After jostling with photographers and tourists at the popular Battery Spencer viewpoint, the sunset initially felt like a bit of a letdown. But the more time I spent with this frame, the more I noticed its subtleties.

The last golden rays of sun delicately kissed the Golden Gate Bridge, just clipping the tallest towers beyond the bay. A near cloudless sky gave way to a perfect blue-to-orange ombré, gently sculpting the structure in a soft, glowing contrast.

By this point, most people had packed up and left, perhaps expecting something louder, more dramatic. But it was this understated calm, paired with the growing chill and the wind rolling in off the Pacific, that felt quintessentially San Francisco. Everyone else missed it. And that made it even more special.

Photo by: Bradley Basten