I went to the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco last Sunday. I got there very early, in case there was good morning light. There wasn’t—it was overcast—but that works well for the long-exposure photography I was planning to do. It was also a good thing I got there early, because starting around 9 a.m. there was a steady stream of tour buses unloading dozens of tourists for a 15-minute stop to take selfies.

Here’s an 80-second exposure taken at 7:45 a.m. with a 10-stop ND filter, converted to black and white. The overcast day helps get a longer exposure and casts a uniform light over the scene—both good things.

I also shot infrared, even though overcast days aren’t the best for that. I plan to go back on a sunnier day and do this over, because it’s a good infrared subject, combining architecture and foliage.

On a sunny day, this tree would be much brighter and whiter.

I took regular photos as well, but because I thought they were the same as what every tourist was shooting, I at least added an effect.

With the Palace of Fine Arts, the Presidio and the Golden Gate Bridge all in very close proximity, this is a great photo destination with a variety of subjects. Because I always get better shots the second (or third) time I visit a location, I definitely plan to go back here soon.