It’s undeniable that San Francisco is one of the most identifiably photogenic places in America. From the iconic winding up-hill roads to the painted ladies situated in an area literally called Postcard Row, the San Francisco aesthetic is as striking as it is distinct. Many a photographer has captured the city’s sumptuous visuals, but few have done so on a scale as impressive as Travis Monson.
The Utah transplant has lived in San Francisco for nearly 14 years and has spent the last six walking every inch of the city’s streets and trails with his camera. He recently completed his journey, walking the final steps of his beloved city and taking his final photo of the project. He reflects on his endeavor below.
What is your own personal relationship to San Francisco?
I’ve lived in San Francisco for almost 14 years. In 2011, I left Utah and moved here with no concrete plan— just a deep need to be somewhere that felt more like home. My first job was as a cheesemonger in the iconic Ferry Building, right on the waterfront.
During my first week in the city, I walked to City Lights Books on Columbus Avenue and bought a foldable map of San Francisco. Wanting to be a tourist in my new city, I set out to explore as many neighborhoods as possible, marking off each new street with a red pen on my map. My curiosity to explore every nook and cranny of the city remains as strong as it was when I first arrived.
Over the years, I’ve connected with the city in many ways—through jobs like event planning and leading food tours for Edible Excursions in the Mission District and Ferry Building, as well as through supporting nonprofit events like AIDS/LifeCycle and Dining Out for Life. I’ve also lived in four distinctly different neighborhoods, each offering a unique perspective on the city.
What do you love about the unique aesthetic of San Francisco so much as a photographer?
There’s so much to love about San Francisco’s unique aesthetic. After years of photographing the city, I’ve learned that every street tells a story, and even a single block can feel like a world of its own. I enjoy capturing both the sweeping cityscapes from its hills and the smaller, intricate details— like the architectural features on a Painted Lady, colorful murals scattered throughout the city, vintage cars parked on the streets, and random details found in historic buildings.
San Francisco’s steep hills and breathtaking views of the ocean and bay further enhance its unique aesthetic. Neighborhoods can quickly shift from dense city blocks to quieter streets, each offering a different vibe and experience to photograph. Even the parks, like Golden Gate Park, contribute to the overall charm that makes this city world-class.
Beyond the architecture, it’s the little things that make San Francisco special— the colorful facades, vintage cars, and murals that transform alleyways into art. The city is always changing, and I never get bored of capturing it.
Entire blocks transformed over the years I spent walking them, and my photos became a record of a city constantly shifting beneath my feet.
When did you first start photographing streets in San Francisco, and at what point did that evolve into this project of documenting every street in the city?
I started photographing the streets almost immediately after moving to San Francisco in 2011. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was capturing the city during a period of transition. Entire blocks transformed over the years I spent walking them, and my photos became a record of a city constantly shifting beneath my feet.
After about three years of tracking my progress on my map, I realized I had covered over 30% of the city. That’s when I decided to turn it into a project to walk every street. Around that time, I came across an article about Tom Graham’s journey of walking the entire city, which further inspired me to do the same.
What sorts of details are you looking for when photographing San Francisco? What catches your eye and draws you in?
I often set photography challenges for myself, focusing on specific details that catch my eye. Some days, I’ll spend hours capturing a single color, while other times, I focus on subjects like typography, reflections in puddles, or the interplay of light and shadow on buildings. Over the years, I’ve organized my photos into over 50 themes, as well as by neighborhood. Some of the themes I explore include doors, tiled steps, murals, pets in windows, weather vanes, rows of houses, roof gables, numbers, and stained glass, just to name a few.
I also love photographing the city in different weather conditions. Whether it’s a rainy or foggy day, the shifting weather transforms the mood and atmosphere of a photograph, giving the city an entirely different character.
I met San Francisco natives who shared the history of their blocks, shop owners who had watched the city evolve for decades, and newcomers like me who were still finding their place in it.
What has been the biggest surprise of this six-year-long project?
I think the biggest surprise of this project wasn’t just the places I discovered but the incredible people I met and the stories I heard along the way.
Walking with my torn-up map and camera in hand often sparked curiosity, leading to conversations that became one of the most rewarding parts of the experience. I met San Francisco natives who shared the history of their blocks, shop owners who had watched the city evolve for decades, and newcomers like me who were still finding their place in it.
Exploring every street and trail of San Francisco changed my life—it deepened my connection to the city and introduced me to amazing people.
Can you describe how it felt the moment you finished photographing the last street? What sort of emotions wafted over you?
The day before my birthday, I hiked the final trail on my map in Golden Gate Park. As I approached Ocean Beach, the sun was setting over the Pacific. A wave of joy washed over me— I had accomplished something that very few people ever would. To celebrate, I decided to treat myself to a glass of champagne at the historic Cliff House, which has since closed.
When I sat down at the bar, the server noticed my map and asked about it. I explained that I had just completed a six-year journey of walking every street and trail in San Francisco. The story was soon shared with others at the bar, and before I knew it, strangers were congratulating me, swapping stories about their own love for the city, turning the moment into an unexpected celebration. As I was getting ready to leave and pay my bill, the server, beaming with a huge smile, told me that everyone had chipped in to cover my tab.
Now that you’ve completed such a time-consuming undertaking, what’s next? Do you have plans for what to do with all of the photos in the series? Do you have another separate photography project in the works?
I’m currently in the process of finding a local publisher to create a book of my photography and stories. The positive feedback I’ve received has been incredibly encouraging, inspiring me to continue sharing my work and exploring new ways to showcase it, like the themed color collages I’ve created. I’ve also started selling my work on my website and plan to host gallery showings around the Bay Area in the near future.
I also have a new map of the city that I’ve been using to re-walk San Francisco. I have no intention of covering every street and trail again, but I’ve been enjoying revisiting parts of the city years later, documenting how it continues to change. As long as I live here, I plan to keep capturing and exploring the city.
The post This Photographer Walked Every Street in San Francisco Documenting the City appeared first on PRINT Magazine.