Neighborhood 0: The 41 Project
Why I'm starting the photo journey after living in the Bay Area for 20 years
Around 8 years ago, I began to take my small DSLR with a kit lens to San Francisco to begin my journey with photography. Growing up in the quiet suburbs, I was drawn to the magical draw of the city with all of its energy and chaos. That pull has never faded to this day.
Fast forward to 2026, and I’ve continued taking photos, and built an archive of tens of thousands of photos over the years. Having never found the right platform to share my work, I was inspired to start publishing here on Substack under the The 41 Project.
The 41 Project is a focused effort to photograph and document life in SF’s 41 neighborhoods as outlined in DataSF’s portal. San Franciscans are notorious for being territorial over their neighborhoods, each embodying different character and charm that warrants checking out. Some smaller than others, others more crowded and vibrant than some, and those that are slightly harder to reach intertwine 41 different villages into one larger city.
Every two weeks, I’m hoping to publish a new field report, sharing photos captured on a city walk, randomly capturing moments while navigating the city. Doing so with my two legs, two wheels, or the widespread availability of transit, my hope is that this can be a project that finally takes my photos into a space for visibility and showing the city in a new light.
Over the next months, I'll be documenting all 41 neighborhoods—from the famous to the overlooked. Whether you're a lifelong resident or just curious about the city, I'd love your suggestions on where to explore next.
Have a neighborhood suggestion for the next field report? Drop it in the comments below.