Why I’ve Changed How (and Where) I Work: Rising Crime Against Photographers in the Bay Area
As a professional photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve always been proud to create stunning images in some of the most beautiful outdoor locations in the world. But over the past few years, an alarming trend has made this work increasingly risky—not just for me, but for my clients too.
Violent crime targeting photographers has escalated in San Francisco and Oakland, and the impact on those of us in the industry is real, personal, and deeply felt.
A Snapshot of What We’re Facing
These are just a handful of the more well-known incidents involving photographers and videographers in the Bay Area:
February 2025 — Looking Glass Photo & Camera in Berkeley was involved hit in a major smash-and-grab/ram-raid with $50k+ in stolen merchandise (and heavy property damage).
March 5, 2025 — San Jose Camera and Video suffered significant damage in a smash-and-grab robbery (reporting tied it to a broader string of camera store crimes).
November 2024 — A TV news crew was ambushed by armed suspects while filming in North Oakland. Their camera equipment was stolen despite having security present.
September 2024 — A KGO-TV reporter, crew member, and security guard were rushed by armed suspects who stole their camera equipment.
November 2023 — A Czech camera crew in town for APEC was robbed at gunpoint outside City Lights Bookstore in North Beach.
November 15, 2022 — A wedding photographer was attacked and pistol-whipped during a photo session at the Palace of Fine Arts.
November 9, 2022 — A photographer was robbed at gunpoint at the Palace of Fine arts.
March 2022 — A Canadian film crew was robbed of $35,000 worth of photo equipment while filming near Twin Peaks in San Francisco. One crew member was pistol-whipped..
December 12, 2021 — An NBC sports crew was robbed at gunpoint near Jack London Square in Oakland; a camera was taken from the crew’s vehicle.
November 2021 — A new crew from KRON‑TV was reporting in Oakland when suspects attempted to steal their camera equipment. Security guard Kevin Nishita, a retired police officer, was shot and killed while attempting to intervene.
October 2021 — A photographer was followed for roughly 40 miles from San Francisco to his home in Fremont after he was seen shooting at the Golden Gate Bridge. He was robbed at gunpoint for his camera gear.
February 7, 2021 — A real-estate photography team had ~$7,000 in camera equipment stolen during a brazen “in-traffic” smash-and-grab.
June 28, 2021 — Armed suspects attempted to rob a news crew of camera equipment during an interview in downtown Oakland.
February 24, 2019 — A KPIX 5 news crew covering the teachers strike in Oakland was robbed of a camera and tripod; an armed security guard was shot during the incident.
July 16, 2017: Edward French, a 71-year-old photographer and film location scout was fatally shot and killed at Twin Peaks while being robbed of his camera equipment.
August 2015 — KTVU reported a pattern of news crews and newspaper photographers being robbed, including reports of pistol-whippings and multiple incidents in the year.
August 5, 2015 — Two photographers were robbed in broad daylight; reporting described an attack involving pepper spray while thieves took camera gear.
December 24, 2014 — Newlyweds and their wedding photographers were robbed at gunpoint near Oakland High School; reporting noted $13,000+ in camera gear stolen.
Why This Affects How I Work
These incidents aren’t just heartbreaking—they have forced many photographers, including myself, to rethink how and where we work. The risks are too high to ignore.
Here’s why I’ve made changes to my booking policies and outdoor location availability:
1. Client and Photographer Safety Comes First
Your safety—and mine—are non-negotiable. I can’t in good conscience suggest a location that has a known track record of armed robberies, especially for visibly high-value equipment sessions like headshots, portraits or branding shoots.
2. Photography Requires Focus, Not Fear
When I’m photographing you, my focus should be entirely on lighting, posing, connection, and creativity—not scanning the horizon for potential threats. If I’m on edge, the results suffer. That’s not fair to either of us.
3. Equipment Is Expensive to Replace
Much of my equipment costs tens of thousands of dollars and is not easily or immediately replaceable—even with insurance. Losing a camera or lighting equipment is losing my livelihood. And if the situation involves violence? The damage goes far beyond equipment.
4. Certain Locations Are Now Off-Limits
Due to repeated incidents, I now avoid areas like Twin Peaks, the Palace of Fine Arts, Union Square, the Embarcadero, parts of Oakland (including Lake Merritt and downtown), and select San Francisco landmarks (Golden Gate Bridge, Transamerica Building, Painted Ladies, Salesforce Tower, Palace of Fine Arts, Embarcadero, Civic Center, Market Street, the Mission) unless we’re working with proper security and during specific hours. These areas, while visually interesting, have proven to be high-risk.
A Higher Minimum Investment for Outdoor Shoots
Because of the additional planning, time, risk, and sometimes need for a hired security presence, I’ve instituted a higher minimum spend for outdoor or on-location sessions. This change ensures that:
We can budget for safety considerations.
We’re able to work in secure environments without compromising artistic quality.
The time, care, and risk involved in executing these shoots is fairly compensated.
How You Can Help
If you’re looking to book an outdoor session:
Be flexible on location—consider shooting at your place of work, a private home, or any space which offers safety or a security guard.. Outdoors on public streets or in public parks/tourist spaces are highly discouraged.
Be flexible on timing—when we shoot outdoors, we often want the chase the “golden hour” (or, the 1-2 hours before sunset). However, there is safety in numbers, so we must consider avoiding areas at dusk/night or areas with few people.
Understand that security planning is now part of the process, and may put limits on our timing, budget, and access to locations.
Be willing to move quickly—outdoor sessions make us a visible target. The more people we bring, and the longer we stay in one place, the higher the risk to everyone. Understand that your photographer may need to work very quickly and bring minimal equipment.
Consider getting a Permit—Some of the safest places in the City to photograph are Public Open Spaces because of the presence of security guards. However, many of these limit or prohibit photography without a permit. Obtaining a permit can take time (and comes at a cost), so consider this when picking a location.
Trust that these precautions are in place to protect your investment and ensure you feel as safe as possible in front of the camera.
Final Thoughts
Photography should be about creativity, connection, and joy—not danger. I’m committed to offering high-quality, professional work in a way that’s safe and sustainable. While the current climate has made some aspects of my work more complicated, it’s also made me more determined to protect what matters most—your experience, your safety, and my team’s ability to keep doing what we love.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
— Rebecca Wilkowski
San Francisco Corporate + Headshot Photographer
www.rebeccawilkowski.com