Bay to Breakers ‘24.
The annual Bay to Breakers race was this past weekend, which is always a vibe to either participate in or just as a spectator. For those of you that aren’t familiar with the event, Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace in San Francisco, California typically on the third Sunday of May. The phrase "Bay to Breakers" reflects the fact that the race starts at the northeast end of the downtown area a few blocks from The Embarcadero and runs west through the city to finish at the Great Highway.
Shot on Fujifilm XT-30II, XF 16mm F/1.4.
The race distance is 12K, which is about 7.5 miles. Bay to Breakers is the Bay Area’s Runners’ Holiday. For those of you that hate running, just like I do, don’t worry, this isn’t like an intimidating and crazy serious run; though there are people that take this event seriously. This event is more of a party and festival. I did this event maybe twice as an “illegal” and unregistered runner. You can pretty much just hop in and join in on the fun. There is tons of drinking, music pumping, and just all out fun. Unfortunately, this year I did not participate, which I really actually wanted to. But, my friends were running it, so I got to show up and meet them at the finish line party to give them my moral support and consume all the free booze.
Shot on Fujifilm XT-30II, XF 16mm F/1.4.
The main thing I wanted to focus on and practice was asking people if I could take their photos. As an aspiring Street Photographer or anyone that shoots Street Photography, you will know the controversy and the challenges when it comes to candidly shooting a photo of a random person. There is always a 50/50 chance they will be fine with it. I have had my fair share of confrontations of people not being okay with it, especially without permission. This is the love and hate I have for Street Photography. As of recent, I’ve been watching videos on how Street Photographers de-escalate situations and how to back themselves up rather than backing down. You will see that I was able to take photos of random people with their permission. But, sometimes Street Photography comes out better when things are more candid and not posed. I’ll get better at it and will definitely be practicing it more. But, until then, enjoy these pictures I snapped this past weekend.
