Our Story
A Leica, a few Lonely Planet covers and an unreasonable amount of time in airports. In 2001 that's all Sam needed for the first business: travel and lifestyle stock, twenty-plus countries, sold through Getty, Alamy and Blend Images. Graduate school from 2009, wound down in 2011 when the stock photography market had thinned and health insurance needed paying for, and then fifteen years of shipping product at very large companies. The photographs never stopped. Today the site has one writer, one dog and one server for machines. We share Sam's belief that a good guide should do three things: show, not tell; say so when the sample is too small; and know when the light is good.
Sam Bloomberg-Rissman
Frames, Understand, History Sam first came to Berkeley in 1996 and has left it three times, for the rest of the Bay, Los Angeles and Miami. He has been back since 2020, with a dog and a music setup that was definitely worth every penny (ask again in a year). He spent his twenties travelling the world making photographs for a living, twenty-something countries, a few Lonely Planet covers, and now shoots because he cannot stop, which turns out to be the better reason. He is drawn to the blue hour, books, and conversations that go longer than planned, and has strong opinions about music, photography and the right way to spend a day off, most of which involve walking somewhere without a particular destination, which the dog finds more charming than anyone else does. He believes perfection is a useful compass and a terrible destination. Portrait: the dog, who was available.
We love to hear from visitors. Your notes keep the guide honest and the index accurate. Write to website@sambr.com.
Published by Sam Bloomberg-RissmanBerkeley, California
1st edition – September 2026
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Photographs © Sam Bloomberg-Rissman. Prose may be quoted with attribution and a link. Photographs may not be reused without permission. Plate titles were generated and are not to be taken personally. Capture times are camera-local; shelving is computed against Berkeley's sun table and is approximate for frames shot far away. Please let us know of any misuses: website@sambr.com.
Although the writer has taken all reasonable care in preparing this guide, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maximum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use. The blue hour may be oversold. The sample may be too small to tell.
