Moving

Photographer captures a San Francisco as quirky as ever

San Francisco is not the same anymore. It lost its culture. It’s lost what made it unique and quirky.

It’s a common refrain, but a look at Instagram user @pueo_in_sf shows that someone with a fresh eye in San Francisco and a camera on hand can still show us all what the City by the Bay is all about makes it special.

Sage Akaboshi offers this new perspective. Born and raised in Japan, he moved to Hawaii before settling in San Francisco eight years ago.

“I love taking pictures of San Francisco because it’s a different culture from Japan,” said Akaboshi. “It never gets boring.”

Last year Akaboshi shared a picture on SFGATE’s Instagram that was one of our favorite photos of the year. It shows a small dog with a Luigi figure on its back.

“Actually, I saw the dog a few days earlier when I took a picture. When I saw this dog again, I wanted to take a picture of the dog without an owner, walking alone,” said Akaboshi. “At that time, the matching F-line happened to be over.”

Many of his street photography photos have a nice, quirky sense of humor and capture the San Francisco of today wonderfully.

“I just want people to see what is happening in front of me as a fun moment,” he added. “I hope to capture my visual interpretation of the city around me in the pictures.”

Akaboshi’s love of photography began at a young age, taking pictures every day with a film camera, often in black and white, or a Polaroid camera.

After moving to San Francisco for work, Akaboshi began wandering the streets of San Francisco, always ready to snap a picture with his phone’s camera.

“My photography made me explore more of the city,” he said. “Every time I go for a walk I discover something new.”

Akaboshi noted that his favorite photo spot is Market Street, where an endless number of tourists, workers, or children are often the focus of his pictures.

“It’s street photography style, but I’d say a mix of styles,” says Akaboshi of his photographic eye. “It’s street, architecture, openness, cityscape and more. It’s everything that interests me.”

Another of his favorite neighborhoods in the Mission District. “I love cultural diversity,” he added.

Although most of his pictures are of people, he also occasionally shows off the natural beauty of San Francisco.

“Fog in particular makes me excited,” said Akaboshi. “It is wonderful.”

Skateboarders can also be seen in many of Akaboshi’s pictures. “When I hear the rumble of a skateboard in the street, I turn on my camera app before I find out where they are,” he says with a laugh.

Another Akaboshi’s favorite spot is on public transportation, especially the San Francisco Muni trains, where he never knows what he will see.

“I also like events where people are dressed in costumes like Santa Con, Halloween and the How Weird Festival,” he said.

“I almost always wait and look for something that happens around me,” he added.

Although he always took photos on the street, Akaboshi noticed that he often captures his pictures unnoticed.

“When I see someone really close, something like the outfit and item they have, I’ll talk to them first.”

But Akaboshi loves the challenge of documenting the city, which never bores him.

“When I have more courage, I’ll take more funny photos,” he said.

You can follow Sage Akaboshi’s photographic journey through San Francisco on Instagram at @pueo_in_sf.

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