When the new real estate listing site, neighborhoods.com asked me to photograph all the neighborhoods of San Francisco, I was thrilled. I like walking around the city. I was glad for the opportunity to explore this beautiful city. Most of all, this was a chance to work outside of traditional methods of architectural photography and incorporate aspects of street photography into my commercial work.

I have long been fascinated with the aesthetic of the street; immersing myself in the city and interacting with it through the camera. That is what drew me to photography in the first place. I am inspired by the work of Gary Winogrand and Lee Friedlander. It has been so refreshing to return to this practice.

To achieve images which told the story of a neighborhood, I looked at how people use the environment. It’s the comfortable pace someone takes when walking down their own street. There is a certain melody to the chatter at a local favorite restaurant. Buildings begin to resemble the people who inhabit them. Each neighborhood is so distinct, I walk around, taking in information and waiting for the ah-ha moment when I get a sense that this time and place is important to photograph.

In all the project has taken me nearly two months. I photographed 51 neighborhoods - although I’m only sharing a small sample here on my blog. I think the project has given me fresh insight into how to better incorporate chance and impulse into my craft. I am grateful for the library of photos I've accumulated and this fresh vision of San Francisco.