocional.Photo Details
- Date: June 6, 2025
- Location: San Francisco skyline, viewed from Port of Oakland harbor tour
- Camera: iPhone 16 Pro Max (Live Photo with Long Exposure effect)
- Theme: Light and Shadows / Urban Mood / Transition
Creative Process
The photo was taken using the iPhone’s Live Photo mode. From that single moment, I applied the built-in Long Exposure effect to create silky water movement without blurring the skyline — a workaround made necessary by shooting from a moving boat.
In Photoshop Elements, I merged the long exposure water and skyline into one composition. Using the Free Transform tool, I compressed the water to take up roughly one-third of the frame, reinforcing a more cinematic composition. The final polish came in ON1 Photo RAW, where I denoised and sharpened the skyline, preserving clarity in the architectural lines while softening digital noise.
Light, Mood & Intention
- Lighting: Golden-hour sun filtered through fog, creating glowing highlights and long shadows
- Mood: Reflective, cinematic, transitional — a gentle departure filled with softness and space
- Symbolism: The ripple left by the boat acts as a leading line and metaphor for leaving behind the city
San Francisco: A City in Transition
As our boat drifted away from the Oakland port, I couldn’t help but reflect on how many others are also leaving the Bay Area—each for their own reasons. In recent years, San Francisco has experienced significant population shifts. Between April 2020 and July 2024, the metro area saw a net loss of approximately 147,000 residents, driven largely by domestic outmigration. However, international immigration added around 179,000 new residents, helping stabilize the overall numbers.
In 2023 alone, San Francisco’s population declined by about 1,086 residents—a 0.13% decrease. Meanwhile, surrounding Bay Area counties such as Alameda and Contra Costa saw modest growth.
According to Redfin’s 2023 Q3 migration report, nearly 24% of local home-seekers were looking to move out of San Francisco. The most popular destinations included Sacramento and Seattle, highlighting a continuing trend toward more affordable or spacious living environments.
“If San Francisco could talk, it would quote Mark Twain: ‘The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.’” — Ali Mafi, San Francisco Redfin Premier Agent
Source: Redfin Q4 2023 Migration Report, U.S. Census Bureau, and Bay Area regional data (2020–2025).
Reflections
This image became more than a photo — it tells a quiet story. As more people consider leaving San Francisco behind for economic, personal, or cultural reasons, this photograph captures that in-between moment. The skyline remains radiant but distant, softened by atmosphere and motion. It’s both an homage and a goodbye.
Post-Processing Summary
- iPhone Live Photo → Long Exposure effect via Photos app
- Photoshop Elements: Merged layers, transformed composition, tone adjustments
- ON1 Photo RAW: Sharpening and noise reduction for clarity and mood
What I’d Try Next
- Shooting from a stable location to attempt a true long exposure with a tripod
- Exploring ON1 layers to enhance storytelling elements
- Adding more foreground details like boat structure or reflections
Inspiration & Influence
This piece draws from the moody fogscapes of Michael Shainblum and the visual language of film. Shainblum is known for his ethereal cityscapes and fog-drenched time-lapses of San Francisco, blending technical excellence with cinematic mood. I’ve been exploring how mobile photography, when treated with the same care as DSLR work, can deliver stories with cinematic depth and emotional nuance.
Tags: Leaving San Francisco, Bay Area Photography, San Francisco Skyline, Urban Departure, Fog Photography, iPhone Long Exposure, Cinematic Mood, ON1 Photo RAW, Photoshop Elements, Light and Shadows, Harbor Tour Photography
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Perplexity Review Summary
Sharing a quick AI-powered evaluation from Perplexity:
“A compelling blend of photography, personal reflection, and technical insight… capturing the bittersweet feeling of departure and the city’s ever-changing identity.”
It highlighted the cinematic mood, emotional resonance, and detailed workflow — and suggested adding more personal or historical city context in future posts.
Appreciated the thoughtful take — always open to thoughts and conversation below.
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