Street Photography in Sacramento

Old Sacramento Waterfront is a 28 acre historic district on the Sacramento River, and it looks much as it did in the Gold Rush years. Fits and Stops Photography describes wooden boardwalks and brick streets lined with old style signs. It is the natural street photography classroom here: Mike's Camera runs its street workshop walks in Old Town. Tourists in front of old storefronts give you layers of past and present. Shoot along the boardwalk in the morning, when shadows from the awnings fall across it. Weekend afternoons get crowded, so arrive early.

Tower Bridge is the gold painted vertical lift bridge that links Old Sacramento with West Sacramento. It is the city's most photographed structure, but it also works for street pictures. The walkways carry walkers and cyclists, and the steel towers make a strong frame around them. Stand at the Old Sacramento end and wait for a single figure to cross at sunset, when the gold paint glows. From the riverbank below, the bridge becomes a backdrop for people on the waterfront. Traffic is close to the walkway, so keep your gear on your side of the railing.

Capitol Park surrounds the California State Capitol and is described by Fits and Stops Photography as a sprawling arboretum with fountains, memorials, paved walkways and the World Peace Rose Garden. At lunchtime, state workers walk the paths and sit on benches, which gives you everyday scenes against grand architecture. Frame a figure against the Capitol dome from the west steps side. The trees give shade and dappled light, which suits portraits. Demonstrations happen here often, and are fair subjects in public, but give people space. Security staff guard the building itself, so follow their directions.

K Street, known locally as The Kay, runs through downtown. Fits and Stops Photography recommends it for urban flair: busy streets, unexpected murals, parking garages and rooftop views, with older buildings and tree lined blocks rather than a glassy skyline. Game nights at the arena draw crowds to the west end. Find a mural and wait for someone to walk past. Parking garage rooftops give a high angle on the street, but check each garage's rules before you shoot from one. Late afternoon light runs along the east west street.

The Midtown Farmers Market fills 20th Street in the Lavender Heights district every Saturday from 8:00 to 13:00, with over 200 vendors across five blocks. The Midtown Association says it grew from a handful of vendors in a parking lot in 2012. It is the best weekly gathering in the city for people pictures. Arrive early, walk the length once to scout, then work the busiest corners. Vendors are working, so ask before close portraits. Midtown is also the home of Second Saturday art walks, so check the Midtown Association calendar for dates.

Oak Park is a historic neighborhood south of downtown. Visit California notes that while most Wide Open Walls murals are in Midtown and Downtown, the festival also painted diverse neighborhoods such as Oak Park. Walk the commercial blocks around Broadway and 35th Street, pick a mural and wait for a passer by. The pace is slower than downtown, so talk to people and explain what you are doing. This is a residential community, not a tourist district, so be respectful, and ask before photographing anyone at their home or business.